Cup Update: Luna Rossa’s Traveler Fails – Loses Two More Races to American Magic
by Richard Gladwell, Sail-World NZ 18 Sep 12:03 PDT
19 September 2024
The disturbed wake indicates Luna Rossa’s position during the incident – Day 4 – Semi-Finals – Louis Vuitton Cup – Day 13 – September 18, 2024 – Barcelona © Ricardo Pinto / America’s Cup
A tumultuous fourth day of the Semi-Finals in the Louis Vuitton Cup has unfolded, resulting in the elimination of a second Challenger and another experiencing either a significant breakdown or perhaps even a severe structural failure.
INEOS Britannia and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli entered the day at Match Point, each only needing one more victory to advance to the Challenger Final of the Louis Vuitton Cup commencing September 26.
Both teams faced defeat in their opening race of the Semi-Finals, Match 6, against Alinghi Red Bull Racing and American Magic. Luna Rossa was unexpectedly disqualified in the final leg of their abbreviated first race against American Magic for sailing outside designated course boundaries.
The British team once again exhibited their fragility in lighter winds at marginal foiling speeds and struggled to sail deep enough on downwind legs to keep pace with Alinghi. In the initial race, Alinghi directly overtook the British, sailing faster and deeper downwind.
In their second race, initially held in slightly stronger winds, which diminished towards the end, the British, having switched to a larger mainsail between races, secured a solid lead in the first windward leg and maintained it to achieve their fifth victory in the Semi-Finals.
The Swiss team became the second casualty of the competition following the French Orient Express Racing Team’s earlier exit after the Round Robin Racing. A third team will be eliminated upon the conclusion of racing on Thursday.
In the day’s final race, American Magic valiantly contested against the favored Italian Challenger in Match 7, which saw several shifts in lead.
On Leg 4, American Magic approached on an intersecting course at over 35 knots, holding the right of way against Luna Rossa, who was coming in from the port side of the course.
The Italians were under considerable pressure to establish a critical cross ahead of the US Challenger to secure right of way while proceeding to Mark 4, with two legs remaining in the race. At the time of the incident, Luna Rossa was sailing at 39 knots.
An audible cracking sound was heard as Luna Rossa crossed in front of American Magic, causing the Italians to lose rig pressure due to a break in the mainsheet hydraulic control system.
Remarkably, the mast, which relies on mainsheet tension for support within the AC75, stayed upright, although the boat suddenly heeled to windward due to the sudden loss of rig pressure, creating a striking spray from the raised foil arm on the port side.
The rigging, a standard setup provided to all competitors by Future Fibres, functioned correctly, as the forward load on the Southern Spars mast was distributed by the sidestays, preventing a rig collapse.
According to comments made shortly after the incident by skipper Jimmy Spithill, the traveler appeared intact and had not detached from the hull. The likely cause points to a breakdown in part of the hydraulic mainsheet system controlling double-skinned mainsail tension.
Ironically, it was Luna Rossa during the 2021 America’s Cup that innovated the removal of two running backstays, typically used for tensioning and supporting the rig. The legality of their removal (which reduced windage) was debated, leading to a ruling that the two must be carried as per the class rigging diagram. However, like several other features of the Italian Challenger in Auckland, this has become standard in the Version 2 AC75 class used in the 2024 America’s Cup.
The crucial point is that Luna Rossa had the most experience among the America’s Cup teams with this type of rig and should have been aware of the operating loads in the AC75’s rigging area, indicating an individual component failure and not a systemic weakness. Damage to hydraulic cables was unsurprisingly noted in the incident.
In a media statement, Max Siena, Skipper and Team Director of Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, remarked: “On the second downwind leg, with us leading, we suffered damage to part of the mainsail control system that hindered our finishing the race. Now we’ll assess everything to prepare for tomorrow’s race. Sports can be unpredictable, but the situation remains unchanged; these boats are pushed to their limits, and sometimes incidents like this occur.”
Following the 2021 America’s Cup, all teams have experimented with different mainsheet hydraulic designs, aiming to minimize windage while providing the necessary force for rig tension via the carbon mainsail leech.
Though typically concealed within the sail, these hydraulic systems are complex designs, and it’s likely that a specific component failure caused the breakdown. Hence, the Italian design team must analyze the forces involved and replace the failed component with one that is more robust.
