#NSVICTORYLIST: LUNA ROSSA WIN THE PRADA CUP SEMI-FINALS

The Italians sweep the series and secure their spot in the Finals

The drum-roll for the semi-finals of the PRADA Cup began about three days out with two big questions: had Luna Rossa PRADA Pirelli found new speed and restored its mojo after its consistent losses against INEOS TEAM UK? And would the other boat even show up after its frantic repair work?

Race 1 and 2 opened the semi-finals on Friday, 29 January: Luna Rossa PRADA Pirelli vs American Magic. Luna Rossa was almost certainly the stronger team, but the semi-finals would see the first elimination and there was no room for complacency. Jimmy Spithill admitted this did put pressure on the team – but in a good way. America’s Cup wannabes veterans eat pressure for breakfast; this is not a game for the faint of heart.

Over the weekend, the weather conditions were potentially boat-breaking: a choppy sea and puffs that sailors call bullets – sudden bursts of high-speed winds firing off the land. They can strike an AC75 at its most vulnerable when it is executing a bear-away from the top gate. It’s like watching a scary movie: you simply can not look away.

Luna Rossa PRADA Pirelli’s Francesco Bruni would never admit to being scared, but he later said that in such difficult conditions it is important to pre-plan the day. “There is no time to make last-minute calls,” he said, “and if you do make one, you are doing something you shouldn’t.”

It was exactly the racing experience the Italians needed to up their game before the finals. Luna Rossa sailed into the start box floating like a butterfly, and ready to sting like a bee.

They dominated the start and led to the finish. Then they did the same again in the second race.

They also displayed subtle changes in strategies. Like speed, for example. For 170 years, the experts have said that the fastest boat wins the America’s Cup, but when boat speed is red-lining at 53 knots, the ability to slow down on demand can be an advantage. Thus proving that sailing a clean race is equally important.

“We’re not worried about reaching the maximum speed,” Bruni said, “and when you bear-away at the top mark you probably don’t want to be doing maximum speed.” That’s a good trick, because 53 knots at the wrong time can take an AC75 deep into the danger zone.

Races 3 and 4 on Saturday, 30 January were a whole new day: sunny with an even north-easterly breeze that would provide few passing lanes on the course. Luna Rossa PRADA Pirelli was almost certain to add two more to the scoreboard. They controlled both races from the get-go, sailed faster upwind, and pointed higher. The Americans suffered major issues with controlling their foil boards. Which ultimately extended the Luna Rossa lead.

Max Sirena, Luna Rossa’s skipper, and team director said he was very happy with the performance of Luna Rossa and the on-board communication. “Both have been improving a lot,” he said, “so heads down and concentration up.”

With the semi-finals complete, the America’s Cup bus is boarding the last few passengers, Luna Rossa has shown off its overall improved performance and is looking cool under pressure – except it wasn’t under the pressure it can expect from Ineos Team UK.

Jimmy Spithill was asked what he saw as the key challenge in facing the British team when the Prada Cup finals begin on 13 February.

The reply was a classic Spithill one-liner: “Cross the finish line in front of them.”