America's Cup: Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli ready for Vilanova next week
by Luna Rossa Media/Sail-World.com/nz 7 Sep 2023 09:43 BST
7 September 2023
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli - America's Cup Practice - AC40 - Day 3 - Barcelona - September 1, 2023 © Ugo Fonolla / America's Cup
The Preliminary Regatta in Vilanova, 25nm along the coast from Barcelona, starting in exactly one week's time (14 - 17 September), will raise the curtain on the 37th America's Cup.
Although the results of the preliminary regattas do not count towards the Challenger Selection Series or the America's Cup itself, the Vilanova regatta will nonetheless mark the start of the 2024 America's Cup cycle, which will reach its climax between September and October 2024 in Barcelona.
For the first time since the 2021 edition in Auckland, the Defender and Challengers will have the opportunity to officially face each other in competition and assess their respective progress in terms of teamwork and confidence with the new AC40s. The 12metre long one design yachts, developed by Emirates Team New Zealand will be used for the first two preliminary races and for the Youth and Puig Women's America's Cups.
Like the larger AC75s used in the 2021 and 2024, the recent AC40s are one design monohulls, equipped with foils and capable of reaching and exceeding 40 knots of speed (around 80 km/h). Being identical for all competitors, these AC40s will not reveal any information on the design progress or technological development that each team conducts for their AC75, the official and final America's Cup boat.
After the Practice Race scheduled for September 14, 2023, two days of fleet races (up to three per day) will take place on September 15 & 16. The Final Day, Sunday September 17, 2023 will feature two fleet races and a match race final between the two top teams to determine the series champion.
Although Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli has spent less time than its competitors on board the AC40, preferring to focus on the development of the LEQ12 in Cagliari, the training sessions carried out in recent months in Barcelona have shown that the sailors of the Italian team are comfortable on these boats and ready to battle in every race.
"We can't wait to get started", says Max Sirena, Skipper and Team Director of Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli. "For us and for all the teams it will be an important test and a very useful opportunity for comparison. After two years, we will finally taste the competition and the adrenaline that only a regatta can give you. Even though we have trained less than our opponents on the AC40s, I am very satisfied with the work done by the guys in Barcelona over the last few months: we have achieved a very good level of team spirit and confidence in the maneuvers. We are a professional team, we are here to win and we will give our best in every race. I am sure we will witness a very close and exciting even".
The members of Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli summoned for the Preliminary Regatta in Vilanova i la Geltrú (the final crew will be selected on a daily basis) are: Jimmy Spithill (helmsman), Francesco Bruni (helmsman), Marco Gradoni (helmsman), Ruggero Tita (helmsman), Umberto Molineris (trimmer), Andrea Tesei (trimmer) and Vittorio Bissaro (trimmer).
The ancient Catalan town of Vilanova i la Geltrú is ready to transform itself into the mecca of sailing and to host the America's Cup enthusiasts who will arrive in town for this important regatta: the heart of the event will be in the Public Village, open every day of the regatta with free admission. Here, in addition to watching the shows and interviews - organized daily with the protagonists of the various teams - spectators will be able to watch the races on giant screens. The proximity of the regatta course, however, makes it possible to also watch the competition from the beaches along the harbour.
More information can be found on the official website www.americascup.com/events/vilanova