BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Italy’s Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli comfortably beat INEOS Britannia in the first race of the America’s Cup challengers final on Thursday.
The first-to-seven-wins yacht will lift the Louis Vuitton Cup then try to topple defending champion Team Emirates New Zealand for the America’s Cup next month.
Officials extended the opening race from six to eight legs with high winds whipping the foiling yachts along the Barcelona beachfront at speeds of up to 50 knots (57 mph/90 kph).
The Italians’ silver-hulled boat sailed a flawless race that they led from the first gate, while Britannia touched down early to fall further behind. Luna Rossa crossed the finish line some 700 meters and 46 seconds ahead.
Britannia took two wins over Luna Rossa in the double round-robin opening round this month. The Brits then beat Switzerland’s Alinghi Red Bull Racing while Luna Rossa eliminated American Magic in the challengers’ semifinals.
This head-to-head is a rematch of the 2021 challengers final, when Luna Rossa beat Britannia 7-1 in Auckland. The Italian boat went on to lose to defender New Zealand by 7-3.
Neither Britain nor Italy have ever won the America’s Cup since its start in 1851.
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