Luna Rossa crowns the Prada Cup, now the challenge with New Zealand for the America’s Cup

AGI – Luna Rossa won the Prada Cup, beating Britain’s Ineos twice in Auckland Harbor and riding an Italian boat to the America’s Cup Final 21 years later.Challenge with Ineos with a score of 7-1. From March 6-15, the crew led by Max Serena will challenge Team New Zealand to decide who will win the toughest and oldest trophy in international sport.

America’s Cup, the 170-year challenge

For the second time in her six attempts, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli enters the exclusive list of just 36 contenders who have celebrated 170 years of America’s Cup history. As it did 21 years ago, Defender Emirates Team New Zealand will face the Italian crew at Hauraki Gulf of New Zealand

“We are Italian”

“We are Italians,” said helmsman Chico Bruni after the victory. This is the third time an Italian boat has won the selection of competitors, now called the Prada Cup: the first was in 1992 with Gardini, Caillard and Modo di Venezia, and the second in 2000 with another Luna Rossa, Francesco de Angelis. So it took 21 years and five failed attempts before the flag was brought back to the America’s Cup challenge, and the star of that feat was captain Max Serena who meanwhile won two America’s Cups with New Zealand in 2017 and Oracle USA. in 2010.

very difficult challenge

The challenge with Emirates Team New Zealand is expected to be very tough, but the last two races won with Ineos underlined Luna Rossa’s strength. In the first two turns it was enough for the Italian boat to take off and at the end it closed with an advantage of 1 minute 45 seconds. In the second half, Luna Rossa won at the start but was slightly ahead of the line, thus she took a penalty leaving the English 50 meters ahead, but then managed to recover and win.