Very invigorating conditions
For the first time since the start of the Louis Vuitton Cup, there was wind on the Spanish race course. A well-established south-westerly flow of around twenty knots, accompanied by a nice swell - conditions in which no AC 75 had ever raced before. Usually, it's the weakness of the wind that characterizes the heats, where the slightest mistake in flight led to certain defeat.
In this solid breeze, the AC 75s are sailing at around 40 knots upwind, and can reach 53 knots when they reach the windward mark. At these speeds, the course can be completed in less than half an hour.
Race 1: Luna Rossa leads the way
In the opening race, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli got off to a fast, incisive start. Jimmy Spithill controlled the British throughout the pre-start phase, despite crossing the line rather late, and covering his opponent. Ineos Britannia was forced to tack early just after the line, leaving her opponent to escape at over 40 knots.
From that moment on, Luna Rossa extended its lead, performing perfect maneuvers without making a single mistake, despite survival conditions for the crews. It should be noted that the AC 75s in this 37 e these editions are best suited to medium winds, between 10 and 14 knots.
In the end, the Italians crossed the finish line with a 46-second lead, sailing along at 47 knots without forcing the pace.
Race 2: Sir Ben Ainslie regains the lead at the start
The second race of the day almost didn't get underway, as the 21-knot wind limit - the maximum specified in the race instructions - was sometimes exceeded.
Sir Ben Ainslie was at the helm again in the final phase of the prestart. The British crew got off to an excellent start, covering their opponents in turn, and carried out a series of perfect maneuvers, while demonstrating a slightly lower speed potential than Luna Rossa in these tough conditions. Ineos crossed the finish line with an 18-second lead, in a race it led from start to finish.
A tie between the two Challengers in this lively start to the final, which provided some splendid images of the AC 75s in the breeze, which suffered no apparent damage despite these committed conditions.
