British and Italians Reach Match Point in Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Finals
by 37th America’s Cup media 15 Sep 12:03 PDT
14 September 2024
Fantastic conditions on a beautiful Sunday in Barcelona attracted large crowds to the Fanzones and Race Village, providing a thrilling show of elite racing with the dynamic AC75 yachts.
As the sun sets on this wonderful day, the points table reveals that Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli and INEOS Britannia, after achieving double victories, are just one point away from knocking out their rivals and advancing to the Louis Vuitton Cup Final.
The fierce nature of this competition, famously known for stating “There is no Second,” means that for Alinghi Red Bull Racing and NYYC American Magic, a single loss tomorrow afternoon will result in their elimination from the tournament. This is a harsh truth, but there are no complaints about the skill, technique, and technology showcased by the British and Italians amidst the crystal-clear waters of Barcelona.
With winds exceeding 18 knots and racecourse speeds recorded over 50 knots (92.6 Km/h), the most exciting matchup saw the Italians face off against the Americans. In the first race, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli was energized from the start, quickly overtaking the fiercely competitive Americans and taking advantage of minor mistakes made by them to secure vital positioning, ultimately winning by 26 seconds.
In their second match of the day, with NYYC American Magic desperately fighting to stay alive, the race was closely contested over six legs. The Italian helmsman Francesco Bruni made a crucial decision to cross the Americans in the final 100 meters of the last leg, achieving a narrow two-second victory and pushing NYYC American Magic into a last-chance situation.
After the races, Jimmy Spithill, skipper of Luna Rossa and a symbol of competitive spirit, praised his team and celebrated the sporting nature of the event: “The boys did an excellent job today – very consistent, and we knew we had to progress after yesterday. There were things we weren’t happy about, so it was great to come back out today and pull it all together.”
“We’re taking it one race at a time, regardless of being up or down. It’s the same routine, same preparation; both teams are closely matched. You can see this on the racetrack where little details can make the difference. Today’s races went well, but we felt pressure in that final one.”
Tom Slingsby, helmsman for NYYC American Magic, understands the immense challenge ahead for his team to continue in the competition and reflected on the day’s small errors: “I’d rather win and have a bad race for spectators than lose and have everyone loving it. We’re athletes, and it’s tough to lose close races because of all the ‘could haves.’ We had a couple of poor tacks and a messy bottom mark rounding. I’m just sitting here thinking about our mistakes, which is exactly what I’m doing now.”
When asked how the team plans to improve before tomorrow’s critical race, Slingsby replied: “It’s clear that our weakness lies in our flight control system. Sometimes we fly a little high, sometimes low, and we struggle with maneuvers; we might slide a bit sideways or touch down unexpectedly—those flight control decisions were made a year and a half ago, so they’re not easily fixed. We can improve, reduce errors, but it’s challenging.”
“I just met with the team and said: ‘We’re losing by seconds each race due to mistakes.’ If we didn’t make errors, it would be a different story. But we have made mistakes in every race, and we need to clean it up; there’s no room for mistakes now, especially being match-point down. I’ve seen how quickly things can flip, so I have faith in our team.”
Following an impressive performance the day before, INEOS Britannia aimed to sustain their momentum, which feels unstoppable at this point. After two races, the British are 4-0 as they navigated a significant ‘near miss’ during the pre-start of their first race today against Alinghi Red Bull Racing.
After some initial tactical circling in the pre-start zone, the Swiss team lost their foils but managed to recover only to lose control at a critical moment as Britannia pursued them at high speed on the right-of-way starboard gybe. Smart maneuvering by Sir Ben Ainslie prevented a collision and allowed the British to sail off unchallenged to a two-minute and 20-second victory.
The second race of the day featured a somewhat closer battle, yet the outcome remained unchanged. INEOS Britannia demonstrated their strength by extending their lead on every leg of the course, ultimately winning by 48 seconds. The British are now just one race away from the Louis Vuitton Cup Final.
Dylan Fletcher, gold medalist and port helm on INEOS Britannia, commented on the pre-start incident where the two boats nearly collided, saying: “I don’t want to be that close again! I don’t think the distance between the boats was quite correct, but it was exciting. It’s challenging with that much wind in the pre-start area; we circled, they matched us, and it appeared they tried to pick us up after their tack but then fell off the foil, giving us the chance to go for it. We were surprised when they chose to turn down and it seems they lost their rudder, luckily ours was intact.”
“We’re focused on each day as it comes and aiming to maintain our speed. Continuous improvement is crucial, and historically, the Cup-winning boat is the one that advances the fastest. You don’t have to start fast; you just need to finish fast. So, our focus is on our performance and working hard.”
For Maxime Bachelin, the young Swiss port helm on Alinghi Red Bull Racing, the reality of standing at match-point down and possibly facing elimination tomorrow is settling in, but the fighting spirit remains strong. He expressed the team’s resolve: “In summary, we can’t make any more mistakes. We feel that the only way is forward, so let’s push for tomorrow. There’s only one match point left; we cannot afford to lose, so let’s go for it.”
Racing in the Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Final resumes tomorrow at 14:00 CET with up to two matches per pairing. For the sailors and their support crew trailing at 4-0, it will be a long night as they reflect and analyze their performances. Meanwhile, for the British and Italian teams leading 4-0, it’s all about sticking to the process and delivering the decisive blow.
An exciting Monday awaits.
