From America’s Cup – Race recap.
At the start, with the wind still marginal but above the baseline of 6.5 knots, Luna Rossa (Italy) enters and easily crosses to head out to the right side of the box. Magic follow, and on the gybe back, set up to leeward initially before leading back on a fast reach down the line.
Perfection from Tom Slingsby, he nails the port end and forces Luna Rossa to tack away. At the first cross, Magic is clear ahead but it’s tight and the Americans like the right side of the course. Luna Rossa head for the port layline whilst Magic sits on the starboard layline and as the two boats come together at the gate, American Magic lead by just 7 seconds.
Split tactics down the first run initially with both boats going to alternate boundaries, and it’s Luna Rossa that gain and take the lead when the boats come together. Magic look to be struggling with pitch control in the lumpy conditions but it’s very tight into the first leeward gate. Having come from the port layline, Magic regains the lead on starboard gybe and rounds with a 4 second delta.
Up the second beat, Magic elects to go left whilst Luna Rossa clicks into a pressure patch out right and at the next cross, Italy regain the lead by a considerable distance, taking some 120 metres. Luna Rossa protects the right whilst Magic sees pressure to the left, tacks in it and seizes the lead. This is anyone’s race.
At the second windward mark, Luna Rossa comes in on port tack into the 60-metre zone at the port marker and tack which forces Magic, who was sitting on the starboard layline to tack to the starboard marker. The delta was 8 seconds to Luna Rossa.
Drama ensues though after the first gybes as the two boats come together with Luna Rossa just ahead by a couple of boatlengths. A loud crack is heard and what looks like a component failure on the mainsail traveller system immediately causes the boat to stop as the crew scramble to assess the damage.
Luna Rossa is forced to retire, meanwhile American Magic must complete the course to score the win and sail on unopposed. Harsh luck for the Italians and a long night for the shore team ahead. The scoreline is 4-3 and this intriguing Louis Vuitton Cup semi-final goes to Thursday.
