The fifth day of racing in the Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Final would see only two teams out on the water after INEOS Britannia clinched the first spot in the Louis Vuitton Cup Final, having knocked Alinghi Red Bull Racing out of the competition in yesterday’s racing.

But the today, Thursday 19 September was set to be crucial. With Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli on four wins and American Magic on three wins in the first-to-five-series and two races scheduled, one of these teams would see their America’s Cup dreams over by the end of the afternoon.

The weather was due to be similar to the conditions we have seen through most of the Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Finals and Round Robins, with a 6-10 knot breeze forecast from the south and reasonably large swell too.

The big question on everyone’s lips was to what extent has Luna Rossa been able to repair their damaged traveller, which spectacularly failed on the final downwind of their second race yesterday, crippling the Italian boat and handing the Americans their third consecutive win of the series.

And for those of us hoping for a continuation of the close fight between these two boats, it was a relief to see Luna Rossa heading out onto the water looking fully repaired and ready for racing.

Key takeaways from the Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Final Day 5

• Luna Rossa Vs INEOS Britannia sets up a repeat of 2021’s Challenger final
• No clear sign of any continued structural issues for Luna Rossa
• Another lost start for the Italian team may be a concern

Race 15 American Magic Vs Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli

Skippers
American Magic: Lucas Calabrese & Tom Slingsby
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli: Jimmy Spithill & Francesco Bruni

Although the forecast was for wind at the lighter end of the range, race time dawned with a decent 11 knots across most of the course. It was still a little patchy as we had seen for yesterday’s racing, but nothing like the extremely tricky conditions we have witnessed in Barcelona of late.

In the pre-start American Magic were the first team to gybe around at the right hand boundary and lead back to the start. Luna Rossa were happy to let them go initially and tacked around to gauge off well to windward. Spithill and Bruni then put their foot down to try to bear away behind the Americans and attempt to get underneath them to hook them. But it was an easy defend for Slingsby and Calabrese who bore away too to cover off the attempt.

But that had put the Italian boat very close to American Magic off their windward hip as they hit the startline and Spithill and Bruni tacked off straight out of the start. First blood to American Magic.

At the first cross American Magic was in the lead and Slingsby and Calabrese elected to tack dead in front of the starboard-tacked Luna Rossa.

Luna Rossa tacked straight away with a small amount of distance to the right hand layline, meaning they would need to do several tacks in quick succession. But the right hand side of the course had a touch more wind and when the two boats next crossed, with Luna Rossa once again on starboard, American Magic were still ahead but the gap was shrinking.

American Magic tried to do repeat their previous trick and tack in front of Luna Rossa. But the gap had come down significantly and the Italians were able to foot underneath the Americans, get even with them and squeeze up into a high mode to force the Americans to tack away.

The key moment of the race. Photo: Ian Roman / America’s Cup

This move, coupled with a poor layline call from Slingsby and Calabrese saw Luna Rossa with a 20 second lead around the first windward gate.

Once again there was little to choose between the two boats in pure pace terms, and the downwind saw the boats fairly even. In the end it was American Magic who rounded the left gate mark 21 seconds back from Luna Rossa, who took the opposite mark.

Luna Rossa had picked the better gate, sending them to the favoured side of the course to lock in their lead and then did a decent job of keeping a loose cover on their American competition.

But there were gains to be had in the patchy conditions and American Magic managed to get back within 100m of Luna Rossa by the top mark – a gap that had been up to 400m in the early part of the leg.

Around the second windward gate, American Magic had closed the gap to a mere 8 seconds, but it was Luna Rossa once again heading out the better side of the course, having rounded the left hand gate mark (looking upwind).

And once again Spithill and Bruni showed just how impressive the Italian team can be, sailing a controlled downwind to lead by 22 seconds at the leeward gate.

Luna Rossa was looking a polished team and hooked up the shifts on the final windward leg. With fewer options on the table, and the finish looming ever-closer, American Magic also had to take a slightly riskier tactical strategy.

As such the lead really blew out on the final upwind to see American Magic round the windward gate for the last time fully 51 seconds behind and in need of a miracle to keep their America’s Cup dream alive.

But another unlikely America’s Cup comeback was not to be and Luna Rossa cruised down the final leg to take the win and in so doing book their place in the Louis Vuitton Cup Final, where they will meet INEOS Britannia.

“We’re super happy. Almost more than when we won the Prada Cup in Auckland, it’s been a fantastic journey these super semi-finals. We had some pressure for sure but it was great to reply strongly to that pressure,” said a clearly elated Franscesco Bruni after racing – once he finished whooping and hollering.

“The last 24 hours have been the toughest for the shore team, but we are a super strong team and They deserve this… Everyone deserves this.”

“First of all I’d like to congratulate American Magic for putting up one hell of a fight,” said ‘Spithill. “We got to 4-0 up and they are a champion team and they showed that.”

“Congratulations to Luna Rossa, the better team won,” said a deflated Tom Slingsby. “We’ve got to hold our heads high – as much as I’m rueing a few of my bad decisions during that race. A huge thank you to everyone in the American Magic family from all our supporters and family who are tirelessly with us through the shore team for the work they did on the boat to the designers and sailors and management.”

Luna Rossa celebrate as they cross the line to win. Photo: Ian Roman / America’s Cup

What did we learn from the Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Final Race 15?

There were question marks about whether Luna Rossa would be able to be as competitive after a night of round-the-clock surgery to repair yesterday’s structural damage. But the boat looked for all the world exactly as she has in every other race.

These two boats have been very closely matched throughout the competition and it was essentially one small mistake on the first beat that lost this, with American Magic electing to try to tack in front of Luna Rossa, when they probably should have ducked them, tacked on the layline and held starboard advantage going into the top gate.

On such fine margins can America’s Cup racing be won or lost and from 4-0 down it was always going to require something close to perfection for Slingsby and Co. to make it through to the finals.

For their part this is the second America’s Cup in a row that the New York Yacht Club’s American Magic has arrived with a decent looking boat, but circumstances have seen them ejected in the Semi-Finals.

Luna Rossa continues to look like a polished outfit (figuratively and literally in their shiny silver AC75), but they have show a few weaknesses here. In particular they have been poor off the startline throughout the Semi-Final and today they lost the start again – although arguably they would have been happy to be the first to the favoured right of the course.

There is now exactly 1 weeks gao before the first-to-seven-wins Louis Vuitton Cup Final takes place between INEOS Britannia and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli. Roll on Thursday 26 September.

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