Cup Update – Day 15: Each Team Scores a Win in Louis Vuitton Cup Final
by Richard Gladwell Sail-World NZ September 27, 2024, 11:21 PDT
Luna Rossa and INEOS Britannia – Race 1 – Finals Louis Vuitton Cup – Day 15 – September 26, 2024 – Barcelona © Ian Roman / America’s Cup
Luna Rossa claimed victory in the first race of the Louis Vuitton Cup Final, navigating fierce winds of 20 knots and a lively sea. In contrast, INEOS Britannia rebounded in Race 2, achieving a comprehensive win to level the scoreboard after Day 1.
Following British skipper Ben Ainslie’s acknowledgment that the Italians “had the advantage,” INEOS Britannia showcased a remarkable performance in 20 knots and a significant 1.5-meter seaway, winning the second race similarly to how the Italians had won the first.
Both teams exhibited impressive control in the challenging top-end conditions, causing several delays in the start of the second race as the race committee awaited the breeze to drop below the maximum allowed for racing.
All mark roundings were completed under severe conditions, which Luna Rossa’s skipper, Jimmy Spithill, likened to “racing a Ferrari on ice.”
The second race mirrored the first, albeit with positions swapped. INEOS Britannia gained a slight lead as the two AC75s veered off the port boundary during the first tack out of the starting line and maintained it throughout the race.
During Leg 3, there was a classic America’s Cup-style duel, with the Italians positioning themselves behind the British and adopting a “high mode,” sailing at a sharper angle to the wind to mitigate turbulence and lessen the British lead. However, their strategy was ineffective, as the British held their position, and notably, INEOS Britannia stayed resilient under Italian pressure in the following mark rounding, where the AC75s approached nearly 50 knots. Surprisingly, there were no indications of the race-altering foil washout seen numerous times during the Round Robin races.
The defender of the America’s Cup, Emirates Team NZ, utilized the America’s Cup course area between races today, while broadcast time featured a replay of the Youth America’s Cup Final.
Tomorrow, Friday, will be a no-race day, with predictions of a gorgeous 15-knot westerly breeze. Racing will resume on Saturday, when Barcelona will be itself again, with lighter winds expected in the following days.
Race Summaries:
Louis Vuitton Finals Match 1: ITA vs GBR Start: 14:15hrs CET (12:15hrs UTC) Entry: Port: ITA Starboard: GBR
Race management cleared the start without delays. The wind was within permitted limits, just under 20 knots.
Luna Rossa set deep in the start box, with the Brits leeward and behind, both boats slightly late off the start. The Brits tacked toward the Beach – starboard boundary, initially 135 meters behind. They took opposite boundaries, with Luna Rossa maintaining just a loose cover.
At Mark 1, Luna Rossa reached 52.3 knots in the bear-away, heading for the port boundary, leading by 240 meters on the water. Both boats raced upwind at 39-40 knots, apparently using their #5 jibs. This likely represents the most extreme conditions AC75s have faced, second only to Race 3 of the Prada Cup in Auckland, where Patriot capsized and became partially submerged. The race committee announced a shift of the windward mark to 208°, indicating wind direction. Luna Rossa nearly faltered on Leg 4 with a high-speed wobble and control issue. However, this slip only reduced their lead to 300 meters on the water.
By Leg 5, ITA extended to 443 meters, maintaining a loose cover over the British. The Italians continued to lead, finishing up at 770 meters.
Upon crossing the finish line, INEOS Britannia’s skipper Ben Ainslie conceded the “Italians had the legs on us,” believing they thrived in fresh conditions with the increasing seaway. He noted their poor start, stating, “we need to get in front and stay ahead.” Both AC75s were “red lining” in the peak conditions, with visible cavitation on their foils.
For statistics enthusiasts, Luna Rossa achieved a top speed of 52.3 knots, alongside an average VMG of 24.2 knots, compared to 23.6 knots for the Brits. The Brits sailed 400 meters less than Luna Rossa.
For those interested in betting, the odds in New Zealand for Race 2 of the Final are $2.00 for a win on Britannia and $1.72 for Luna Rossa.
Mark roundings and margins – Final Race 1.
Mark 1: 03m 20sec ITA led margin 11secs
Mark 2: 06m 09sec ITA led margin 11secs
Mark 3: 10m 00sec ITA led margin 25secs
Mark 4: 13m 01sec ITA led margin 18secs
Mark 5: 16m 54sec ITA led margin 36secs
Mark 6: 19m 55sec ITA led margin 28secs
Mark 7: 24m 03sec ITA led margin 42secs
Finish: 27m 03sec ITA led margin 46secs
Louis Vuitton Finals Match 2: GBR vs ITA Start: 15:49hrs (CET) (13:49hrs UTC) Entry: Port: GBR Starboard ITA
Both teams were slightly late at the start, with the British setting up to leeward of the Italians, crossing first with a 4-meter lead. Both aimed for the port boundary, where INEOS had to tack and LRPP had to yield. For a brief period, the Italians maintained a slim lead of less than 10 meters, but notably—as opposed to Race 1—the British managed to sail above the Italians, gaining a 25-meter or one boat length lead.
Then, it was the Italians’ turn to rebound from the port boundary as the Brits applied a tight cover on Spithill/Bruni, forcing them back to the port boundary while Ainslie/Fletcher opted to let them go. This strategy enabled the Brits to gain a lead of 125 meters and allowed them to cross clear ahead of the Italians as they approached the opposite gate, with both crews taking different paths on Leg 2.
