Racing Cancelled Due to Time Limit Exceedance
by Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli 28 Sep 11:37 PDT
28 September 2024
INEOS Britannia against Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli on Louis Vuitton Cup Final Race Day 2 – September 28, 2024 © David Maynard / www.alleycatphotographer.com
Today’s race faced significant challenges, with weak and unstable winds from the beginning, leading to its cancellation due to the time limit being exceeded. Barcelona this morning exhibited a completely different atmosphere compared to two days prior when winds were gusting over 20 knots.
The light breeze prompted the Race Committee to delay the start for more than an hour and a half. Once the match did commence, it was soon cancelled as neither AC75 managed to finish the course within the 45-minute time constraint.
MATCH #03 – GBR vs ITA
At the start, Luna Rossa chose to sail on the left side of the course; however, this decision was not beneficial as GBR shifted right and maintained their lead, rounding the first mark in front. The race was competitive during the initial leeward leg, with Luna Rossa catching up and surpassing the British boat before exchanging leads multiple times.
As the boats raced closely, a gust of wind favored the British team, enabling them to round the second mark ahead. By the fifth leg, the wind completely disappeared, causing both boats to lose their foils. After that, both AC75s sailed in displacement mode, barely achieving speeds of 4 to 5 knots. Under such conditions, neither boat could finish the course within the 45-minute time limit, forcing the Race Committee to cancel the match.
Luna Rossa’s crew today included Jimmy Spithill and Francesco Bruni at the helm, with Umberto Molineris and Andrea Tesei as trimmers. The on-board cyclors were Enrico Voltolini, Bruno Rosetti, Cesare Gabbia, and Emanuele Liuzzi.
