Luna Rossa avoiding the hook.  Image:© Luna Rossa/Carlo Borlenghi

Today Luna Rossa Challenge raced against Emirates Team New Zealand in races 4 and 5 of the Louis Vuitton Cup Finals.

Race 1: sunny skies, 13-15 knots wind from South West, flat sea, ebb tide 0.8 knots. Race started at 13.10 local time.

Luna Rossa entered the pre-start box on starboard tack and gained leeward control closing the door to the New Zealanders, but was slightly early; this allowed Emirates Team New Zealand to find the room to start windward of the Italian team. On the reaching leg the Italian team was forced to sail in disturbed air and rounded the reaching mark with 12 seconds delay.

On the downwind leg the two boats sailed at similar speeds but Emirates Team New Zealand increased their lead up to 250 meters.

On the windward leg Luna Rossa attacked by heading ashore but during the tacking was forced to execute a penalty for having crossed the boundaries. This allowed the Kiwis to further extend their lead upwind.

From then on Luna Rossa was forced to chase for the remaining 2 legs and Emirates Team New Zealand scored her third point (3-1).

Race 1 performance data
Course length: 10.18 nautical miles
Elapsed time: LR – 27:51; ETNZ– 25:37
Average speed: LR – 25.29 knots ETNZ – 26.94 knots

Race 2: sunny skies, 15-17 knots wind from South West, flat sea, ebb tide 2.2 knots. Race started at 14.10 local time.

Luna Rossa entered the pre-start box on starboard, with Emirates Team New Zealand unable to control as the Italian boat got underway on the first leg on windward and with good speed. The two teams rounded the reaching mark together, the Kiwi boat on the inside.

On the downwind leg the two boats sailed at similar speeds. The Italian team decided to sail on the opposite tack then the Kiwis in order to round the right hand mark at the downwind gate: a tactical choice that allowed Luna Rossa to reduce the distance between the two boats to about 100 meters.

Emirates Team New Zealand however sailed in control of Luna Rossa for the entire upwind leg, with a distance of that sometimes was only of 70 meters, but was able to increase its lead due to a better boat speed.

On the final downwind leg Luna Rossa decided to sail closer to the coast but, although the boat speed of both teams was close (Luna Rossa 31.59 knots, ETNZ 32,24 knots) the Italians were unable to bridge the gap with Emirates Team New Zealand who went on to win its fourth point (4-1).

Max Sirena, skipper of Luna Rossa, declared: “The outcome of the first race was influenced by our start: we were in control and had almost closed the door on the Kiwis but unfortunately we were early and we paid a high price for this. The second race instead has probably been one of the best races we’ve done so far, both from a boat handling and a performance point of view: good start, excellent tactics, and we didn’t make any mistakes in manoeuvers. Also, especially on the run, our speed was excellent. Every day we are coming closer to our opponents and this proves that what’s penalizing us is the lack of time.”

Race 2 performance data
Course length: 10.18 nautical miles
Elapsed time: LR – 25:53; ETNZ– 24:25
Average speed: LR – 27.29 knots; ETNZ – 28.44 knots

Luna Rossa Challenge will race again against Emirates Team New Zealand on Friday August 23rd, for the sixth match of the Louis Vuitton Cup finals.

Today’s crew was: Max Sirena (skipper and pitman), Francesco Bruni (tactician), David Carr (pitman/grinder), Pierluigi de Felice (trimmer), Giles Scott (primary grinder), Chris Draper (helmsman), Xabi Fernandez (wing trimmer), Nick Hutton (bowman), Lele Marino (wing grinder), Marco Montis (freestyler) and Simone de Mari (hydraulic grinder).

Shower time.  Image:© Luna Rossa/Carlo Borlenghi

-- From Luna Rossa Challenge
 

Additional Links and Info:

Daily Race Calendar for 2013 Louis Vuitton Cup and America's Cup

Also:

ACEA Press Release: ETNZ wins races 4 & 5 in LVC Finals