BARCELONA (SPAIN) (ITALPRESS) – “It’s all balancing above the madness,” sings Vasco Rossi. And, paraphrasing the Emilian singer-songwriter, in Barcelona, in the final of the Louis Vuitton Cup, it’s all in balance above the foils. After the seventh and eighth races of the series Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli and Ineos Britannia are at 4-4. Today in Catalan waters saw another knockout and another win for the AC75 with the Circolo della Vela Sicilia pennant. In the first match race (the seventh in this final) there was little history. After a virtually even first side (of the total eight in today’s challenges), at the first mark the Italian team, with Palermo-born Francesco Bruni and Australian Jimmy Spithill at the helm, “paid” dearly for a technical problem with the system that regulates the boat’s flight. Luna Rossa then got off the foils and remained stationary in the sea. In contrast, Ineos Britannia, of team principal Ben Ainslie, continued to sail “calmly” to the finish line. After about a quarter of an hour, the Italians therefore raised the white flag and retired while their opponents were already halfway through the fifth side.
At 4-3 to the British, there were agitated phases aboard the Prada and Pirelli branded boat, although Bruni always flaunted confidence, reassuring everyone about the Italians’ presence at the start of round eight. In about half an hour, the shore team, with skipper and director Max Sirena in the front row, repaired the boat and Luna Rossa got off to a flying start.
The Italian team then managed to answer Ineos one more time, winning the second challenge of the day and bringing the series back to a tie. The start of the Prada and Pirelli-branded boat was excellent; on the other hand, the British team did badly, even running into a penalty, served in the first side of the match race. From there on Luna Rossa dominated the challenge, marking and controlling their opponents at a distance until the finish line. Satisfaction then aboard Luna Rossa; ashore, on the other hand, the various reliability problems recorded in recent days set off more than one alarm.
The dream of Luna Rossa and all Italian fans, despite a few hiccups, continues. Two more match races are scheduled tomorrow, the ninth and tenth of the confrontation. On the wheel, after a day of rest, the two boats should return to the sea on Friday (the eleventh and possible twelfth acts are scheduled) and possibly Saturday (date of the possible and decisive thirteenth match race).
Seven rounds need to be won to get a pass to the 37th Americàs Cup, where waiting for the winning boat is the defender, namely Emirates Team New Zealand.
– photo Ipa Agency –
(ITALPRESS).
