Media Conference for Louis Vuitton Cup Finals Held in Barcelona
by Richard Gladwell, Sail-World NZ, September 26, 2024, 05:07 PDT
Louis Vuitton Cup Final: Dylan Fletcher, Ben Ainslie, Jimmy Spithill, Francesco Bruni at Palau de la Música Catalana – September 25, 2024 © Ian Roman / America’s Cup
The Louis Vuitton Cup Media Conference took place at 1100 hours CET in Barcelona, just before the Challenger Final, scheduled to begin on Thursday.
On stage were Dylan Fletcher and Ben Ainslie, co-helmsman of INEOS Britannia, representing the Royal Yacht Squadron, alongside Jimmy Spithill and Francesco Bruni from Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, representing Circolo della Vela Sicilia, although the Italian team is based in Sardinia.
The main announcement from the session was that INEOS Britannia decided to take the starboard entry tomorrow, allowing Luna Rossa to start 10 seconds earlier from the port end and on the port tack as the give-way boat.
The session lacked any competitive banter between the two teams, which has characterized previous America’s Cups and is part of the psychological tactics before the actual racing begins.
Ainslie noted that the weather forecast “looks really good – potentially at the top end. There’s some uncertainty regarding the wind strength and the sea’s condition, but it currently appears favorable for racing. So everything should proceed as planned.”
“The conditions here are quite challenging. It’s tough to read the wind on the water, and sometimes a confused sea state doesn’t help with that,” he added.
A crucial member of the British America’s Cup team is Juan Vila, originally from Barcelona, a two-time winner of both the America’s Cup and Around the World races. A former top navigator, he has transitioned to become a leading sailing meteorologist, leveraging his local knowledge. He is among several key recruits that helped reorganize the British team after the 2021 America’s Cup.
“It’s a very challenging venue. So we depend on our weather team,” Ainslie explained. “They’re analyzing different forecasts and weather models for the region, especially focusing on Barcelona, along with the observations made on the water prior to the race. It’s not just about the racecourse direction but also critically about our sail selection, whether mainsails or headsails. Most teams have four or five different headsails to choose from, and getting that right is quite tricky here.”
Both teams are under significant pressure to advance in the Louis Vuitton Cup Final. For the Italians, this would be their third chance to compete as the Challenger in the America’s Cup Match. “I view pressure as a privilege,” explained skipper Jimmy Spithill, “to be in a position like this.”
“We feel a lot of excitement and positive energy. Therefore, we don’t see it as a burden.”
“We consider it a motivating factor for the entire team. The support from fans is incredible; more than in any other sailing competition, there are more Italian supporters. We strive to utilize that as a competitive advantage. Achieving a win would be incredibly special for us, both individually and collectively.”
The British team also has a strong motivation to move past the Challenger Finals.
“We’ve talked about the UK’s maritime history,” said Ben Ainslie. “In fact, we’ve never won the cup. We’re competing in our own waters, which is why we are here.”
“It requires significant time and extensive teamwork to bring together expertise, intellectual property, and experience.”
“You’ve seen how long Luna Rossa has been participating, what, over 25 years?”
“Max Sirena [Director of the Italian team] was once known for his hair! He’s still leading the way, and they’re doing a fantastic job.”
“Our team has been active for ten years, and it does take time to build up a competitive edge. However, both teams are maturing as organizations, pursuing the elusive Kiwis [the current Cup holders] and aiming to catch up with them.”
Racing is set to commence on Thursday at 1410 hours CET. The forecast indicates moderate to fresh southerly/SW winds, gusting over 20 knots with seas exceeding one meter, fortunately oriented in the direction of the breeze.
