Points tied after fierce competition on Race Day 3 of the Louis Vuitton Cup
by INEOS Britannia 29 Sep 11:54 PDT
29 September 2024
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli vs. INEOS Britannia on Louis Vuitton Cup Final Race Day 3 – September 29, 2024 © Ricardo Pinto / America’s Cup
Following the most intense competition of the event thus far, the points remain tied in the Louis Vuitton Cup Final, with both INEOS Britannia and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli securing two wins each.
Race Day 3 commenced with Ben Ainslie’s British team earning a point when the Italians were disqualified for allowing shore team members on-board to replace their damaged mainsail right after the race was declared live.
The day’s second race was hailed by commentators as a potential America’s Cup classic. It featured several tightly contested maneuvers in maximum wind conditions, with INEOS Britannia lodging multiple protests against the Italians, none of which were upheld by the umpires. Luna Rossa clinched victory in the second race, finishing just four seconds ahead of INEOS Britannia.
INEOS Britannia Team Principal Ben Ainslie commented: “We experienced fantastic racing in high wind conditions, and we pushed these yachts to their limits, including achieving our record speed in practice laps. The second race was a classic, featuring a substantial pre-start rivalry. The umpire’s decision could have gone either way; we believed it was in our favor, but they disagreed. However, that’s yacht racing for you – one constant is that the umpires are always right. The score is two points each now, and we’re ready for a challenge. We’re satisfied with our team’s performance and definitely believe we can go all the way.”
Although Race Day 3 began with a victory for INEOS Britannia, it wasn’t in the manner they had anticipated. The British team was awarded the point after Italy faced disqualification for receiving external assistance to replace a damaged mainsail at the start of the race. Despite delays due to excessive wind, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli had to drop a mainsail with broken battens in the upper section. They raced against the clock, and after successfully dropping the sail, the wind calmed down enough for the race to commence. As INEOS Britannia was preparing for the start, the race committee announced Italy’s disqualification, resulting in a win for the British team.
Following several delays for the second race due to high winds, both teams eventually received the go-ahead, with Italy ready to compete with their new mainsail. Luna Rossa, holding port entry, and INEOS Britannia, having starboard side, took advantage of their right of way on the first cross. The British team pressured the Italian boat to avoid them, subsequently staying on their tail.
Ben Ainslie and his crew forced the Italians high off the line, filing a protest as Luna Rossa crossed in front of the British vessel to return to the start line. The umpires did not view the incident similarly, resulting in no penalty and giving Italy a slight advantage at the start. At the gun, Luna Rossa positioned tight to leeward of INEOS Britannia, who promptly tacked away, followed closely by the Italians.
During the initial cross, Luna Rossa tacked directly in front of INEOS Britannia, but a luff by the British team again failed to earn a penalty from the umpires. When Ainslie and his crew tacked away, the Italians let them sail free, resulting in both boats heading towards the layline with a mere four-second margin at the gate.
On leg three’s first crossing, Luna Rossa once more tacked in front of INEOS Britannia to gain a controlling position. The British boat drove downwind to hook and then luff the Italians, yet once again, no penalty was assigned. The British held their position to the boundary, completing the tack with the Italians covering the next one, eventually setting up ahead of INEOS Britannia on the layline. Luna Rossa rounded the left-hand mark at the gate leading by five seconds.
In a dramatic finale on the penultimate leg, the British team forced an error from Luna Rossa, causing them to miss the layline and necessitate an extra tack. The British were just six seconds behind as both boats headed toward the finish. INEOS Britannia maintained pressure all the way down the course, but despite closing the gap, they couldn’t secure a pass before the finish, with Luna Rossa evening the series by a mere four seconds.
INEOS Britannia Trimmer Bleddyn Mon stated: “Conditions out there were extreme; however, we felt our boat was performing exceptionally well. Kudos to the Cyclors for their incredible work in ensuring we had sufficient power during those maneuvers. It was a fierce competition, and both teams are ready for more.”
Race Day 4 is set to take place on Monday, September 30, and viewers in the UK can catch all the action live on TNT Sports starting at 13:00 BST (14:00 CEST).
