American Magic Pushes Through in Intense Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Final Battle
by New York Yacht Club American Magic, September 18, 11:53 PDT
September 18, 2024
NYYC American Magic achieved a remarkable double victory against their Italian opponents, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, narrowing the score in the first-to-five-point Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Final to 3-4. The day’s races took place under overcast skies, with the wind in the first race at the lower threshold of the America’s Cup standard of six and a half knots.
Following a fiercely contested prestart, the American team launched off the line effectively, while the Italians immediately tacked to the right side of the course, where they encountered a small increase in wind that allowed them to take an early lead. At the windward gate, although Luna Rossa was the first to round, “Patriot” discovered the best breeze on the left and managed to overtake them. The wind became inconsistent, causing both ships to lose lift multiple times before reaching the first leeward gate, where they rounded in a complete tie, each at opposite markers.
After a series of close maneuvers, the two AC75s remained evenly matched at the second windward gate. However, when NYYC American Magic crossed ahead on the starboard lay line, the wing wash from Patriot’s mainsail caused the Italians to lose lift. With Luna Rossa immobilized in a windless area at the top of the course and unable to finish, the Americans navigated carefully around the remainder of the course to secure a well-deserved victory.
The day’s second race featured slightly stronger winds, and after yet another close start, the two teams delved back into the tightly contested racing we had witnessed in the previous race. Just seven seconds separated them at the windward gate, with NYYC American Magic rounding first, followed by a mere four-second gap at the leeward gate. The second windward mark resulted in yet another tie, as both boats tacked simultaneously to round opposite markers together.
With the stage set for more of the same close racing over the final three legs, disaster struck the Italians due to a significant malfunction in their mainsail system, causing them to crash off their foils and out of the competition. This allowed American Magic to race uncontested around the rest of the course, clinching their second win of the day.
With the series hanging in the balance, American Magic’s consecutive victories have set the scene for what could be an electrifying final showdown. The pressure is escalating on both teams, and with no margin for error, the upcoming race is expected to push them to their limits.
Tom Slingsby, helmsman for NYYC American Magic, responded thoughtfully to the Italian setback, stating: “It’s not the way you want to win these races. Our thoughts go out to Luna Rossa. We’ve faced equipment failures too, and it’s not pleasant. Losing like that isn’t enjoyable. But props to our team as well. We applied pressure, and our guys are performing well. Luck favored us this time, but we have much work to do. We aim to improve our speed beyond where we are today. We’re pleased with our performance. We can still get better. Luna Rossa is an incredible team, and we must keep that in mind as we head into tomorrow’s races.”
