America’s Cup 2024 begins: Luna Rossa immediately against the New Zealanders

For the more romantic, theAmerica’s Cup It is still the oldest sporting competition in the world and its trophy is a tribute to the jug costing one hundred guineas that awarded the first winner in 1851. All these concepts continue to define 173 years later what has now become the Formula 1 of the seas, although the most proud are keen to point out that, in reality, it is the Circus that is the America’s Cup of the asphalt.

Luna Rossa’s Retreat

The new edition started today, Thursday 22nd August, with the preliminary regattas, which do not award points for the Louis Vuitton Cup (the challengers’ tournament). In the first of a series of “one-on-one” challenges Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli challenged in the waters of Barcelona Emirates team New Zealand. It didn’t go as the Italian fans had dreamed, because Luna Rossa had to abandon the challenge due to a belly flop. After a tack the Italians ended up with the bow under water and lost control of the boat, stopping in the water. Despite the electrical problem Luna Rossa showed significant speed peaks both on the upwind and downwind legs.

Luna Rossa, redemption against Orien Express

Redemption came in today’s second race against the French of Orient Express. At the start Luna Rossa split the second while Orient Express made a wrong maneuver accumulating a delay at the start of about 200 meters. More problems with lifting on the wings for the French and the distance reached over a kilometer with two windward-leewards to go. In the meantime Luna Rossa’s trim remained perfect until the finish line with a final gap of over a minute and a half. On August 23 the Italian crew will face Ineos Britanniathe 25th with Never.