Dominant Performance by British and Italians on Day 1 of the Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Finals
by 37th America’s Cup media 14 Sep 11:31 PDT
14 September 2024
INEOS Britannia vs. Alinghi Red Bull Racing on Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Finals Day 1 – 14th September 2024 © David Maynard / www.alleycatphotographer.com
Today marked the start of the Louis Vuitton Cup’s serious stages under bright sunshine on the beautiful waters of Barcelona. The first day of the Semi-Finals showcased two fierce performances from the top Challenger teams emerging from the Round Robin series – INEOS Britannia and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli.
With a tricky day featuring a seven to 13-knot wind from the south-southwest, the elite athletes of the sport were ready to showcase their skills – and they did with precision. Although Sir Ben Ainslie anticipated competitive racing against the Swiss Alinghi Red Bull Racing team, the races turned into a one-sided affair favored heavily towards the British team.
‘Britannia’ appeared to possess the power demanded earlier in the competition, both upwind and downwind, allowing them to build significant leads in both races that remained unchallenged. With two wins from two races, INEOS Britannia is on an impressive streak, delivering a performance not seen from a British boat in the America’s Cup in recent memory.
After the races, Dylan Fletcher, Olympic gold medallist and port helm on INEOS Britannia, expressed that team morale was rising, yet he remained realistic about their success, stating: “We’ve been putting in the effort since the Round Robins, with significant work from the shore team to prepare Britannia for the semis, and it feels like we’re gaining good momentum. Today was challenging with variable winds; we were uncertain about the optimal jib to use. So, we’re pleased to have navigated through it, and I expect Alinghi Red Bull Racing will come back fighting even harder tomorrow.”
“We focused on improving our manoeuvres, particularly our tacks, as our gybes have been solid for a while. The priority for me is to build consistency and maintain our awareness searching beyond the boat.”
Conversely, skipper Arnaud Psarofaghis from Alinghi Red Bull Racing encountered contrasting emotions. Despite the heavy defeats, he remained optimistic: “It was tough out there. We made mistakes, but we fought back as best we could. We chose poorly in the first race when the right side was performing, and in the second race, we hit a lull before the start, leading to a lost opportunity. INEOS executed excellently. We just need to stay focused, fight daily, and anything can happen.”
In the other Semi-Final matchup, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli faced off against NYYC American Magic, who have struggled since the injury to their port helmsman Paul Goodison and lackluster performances at the end of the Round Robin series. The races were tightly contested, with the Americans gaining early control through impressive sailing by Tom Slingsby; however, small errors marred their performance when it mattered most. Luna Rossa’s helmsmen, Jimmy Spithill and Francesco Bruni, kept the races competitive, capitalizing on opportunities as they arose.
At the end of a thrilling opening day, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli concluded with a 2-0 scoreline but Francesco Bruni emphasized how close the racing was, saying: “Conditions were extremely challenging; it was a true struggle out there. Gauging the wind pressure and boat performance was difficult, with variable conditions. It was a unique day, unlike anything we had seen in Barcelona, and we managed to make the most of it, although it was very tiring.”
Meanwhile, Tom Slingsby lamented missed execution opportunities yet remains hopeful, stating: “We’re pleased with our sailing. The team performed great, but losing two close races stings. We’ve made improvements and it feels better, a bit more dependable. We believe we can compete strongly. Today could have gone either way, and we are looking forward to tomorrow.”
On team momentum, Slingsby stated: “It feels like it’s heading in the right direction. Given our position a week ago, we feel we’re catching up. They can surpass us, but it seems we can overtake them too now. Previously, we struggled to find a way past them; today felt different. We feel in contention, confident, starting well today, and there’s still room for improvement. It will be a competitive race.”
The opening day of competition brought numerous lead changes, captivating tactical maneuvers, and top-notch sailing techniques seen in this series. INEOS Britannia and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli gained significant momentum today, while the other teams returned to analyze their performance during a long evening.
Racing in the Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Finals continues tomorrow in Barcelona with two more races for each pairing. The beachfront fan zones are bustling, the Official Race Village in Port Vell is alive, and the match races in the world’s top high-performance yachts are exciting, with Barcelona pulsating to the rhythm of the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup. Sunday promises to be a pivotal day on the water.
