PRADA ACWS AUCKLAND RACE 11 SUMMARY

Start: 1815
Port: Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli
Starboard: Emirates Team New Zealand
Course: 6
Axis: 017
Length: 1.5
Current: 0.3 knots @ 325
Wind 6-9 knots
Winner Emirates Team New Zealand 0:16

There was everything to play for in this race.

At the start Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli showed their intent by performing a perfect port tack shortly after forcing Emirates Team New Zealand down into an area of the start zone nicknamed ‘coffin corner’ by the sailors. It certainly was for Peter Burling who was forced to follow the Italians lead who were already over 200m ahead.

By the first gate, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli were ahead by 32 seconds. But the margin was about to grow quickly as Emirates Team New Zealand pinched around the top mark and came off their foils in the process. Struggling to get back up to speed saw the margin grow to 800m.

Shortly afterwards Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli splashed down as well. With both boats off their foils the match was now a race about who could take-off.
Here it was Emirates Team New Zealand who took flight first, doubling their speed over Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, 24 to 12 knots respectively. But the news for the Italians was about to get even worse as the Kiwis stayed with their breeze to sail at 29 knots, while Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli struggled to break 15.

Through the bottom gate Emirates Team New Zealand was clearly in the lead. The race had been shortened but there was still another lap to go – every reason for the Italians to keep the pressure on.

Minutes later Emirates Team New Zealand performed a poor tack and fell off their foils, slowed down allowing Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli to haul back up into contention. With just metres between them the race was back on. Staying on the foils would be a crucial factor that was now influencing the teams’ tactics. Locking horns was now secondary to steady flight.
By the last gate rounding there was 18 seconds between the pair as Emirates Team New Zealand headed down the right and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli down the left.

The difficulty in pulling off clean gybes was clear to see, at one point the margin had grown to over 300m. But by the finish it was the Kiwis that had held their lead to finish 16 seconds ahead of the Italians and in doing so, win the PRADA America’s Cup World Series.
“We were pretty nervous when the breeze dropped into the 6 knot region and we fell off the foils,” said Emirates Team New Zealand’s flight controller Blair Tuke, “but it’s been an epic day’s racing.”