LVC37: Italy leads challenger pack

Barcelona, Spain (September 1, 2024) – The fourth day of the first round robin stage of the Louis Vuitton Cup received an easterly breeze that oscillated around 10 knots and allowed the Race Committee to set a course running close to the beachfront to provide a superb sailing spectacle.

The sailors were on point too, delivering an all-action day packed with lead changes, overtakes, match-racing tactics, and execution of the highest order as teams were at the mid-point of the first stage for the challenger selection series.

In the overall standings (including the Defender), three teams finished the opening Round Robin with four points – Emirates Team New Zealand, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, and INEOS Britannia. Meanwhile, in the Challenger-only standings Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli are on top having delivered a perfect 4-0 scoreline.

Whilst the top of the table is clear, it’s down at the bottom where the fight is real and for Alinghi Red Bull Racing and Orient Express Racing Team, who both lost races today, are in the fight of their lives in the second Round Robin, that is scheduled to start on September 3.

The Swiss lost their opening race today against Emirates Team New Zealand through disqualification after a mast/mainsail issue forced them back into the Port Vell and they just fell foul of the boundary requirements on their return to the racecourse. Losing to Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli in their second race leaves the Swiss with zero points from the opening Round Robin.

“We know we need to put points on the board and to do that we need to win races,” noted Arnaud Psarofaghis, Skipper of Alinghi Red Bull Racing. “We need to start soon otherwise we are not going to be able to do it anymore. Every day we are just going to try again and again and try to fix what we are missing so far. It’s now or never and so we are looking forward to Tuesday (Sept. 3) to go out there and do some good races.”

For Orient Express Racing Team, today was a huge opportunity to secure a vital point but they faced a fired-up INEOS Britannia who recovered supremely well from two penalties on the first upwind leg to snatch a victory and dash French hopes.

“It was a great fight and that’s really positive,” said Quentin Delapierre, skipper of Orient Express Racing Team. “Our boat is going faster and faster and our maneuvers are getting better. I’m really proud of the team also to take the start this time, and I think everything is getting better and better. We just need to do things a bit more accurately to win races, but we are not far off.”

“We made it quite hard on ourselves today – to be fair our starting coach (Ian Williams) was saying that we needed to have a good battle out there, so we gave him one of those!” shared Dylan Fletcher, port helm on INEOS Britannia. “But it was nice to see Britannia going fast and we were confident out there, so we just need to keep building on this momentum and now it’s time for Round Robin 2.”

The concluding race of the Louis Vuitton Cup opening Round Robin was something of a classic between Emirates Team New Zealand and NYYC American Magic – two teams who both had something to prove, gain and learn from each other.

It was a close battle right from the start with some textbook match-racing and pin-point execution that saw lead changes aplenty before the Kiwis ultimately came up with masterful positioning on the second downwind leg and some great reading of the pressure to seize a lead that they never lost.

Tom Slingsby, starboard helm on NYYC American Magic, shouldered some of the blame for their loss today saying: “We had a really good first lap, we were behind on the first cross and then got back and got them at the top mark. We had a nice run, led them around the bottom mark, which was nice, and then the second beat it felt like they were potentially maneuvering a bit better than us.

“We tried matching them a couple of times and then they seemed to be closing in on us and, my hands are up, I decided to say: ‘look we’re bleeding here, let’s let them go and just concentrate on ourselves and try to pick the shifts’ and I chose the wrong time to do that.”

Tomorrow is a non-race day before the second round robin commences with what could be a pivotal match between Orient Express Racing Team and Alinghi Red Bull Racing in the very first race, as one team will be eliminated at the end of this first stage.

Viewing details – Race information – Results – Weather forecast

2024 Louis Vuitton Cup Challenger Selection Series
August 29-September 8: Double Round Robin
September 14-19: Semi Finals (Best of 9)
September 26-October 7: Finals (Best of 13)

Team New Zealand competes in the round robin stage only, and the results of their races are not included in the challenger leaderboard. Races start at 14:00 CET (08:00 ET) and run until 16:30 or 17:00, depending on the schedule.

Following the publication of the AC37 Protocol and AC75 Class Rule on November 17, 2021, the AC75 Class Rule and AC Technical Regulations were finalized on March 17, 2022. The entry period was from December 1, 2021 until July 31, 2022, but late entries for the 37th America’s Cup could be accepted until May 31, 2023. The Defender was to announce the Match Venue on September 17, 2021 but postponed the reveal, finally confirming Barcelona on March 30, 2022. The 37th America’s Cup begins October 12, 2024.

Teams revealed to challenge defender Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL):
• INEOS Britannia (GBR)
• Alinghi Red Bull Racing (SUI)
• Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team (ITA)
• NYYC American Magic (USA)
• Orient Express Racing Team (FRA)

2023-24 Preliminary Regattas
September 14-17, 2023 (AC40): Vilanova i la Geltrú, Spain
November 30-December 2 (AC40): Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
August 22-25, 2024 (AC75): Barcelona, Spain

2024 Louis Vuitton Cup Challenger Selection Series
August 29-September 8: Double Round Robin
September 14-19: Semi Finals (Best of 9)
September 26-October 7: Finals (Best of 13)

2024 America’s Cup
October 12-21: 37th Match (Best of 13)

For competition details, click here.

Additionally, 12 teams will compete in the 2024 Youth & Women’s America’s Cup.

Noticeboard: https://ac37noticeboard.acofficials.org/
Event details: www.americascup.com/en/home

Source: ACE