Louis Vuitton Cup Day 5: Lightning didn't stop Luna Rossa from beating Emirates Team New Zealand
by Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli 3 Sep 2024 17:48 BST
3 September 2024
Emirates Team New Zealand vs. Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli on Louis Vuitton Cup Round Robin Day 5 © Ian Roman / America's Cup
Another solid and clear-cut win for Luna Rossa, this time against the Defender Emirates Team New Zealand in the Louis Vuitton Cup Round Robins.
The storm passing over Barcelona, with lightning flashes across the racecourse, was such that the Committee was only able to start two of the matches scheduled for the day. The unpredictable weather contributed to a huge and complex effort for the crew due to the rain and the patchy northwest wind on the course.
MATCH #17 - NZL vs ITA
The race started slightly late as the Committee repositioned the course due to a wind shift, but it did not disappoint expectations.
Luna Rossa won the start, crossing the line in front and in full control of the Kiwis who were forced to tack. During the maneuver, Emirates Team New Zealand lost control of the rudder and fell off the foils. The Italian boat consolidated its lead, rounding the first gate 16 seconds ahead. The rest of the race was neither easy nor straightforward as Luna Rossa worked to balance its consolidated lead and keeping the opponent in check, as well as navigating the shifty conditions on the course. As the Italian boat approached the finish line, with just a few hundred meters to arrival, ETNZ was disqualified for crossing the boundary of over 100 meters.
Winner: ITA
Luna Rossa's crew today featured Jimmy Spithill and Francesco Bruni at the helm, with Umberto Molineris and Andrea Tesei as trimmers. The cyclors were Enrico Voltolini, Bruno Rosetti, Cesare Gabbia and Emanuele Liuzzi.