- Italians to face Ineos Britannia for a spot in the America's Cup final.
- Luna Rossa overcame technical issues to defeat American Magic.
- Helmsman Jimmy Spithill praised the shore team’s efforts.
- American Magic rallied from 4-0 to 4-3 before Italy's victory.
The Italians will face Ineos Britannia in the upcoming semi-final, vying for the chance to compete against New Zealand in the 37th America’s Cup scheduled for October. Luna Rossa faced significant challenges during their campaign, including a mainsheet traveller failure on Wednesday. However, their dedicated shore team worked tirelessly to get their AC75 boat ready for competition, ultimately leading them to triumph over American Magic in Barcelona.
Helmsman Jimmy Spithill praised the shore team’s efforts, stating, “This victory really has to go to our shore team. They pulled an all-nighter; we walked in this morning and it was like seeing a bunch of zombies wandering around. It’s just the best way to repay them.” The Americans made a commendable comeback from 4-0 down to trail 4-3, but the Italians secured victory in Thursday’s first-to-five points battle.
Francesco Bruni from Luna Rossa expressed pride in the team’s journey, saying, “It’s been a fantastic journey these super semi-finals and we’re ready for more fights.” He acknowledged the pressure they faced but emphasized their strong response to it, adding, “The last 24 hours have been toughest for the shore team, and they deserve this win… we all deserve this win.”
During the race, Magic initially took the lead, but two downspeed tacks allowed the Italians to gain an advantage, securing a 20-second lead at the first mark. From that point on, Luna Rossa made no mistakes, ultimately sealing a convincing 61-second victory.
Looking ahead, they will compete against Ineos Britannia, who defeated Swiss team Alinghi Red Bull Racing, in the first-to-seven final set to begin in a week’s time.