While the AC75 was not particularly fast (sailing at 30 knots, approximately four times the wind speed), the rig appeared loaded as the crew sought maximum speed and high angles to cross American Magic.
The chaotic sea state, possibly impacted by a mistral further out in the Mediterranean, may have created earlier shock loads on the system, though the AC75 seemed stable at the time of the incident.
Two more races are on the schedule for tomorrow, with Luna Rossa needing one more win to join INEOS Britannia in the Challenger Final. Meanwhile, American Magic must secure victories in both races in the best-of-nine series. Ultimately, one of the two teams will face elimination on Thursday.
Race Recaps:
Semi-Final 1 – Match 7: Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli (ITA) vs American Magic (USA)
American Magic starts just 12 meters short of the line with Luna Rossa on their hip, who tacked immediately. American Magic ventured into the port corner at the top of the course. The boats exchanged tacks as they headed for opposite gates at Mark 1. ITA (starboard) protested USA, but the protest was denied.
Mark 1: 3m 21sec USA led ITA – margin 7sec. ITA sailed into better pressure on the starboard boundary and the lead shifted. USA, coming back from the starboard boundary, led by 70 meters.
Mark 2: 6m 46sec USA led ITA margin 4sec. ITA found more pressure on the starboard side and there was another lead change. USA and ITA converged at Mark 3. USA, entering on port, was first in the Mark Zone and thus had right of way. Both AC75s faced difficulties maintaining foiling, at times showing speeds below 5 knots VMG while sailing over 25 knots.
Mark 3: 11m 17sec ITA led USA – margin 8sec. Luna Rossa’s traveler broke on Leg 4 – severe equipment issue – out of the race.
Finish: American Magic sails off the course and wins Match 7, moving to a record of 3 – 4 against Luna Rossa.
Semi-Final 2 – Match 7: INEOS Britannia (GBR) vs Alinghi Red Bull Racing (SUI)
Start: The British switched mainsails between races. GBR was penalized for early entry. Split tack start. Wind was reported around 11 knots. GBR utilized the starboard boundary, gaining an advantage from the breeze. GBR led on the return cross. SUI and GBR exchanged leads by working opposite sides of the course. GBR led by 130 meters as they approached Mark 1.
Mark 1: 4m 27sec: GBR led SUI by a margin of 25sec. GBR extended their lead to over 400 meters. Midway down Leg 2, the British rudder lost grip in a gybe, yielding 200 meters of lead to the Swiss.
Mark 2: 07m 59sec: GBR led SUI – margin of 31sec. Margin increased to 400 meters going into Mark 3.
Mark 3: 12m 44sec: GBR led SUI – margin of 50sec. VMG was similar: 26kts (GBR) 27kts (SUI). The margin shrank to 300 meters. Winds dropped to 7 knots.
Mark 4: 17m 11secs: GBR led SUI – margin 39secs.
Mark 5: 21m 13secs: GBR led SUI – margin 70secs. Alinghi Red Bull Racing lost foiling capability prior to rounding Mark 5, coming in displacement mode.
Finish: 23min 47sec: GBR defeats SUI.
Semi-Final 1 – Match 6: Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli (ITA) vs American Magic (USA)
Start: USA won the start, but once they tacked, ITA got the leeward advantage and led by 160m. Both boats headed to the starboard boundary, with ITA coming out 170 meters ahead. ITA entered the port corner, emerging while laying the starboard gate mark.
Mark 1: 4m 03secs: ITA led USA – margin 47 sec. ITA pressed into the starboard layline but could only exit with near-zero VMG. USA entered the port corner, found better pressure, and achieved a lead change. USA was the first to de-foil. ITA chose a conservative route rather than risk a gybe, sailing over the boundary and incurring a double penalty, then managed to catch a gust to get them downwind and changing the lead again.
Mark 2: 15m 11sec: 0.00secs margin.
Mark 3: 19m 31sec: USA led ITA – margin 170secs. The course was shortened to four legs. ITA exited the course boundaries and was disqualified rather than penalized.
Finish: 27m 18secs: USA achieves their second win.
Semi-Final 2 – Match 6: INEOS Britannia (GBR) vs Alinghi Red Bull Racing (SUI) – 1210hrs UTC Scheduled Start
A favorable breeze was noted at around 8 knots, though conditions were likely confused due to existing sea state.
