Both Teams Equal in the Louis Vuitton Cup Final as Second Day’s Only Race Timed Out
by America’s Cup Media 28 Sep 12:16 PDT
28 September 2024
INEOS Britannia versus Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli on Louis Vuitton Cup Final Race Day 2 – September 28, 2024 © David Maynard / www.alleycatphotographer.com
After a delay of almost two hours, waiting for a southern ‘Migjorn’ thermal breeze to rise above the wind limit of 6.5 knots, racing finally commenced between INEOS Britannia and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli just after 1600 CET on the second day of their thrilling first-to-seven-points Louis Vuitton Cup Final series.
The score was even at the beginning of the day, and by the end, it remained unchanged, as a suspenseful race was timed out with both vessels in displacement mode when the wind abruptly weakened on the fifth leg of the six-leg race.
For the fans at the Race Village and those gathered at the Fanzones in Plaça del Mar and Bogatell, along with the large fleet of spectator boats that took to the waters on a beautiful Barcelona Saturday, there were expressions of both excitement and frustration. Supporters, adorned in their team’s colors and waving flags, were left without a race victory but enjoyed the unique atmosphere of this special Louis Vuitton Cup Final.
Today, questions were answered as INEOS Britannia demonstrated impressive speed in light winds, starting off the line to windward and maintaining a strong high-mode all the way to the left boundary, which allowed them to create enough leverage to cross and cover Luna Rossa’s initial tack.
From that point, the British pairing of Sir Ben Ainslie and Dylan Fletcher sailed skillfully, creating significant challenges for the Italians with wing-wash before gaining a beautiful right shift as the first leg concluded.
After rounding the port gate marker with a 19-second lead, a rare tactical misstep caused the British to become trapped in a wind hole, quickly surrendering their advantage to the determined Jimmy Spithill and Francesco Bruni on Luna Rossa.
However, a spirited comeback occurred mid-leg as Britannia’s deep angle sailing off the wind aided them. After overtaking the Italians and forcing them to gybe away, the British regained the lead, which they steadily extended over the next two-and-a-half legs—until Mother Nature intervened.
On the final windward leg, the breeze dwindled to approximately three to four knots at the course’s top, placing both boats on the brink of losing their foils. After a tense moment for the British, whom managed to recover, it was the Italians who fell into displacement after tacking off the left boundary.
Soon after, INEOS Britannia met the same fate after tacking at the right boundary. Both crews remained composed, attempting to build the necessary speed for the foils to engage and lift, but the reality became evident that the race was now a race against the clock as the 45-minute time limit dwindled.
Frustratingly for the British, who looked primed for a win before the wind ceased, time expired as both boats moved slowly down the final leg, leading to the race being halted. Shortly thereafter, the Race Committee sent the yachts back for the day.
Dylan Fletcher, port helm on Britannia, extracted numerous positives from the day: “It was a frustrating day with all the waiting for the breeze, which kept teasing us at the wind limit. Although we received the green light, I think the wind dipped below the limit pretty quickly thereafter.
“We’re confident about our performance against the Italians, but tomorrow will bring different conditions. We feel we are achieving good improvements with the yacht and discovering more performance in tacking, so that’s promising; nevertheless, you can never take anything for granted in this Cup. We expect to be alright and are eager for tomorrow.”
Francesco Bruni, the port helm for Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, expressed gratitude for the race timing out, citing valuable lessons learned for the Italian team: “Between the boats today, it was difficult to discern any differences in performance profiles due to the puffy and shifty wind.
We didn’t start well, but we managed to stay competitive and find our moments. It wasn’t an easy race. Today provided plenty of learning opportunities without the risk of losing points, so we’ll take the luck.”
When asked if he was surprised by the performance improvement from INEOS Britannia during the competition, Bruni replied: “No, I’m not surprised because I anticipated it. We all knew they would improve, and they did. I still believe we can sail better than we did today, and the final will be challenging, with many tough and positive moments.”
As the sun sets on this day, the score remains one-all in this battle of Barcelona, with intriguing debriefs expected in both the British and Italian camps tonight concerning relative speeds in light wind. INEOS Britannia certainly made a significant statement today, and the momentum may have slightly shifted towards the British. Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli will aim to counter that momentum tomorrow, with breezes predicted to be in the 12-14 knot range. Stay tuned; this series is unmissable.
