Louis Vuitton Cup Final Day 5 – Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli faces damage after a nosedive
by Mark Jardine 1 Oct 05:37 PDT
1 October 2024
Another day with strong winds in Barcelona, with forecasts of 16 to 21 knots that will once again challenge both Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli and INEOS Britannia to their limits.
The teams head into the day tied at 3-3. Will one of them seize the lead by the end of this thrilling match-up, or will the score remain even?
Race 7: INEOS Britannia vs. Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli
On the course, the winds averaged about 17 knots, prompting the action to kick off without delay.
INEOS Britannia entered the starting area right on time, while Luna Rossa was a bit late; the British team completed a loop to position themselves ahead of the Italians’ approach.
At the start, INEOS Britannia was marginally to the leeward side and attempted to push Luna Rossa up with a higher mode, but the Italians held on well, with both teams tacking near the boundary. On port tack, the Italians secured a slight advantage, forcing the British team to tack away early to maintain their air space.
A left windshift benefitted INEOS Britannia, allowing them to tack ahead of Luna Rossa at the first windward gate, rounding just one second in the lead.
Shortly after rounding, Luna Rossa experienced a significant nosedive while going downwind, damaging several fairings behind the jib sheet track and around the mast. They halted their race as INEOS Britannia continued around the racetrack.
Watch the video of the nosedive
Now, the Luna Rossa support team faced a race against time to repair their yacht in preparation for the second race of the day.
Technicians opened the hatches, likely to pump out any water that might have leaked into the hull, while deck work involved cutting sailcloth to cover the areas where fairings had been lost.
Strong tape was applied over cracks elsewhere, as the relentless passage of time reminded everyone that it waits for no one.
Race 8: Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli vs. INEOS Britannia
The Luna Rossa shore team has proven their skills in the past, and they delivered once more today.
Ultimately, they had a bit more time to carry out repairs since the upper wind limit was exceeded a few times.