SUI gained a leeward advantage off the start, advancing by 42 meters. The teams sailed together until the port boundary. Alinghi tacked with rights off the boundary, losing foiling temporarily, leading to a lead exchange. SUI gained on the approach to Mark 1 off the Port layline.
Mark 1: 04m 31secs: GBR led SUI – margin 06secs. After the AC75s gybed off the boundary, Alinghi found themselves on GBR’s hip before powering ahead and deeper, extending their lead to 500 meters down Leg 2.
Mark 2: 08m 48secs: SUI led GBR – margin 61secs. The margin grew to over 1000 meters as GBR struggled to sail as deep as SUI.
Mark 3: 12m 47secs: SUI led GBR – margin 61secs.
Mark 4: 15m 56secs: SUI led GBR – margin 85secs, with GBR over 850 meters astern.
Mark 5: 20m 22secs: SUI led GBR – margin 63secs, with GBR rounding Mark 5 out of foils.
Finish: 22m 32secs: SUI leads GBR, margin of 83secs, earning their second victory.
Preview Comments and Information – Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Finals and UniCredit Youth America’s Cup – September 18, 2024
Today’s racing has wrapped in the UniCredit Youth America’s Cup, with events set to commence at 1210hrs UTC for the Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Finals.
Light winds and a challenging sea state caused by a nearby Mistral are expected to test the sailing skills of AC40 and AC75 crews as competitions continue in the Louis Vuitton Cup and UniCredit Youth America’s Cup on September 18, 2024.
For those unfamiliar with Europe, a “mistral” refers to a potent, cold, northwesterly wind blowing from southern France into the Gulf of Lion in the northern Mediterranean, contrasting with the warmer summer winds which typically come from the south or southwest.
Weather Forecast:
America’s Cup Weather Partner PredictWind has established a Race Weather Center providing fans with detailed daily weather analyses, live webcams, and historical weather data alongside meteorologists’ insights.
Updated Forecast for Wednesday, 18 September – Louis Vuitton Semi-Final Day 4
A North-East wind gradient will persist through the morning. By midday, winds should shift to the East, with speeds ranging from 6 to 10 knots in the afternoon, with gusts reaching up to 12 knots. Wind direction is expected to transition to the South-East throughout the afternoon, with wind speeds remaining fairly constant. Waves of 1.1 meters from the East at a period of 6 seconds could create challenging foiling conditions.
The sky is expected to be partly cloudy, with temperatures rising to 22°C. Conditions are anticipated to remain dry with a slight chance of rain. There may be atmospheric instability with heavy rain predicted further south of Barcelona, some 100 kilometers away.
Race Schedule and Live Coverage Information:
Watch today’s racing Live here:
Louis Vuitton Cup – Semi-Finals Racing Schedule – Day 4
Proposed Schedule for Louis Vuitton Cup – Day 13 – Semi-Finals Day 4:
Semi-Final 2 – Match 6: INEOS Britannia vs Alinghi Red Bull Racing (SUI) – 1210hrs UTC Scheduled Start
Semi-Final 1 – Match 6: Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli (ITA) vs American Magic (USA) – Start time to be confirmed
Semi-Final 2 – Match 7: INEOS Britannia (GBR) vs Alinghi Red Bull Racing (SUI) – Start time to be confirmed
Semi-Final 1 – Match 7: Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli (ITA) vs American Magic (USA) – Start time to be confirmed
UniCredit Youth America’s Cup – Day 2
Group A – modified schedule
Race 3 Scheduled Start 0910hrs UTC
Race 4 Scheduled Start 0954hrs UTC
During the wait for coverage to commence – check out the following:
Virtual Eye
After the races, you can replay key moments or the entire race using Virtual Eye from ARL.
To access this, click here for the Virtual Eye America’s Cup coverage. Select “Watch Previous” and choose the race you’d like to view. Virtual Eye serves as a 3D viewer, allowing you to zoom in, out, around, and up and down, similar to gaining a helicopter view.
Inside Tack
Catch the latest two editions of the always insightful Inside Tack with “Freddie” Carr (Cyclor), Lucas Delcourt (Shoreside Performance Coordinator), Giles Scott (Sailing Squad), and Ian Williams (Rules and Racing Strategy Coach).
