Giulia Conti: “With Luna Rossa we wrote women’s history, but now I would like a woman among men”

The women won, and even before that the boys, the future belongs to Luna Rossa even if the bitterness continues to flow over the America’s Cup lost by the mother boat (and New Zealand in the first two races against Ineos, is already 2-0 ). Italy wins two cups in the same edition, it had never happened before, the smaller AC40 helmed by Giulia Conti and Margherita Porro, with Maria Giubilei and Giulia Fava trimmers, defeats Ineos Britannia in the final and wins the Women’s America’s Cup. Luna Rossa he strongly wanted these successes, despite the words faithful to the tradition of Patrizio Bertelli who said he was “against mixed crews”. The reality is very different, and Giulia Conti, 4 Olympics under her belt, leader of Luna Rosa, tells it from Barcelona.

Giulia, how did you experience this cup?

«There were tough moments, it was a tough two weeks due to the waiting, the wind that was there and wasn’t there, the canceled regattas. But team cohesion allowed us to write a piece of history in women’s sailing.”

How did this success come about?

«It was a journey that began in January, with training in Cagliari on the simulator and on the AC40. A project shared from day one with the Youth crew.”

How did you collaborate with the guys, starting from the phenomenon Marco Gradoni?

«We don’t see ourselves as two teams: we are one team. We helped the boys when they did the regattas like they did with us. It was a great emotion to see them win because we worked together from the first moment. At the beginning they were a little ahead of us in terms of boat handling, but we always sailed together, maybe two boys and two girls on the AC40. A beautiful synergy was created that now makes us all so happy.”

Do you ever think about an America’s Cup on the “biggest” boat?

“I’m not thinking so much about the future because what we’re doing now is already great, the first Women’s Cup, I’m tremendously proud, we’re making history.”

But we are starting to talk about a next edition with mixed crews.

«It would be nice, of course, to see women on board the AC75. Because we are gaining a lot of experience on these boats, and the women’s America’s Cup was created to give us the opportunity to fill the experience gap that still exists with the men. I certainly don’t deny how much everything that has happened is inspiring me.”