Heavyweights Even in Thrilling Louis Vuitton Cup Final
by America’s Cup Media 30 Sep 10:18 PDT
30 September 2024
Race Director Iain Murray’s decision to use the first Reserve Day of the Louis Vuitton Cup proved insightful, as ideal conditions awaited INEOS Britannia and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli for the fourth day of their intense series competing for the Louis Vuitton Cup.
The ‘Garbi’ south-westerly wind was present and notably just under the 21-knot wind limit. Both starts occurred on time amidst relatively calm waters, under a clear sky with the beautiful Barcelona beachfront glimmering in the background. British and Italian supporters filled the Race Village and Fanzones, passionately cheering for their teams and relishing the exhilarating on-water competition.
With the series tied at 2-2 at the day’s outset, British Challenger of Record, INEOS Britannia, surged to a 3-2 lead in the opening race, where precision proved victorious. Sir Ben Ainslie executed a classic match-race maneuver in the pre-start box, surging over Luna Rossa’s bow in the last 30 seconds before the race began.
The wake and wing wash generated by the fast-paced British crew effectively forced the Italian boat off its foils as it tried to follow Britannia. Although the Luna Rossa sailors quickly recovered, the Britannia team was able to run back to the line unchallenged and start ahead.
Any thoughts that the race might have been decided at this point were quickly dismissed. In the subsequent eight legs, the boats appeared bound by elastic, tightly racing neck-and-neck, never more than seconds apart. For the aggressive Luna Rossa, the goal was to maintain contact and exploit any British mistake.
Such an opportunity nearly arose at the last leeward gate, when, while Sir Ben Ainslie navigated around the starboard marker, the British boat made a significant sideways slide, critically losing speed. Suddenly, the two boats engaged in a classic upwind match race, with INEOS Britannia slightly ahead as it countered every Italian attack.
After some close maneuvers near the right boundary, Ainslie and co-helmsman Dylan Fletcher skillfully out-positioned Luna Rossa’s Jimmy Spithill and Francesco Bruni along a lengthy starboard approach, rounding the final windward gate with an eight-second lead before carefully covering the gybe down the last stretch to the finish. Crossing the line first with a 12-second margin, INEOS Britannia took the day’s initial victory.
However, any momentum gained from this hard-fought British win was nullified at the second race’s end, where the wind shifted further south-west, making the start vital for gaining control. Luna Rossa started windward and, after a brief drag race towards the left boundary, quickly adjusted their tactics back to the right.
Leveraging their right-of-way advantage, Luna Rossa took the chance to tack back, and with INEOS Britannia now leeward, they steadily built a lead they wouldn’t relinquish, guiding INEOS Britannia to the left side of the course, onto the port lay line, as they neared the windward mark.
Following that struggle for dominance, the conditions allowed the lead boat to dictate positioning, benefiting from the readable track. INEOS Britannia attempted to maneuver for a better position on the left but took unnecessary risks, and despite staying competitive, by the final downwind leg, they could only hope for a miracle that didn’t materialize. Luna Rossa sped across the finish line at 51 knots, claiming a 17-second victory to even the Louis Vuitton Cup Final at 3-3 in this first-to-seven-points match-up.
Dylan Fletcher, the port helm for INEOS Britannia, reflected on the day’s events upon returning to shore, acknowledging it was a day that ended even but could have swung differently: “The racing proved how evenly matched the boats are in those conditions. The starts shaped the outcomes. In the second race, we believed we could have done enough, but they capitalized on a nice shift on the right side, which was just enough for them to pull ahead – but the action was close.”
When asked about the series’ outcome, Fletcher commented, “It’s clear this competition will hinge on fine margins and which team adapts, learns, and executes effectively. The second race was particularly challenging, but we are improving daily and gaining speed – we just need to build confidence and keep pressing in the pre-start.”
For Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli’s port helm, Francesco Bruni, confidence prevailed after maintaining proximity in the first race and performing well in the second. “We can definitely feel the speed advantage. The boat is handling well, and we’re pleased with our performance. A slight error in the first start cost us a solid position—these boats lose control very easily. We’re optimistic but aware of the challenging battles ahead.”
Discussing a moment in the pre-start of the first race where one of the foils experienced ‘cavitation’, Bruni reiterated: “I believe consistency will drive this competition to its conclusion. It will certainly be an intense fight, neither side will find it easy, but we’re prepared for the challenge, as we relish the competition.”
It’s challenging to predict where the ongoing stalemate between these two teams will be broken. Like heavyweight boxers, the judge’s scorecards reflect an even match after six rounds, with no notable performance differences in sight.
The series is open for both teams, who recognize that victory may be lost in a moment. Match racing at speeds exceeding 50 knots carries inherent risks, and with such comparable capabilities, the outcome may boil down to which team desires it more. This Louis Vuitton Cup Final is proving to be one of the most closely matched ever, likely to go to the wire.
The chance to challenge the Defender, Emirates Team New Zealand, in the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup seems distant, but these two remarkable teams are offering a Barcelona spectacle that befits the pinnacle of sporting contests. Someone will need to strike a decisive blow in the coming days – but predicting who that might be is still uncertain.
Racing in the Louis Vuitton Cup Final series in Barcelona resumes tomorrow, Tuesday, October 1, with two additional races slated to begin at 1400 CET, with breezy conditions anticipated.
