The final of the Louis Vuitton Cup in Barcelona is becoming one of the most exciting and disputed in recent years. After Monday’s matchday, which closed with a 3-3 draw, this Tuesday was no different. The score is equal again, 4-4, after two races marked by ups and downs and technical problems, which tested both teams. Tension mounts as the ultimate goal draws closer: the right to challenge defending champion Emirates Team New Zealand in the 37th America’s Cup.
The day began with a garbí wind of 21 knots, similar to Monday’s, which once again created a challenging scenario. In the first race of the day, the Italian team Luna Rossa came out on top, beating INEOS Britannia with a precise and aggressive start. After a tense pre-start, the Italians took advantage of an impeccable maneuver to overtake the British and take the lead for most of the route. However, an unexpected problem with the left foil arm forced Luna Rossa to make a technical stop, allowing INEOS Britannia to make up ground and ultimately take the win. This incident left the Italian vessel with visible damage to its deck, forcing rapid intervention by the technical team.
Louis Vuitton Cup Final, Regatta day 5. LUNA ROSSA PRADA PIRELLI TEAM
In the words of Jimmy Spithill, helmsman of Luna Rossa: “The important thing is that the boys have been able to carry out a repair that has allowed us to compete in that second race. A fairly large area has been opened, so if they had not been able to fix it, performance would have been affected.”
Despite the setbacks, the Italian team managed to return to the competition for the second regatta, showing impressive resilience. After a brief pause due to exceeding the wind limits, the Italians returned in force. This time, it was the British who made a mistake in the pre-start, which cost them a penalty that favored Luna Rossa. With an early lead, the Italians navigated with tactical precision, increasing their lead at each stage, as INEOS struggled to stay afloat in the contest.
Francesco Bruni and his crew dominated the second race of the day, closing out the victory with a difference of 16 seconds.
Spithill, underscoring his team’s ability to respond under pressure:
“I think after a day like today you can feel the momentum starting to change.”
For his part, Sir Ben Ainslie, skipper of INEOS Britannia, acknowledged the difficulties of the day: “In the second race we had a problem with the foil control system that left us in a bad position for the start. We weren’t where we wanted to be, but with so much wind you can’t go from one side to the other with the boat or you might end up breaking something.”
With the score tied at 4-4, the series remains on a knife edge. Both teams have shown that they are not willing to give an inch, and the competition remains open while the Barcelona public continues to marvel at the spectacle. With gusts of up to 23 knots and speed maneuvers reaching 55.6 knots, the fans present at the Race Village and the city’s Fanzones enjoyed an unforgettable day.
The outcome is yet to be decided, and tomorrow, Wednesday, the wind is expected to change, which could add a new layer of uncertainty to this epic battle in the waters of Barcelona.
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