Luna Rossa closes the Day 2 with a first and a second place

An excellent performance today for Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, with the team holding its second position in the provisional overall ranking, thanks to the results of today: a first and second place.

The penultimate day of the America's Cup Preliminary Regatta Jeddah presented by NEOM took placeideal weather conditions, with a NW wind of 12 to 15 knots which allowed the AC40s to perform at their best as they powered at full speed on foils in front of the Saudi city's Corniche.

As was to be expected, the races were very close: with the rankings still open, the six crews fought hard to gain useful points and climb positions ahead of tomorrow's final day. The schedule for Saturday December 2nd, in fact, will feature two fleet races, at the end of which the two top teams will compete against each other in a Match Race Final.

Race 04

Starting on time at 1:40 pm local time, the first race was literally dominated by Luna Rossa, as the Italian crew confirmed its solidity in the preliminary regattas in Jeddah. Perfectly at ease in the stronger wind conditions, Luna Rossa got off to a great start in the middle of the line, foiling at over 30 knots and holding its position all the way to the first gate and breezing ahead of ETNZ and NYYC American Magic, albeit by a few seconds. In the first downwind leg the Italian boat's lead increased, thanks to flawless handling by the crew who, sailing at over 40 knots, executed all maneuvers perfectly. Still in the lead, Luna Rossa rounded the last mark ahead of ETNZ with a 15" lead, which would then become 26’’ at the finish. 

Luna Rossa: 1st place (+ 10 points).

Race 05

Yet another beautiful race for Luna Rossa, closed in second place by a handful of seconds, at the end of a "heart-stopping" regatta. After a complex start, in which numerous penalties and protests were exchanged within the fleet, Luna Rossa pulled away to the right of the field, tailed by ETNZ. The New Zealand boat's lead at the first mark was just a few tenths of a second; from that point onwards the two boats battled in match race style, covering each other and exchanging leads several times. At the third mark Luna Rossa found an opportunity to get in front and was able to stay in the lead until the last gate. The situation was reversed in the final downwind leg as the Kiwis managed to move in front by just a few meters. The finish remained open and hard-fought until the end, with the boats sailing neck to neck up to the finish line, crossed by ETNZ just a few tenths of a second ahead of Luna Rossa.

Luna Rossa: 2nd place (+ 7 points).

Race 06

Despite the penalty at the start, that cost Luna Rossa precious time and meters on her opponents, the Italian crew managed to stay focused and to apply good tactics, sailing on the wind and going after it relentlessly on the racecourse. Good speed, combined with consistent clean handling and maneuvers, allowed Luna Rossa to recover positions, speeding up to "threaten" the American and Swiss teams. Despite the good comeback, the Italian boat was unable to advance beyond an “almost-tie” fourth position.

Luna Rossa: 4th place (+ 3 points). 

«We raced three very nice strong-wind races», says Marco Gradoni; «in the first one we managed to get away right away, we were fast and we really enjoyed being in front of the fleet; the second one was even more exciting because we engaged with ETNZ in a real match race up to the finish. In the last one, unfortunately, we made a mistake at the start and also had some problems at the communication system; there are still two more races to go before the end of the event and we are getting more and more hungry for victory...».

«Beautiful day, we had a great time», said Vittorio Bissaro. «We always go back to the dock satisfied as a group and ready to learn new things. Too bad we left that point on the course, but morale is high, and we are ready for tomorrow».

Luna Rossa's Crew List: Ruggero Tita (helmsman), Marco Gradoni (helmsman), Umberto Molineris (trimmer) and Vittorio Bissaro (trimmer).