Sailing downwind at 47-49 knots, INEOS quickly expanded their lead to under 400 meters.
Switching to their High Mode on Leg 3, Luna Rosa cut the margin down to about 100 meters nearing Mark 3. Yet, the British appeared to maintain an edge going downwind—possibly due to their choice of shifts or deeper sailing. 49er Olympic Gold Medalist Dylan Fletcher seemed to lead the crew’s communication. During Leg 5’s initial segment, the Brits doubled their lead to 200 meters after both crews settled into their rhythm. Again, the Italians appeared faster upwind, sailing at 40 knots compared to the Brits’ 39 knots. The gap was down to 80 meters at Mark 5, yet INEOS still showed superiority downwind.
Essentially, the race was set up for the Brits to lose. On the final upwind, Luna Rossa had little impact, and the Brits surged ahead, reaching the remarkable 50 knots, stretching their lead to 320 meters as they gybed off the starboard boundary. Luna Rossa was out of tactical choices and could only watch as the British extended to a 350-meter lead at the finish line, ending the day tied.
Mark roundings and margins – Final Race 2.
Mark 1: 03m 34sec GBR led margin 07secs
Mark 2: 06m 26sec GBR led margin 17secs
Mark 3: 10m 19sec GBR led margin 07secs
Mark 4: 13m 13sec GBR led margin 13secs
Mark 5: 17m 11sec GBR led margin 10secs
Mark 6: 20m 07sec GBR led margin 15secs
Mark 7: 24m 19sec GBR led margin 17secs
Finish: 27m 25sec GBR led margin 18secs
Additional Images:
Preview: Louis Vuitton Cup Finals Day 1:
The two victors from the Semi-Finals, INEOS Britannia from the Royal Yacht Squadron and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli from Circolo della Vela Sicilia, will compete in two races scheduled for Finals Day 1 on Thursday, September 26, 2024.
The forecast predicts winds increasing to 18 knots with gusts up to 25 knots and sea conditions of 1.3 meters. According to the official forecast, “racing conditions are more than challenging.”
Weather Overview:
America’s Cup Weather Partner PredictWind has established a dedicated Race Weather Center, providing fans with detailed daily weather updates, live webcams, and historical weather information compiled by meteorologists.
Provisional Forecast for Race Day 15, Thursday, September 26, 2024:
From Arnaud Monges, former America’s Cup Team Meteorologist:
A South-West wind gradient will influence Barcelona on Thursday, linked to a significant low-pressure system centered over Northern Europe. Morning winds from the South-West are expected around 10 knots, rising to 14 to 18 knots from the 220° direction in the afternoon, with possible gusts up to 25 knots.
These winds will generate waves of up to 1.3 meters from the South-West at a 5-second period, making racing extraordinarily challenging.
It will be a sunny day, with temperatures climbing to 29°C due to warmer air from the south.
UniCredit Youth America’s Cup Final and Louis Vuitton Cup Race Schedule:
UniCredit Youth America’s Cup Match Race Final Start: 12:20hrs CET (10:20hrs UTC) Entry: Port: USA Starboard: ITA
Louis Vuitton Finals Match 1: ITA vs GBR Start: 14:15hrs CET (12:15hrs UTC) Entry: Port: ITA Starboard: GBR
Louis Vuitton Finals Match 2: GBR vs ITA Start: 15:49hrs (CET) (13:49hrs UTC) Entry: Port: GBR Starboard ITA
Live race coverage for Thursday:
Pre-race Analysis:
Precise steering, along with meticulous flight control will be critical today to prevent foil washouts at critical moments.
The Finals are structured similarly to the America’s Cup, with 13 races scheduled, and the first to score 7 points declared the winner. Typically, this means the first to win seven races; however, points penalties may be imposed by the International Jury for violations that are not covered by the Racing Rules.
Two races are planned for each day. The same wind limits apply as in previous rounds of the Louis Vuitton Cup—a lower limit of 6.5 knots and an upper limit of 21 knots—measured at both ends of the course (start line) using recording devices at each gate. There are four total devices, with readings averaged over 30-second intervals during the five-minute period prior to the start. If the wind remains within permissible limits, the Course Director will announce (heard in TV commentary) that racing will proceed.
Once given the go-ahead, the race carries on regardless of subsequent wind conditions. The only constraints post-go-ahead are that teams must meet a first-leg time limit of 12 minutes and an overall race time limit of 45 minutes. The race committee reserves the right to adjust leg lengths, compass directions, and the number of legs during the race.
To date, no race has lasted longer than 25 minutes.
The race director has discretion not to start racing (even within prescribed limits) if he deems the sea state unsafe. He may also cancel a race for safety reasons—a power he nearly exercised during lightning on Day 5 of the Louis Vuitton Cup. However, Emirates Team NZ’s decision to withdraw from their race and sail beyond the 100-meter boundary triggered their disqualification, awarding the race to Luna Rossa, circumventing any safety actions from the Race Director.
Our coverage comprises weather updates, live video, real-time images from the racecourse, mark rounding statistics, timing, margins, and other commentary.
Course Location:
Weather Information – Louis Vuitton Cup – Finals – Day 1
Crew Lists
Virtual Eye
Now, or after racing, you can replay the key moments or the entire race using Virtual Eye from ARL.
You can access the Virtual Eye America’s Cup coverage by clicking here and selecting “Watch Previous” to choose the race you wish to view. This 3D viewer allows for zooming in, out, and around, just like in a helicopter.
