Luna Rossa, the new challenge starts The multicolored boat has been baptized

the event

/ Cagliari

“Luna Rossa I’ll baptize you.” The new challenge for the Italian team at the America’s Cup starts from here, from the launching ritual phrase, pronounced by the godmother Miuccia Prada. And when you discover the boat, Luna Rossa Prototype, it’s a surprise. The livery is camouflage, with black and white and red and black triangles. “Like the warships of the past, but above all a graphic to camouflage the lines of the hull in the eyes of spies,” explains Patrizio Bertelli, the owner.

“They did me a bad thing,” jokes Marco Tronchetti Provera, executive vice president and CEO of Pirelli, sponsor of the team and also of Inter, of which he is a fan. “I’ll try to get him to add a little blue as well.” And then: “She is beautiful, unexpected and with an important development”

It starts from Cagliari, where the baptism of this hyper-tech and flying “small boat” (with foil, appendages that lift it from the water) was held, about 12 meters long, which can run at 50 knots, almost 100 km / h , what Bertelli considers the sixth challenge of Luna Rossa (does not consider the withdrawal prematurely from the 2017 edition). «To win the Cup you have to do it again until you do it. And if someone bothers it, let’s stop. Otherwise, let’s go ahead », says the owner of Luna Rossa. «In the last Cup there was just 5% missing to succeed. And therefore … »he replies to those who ask him what he expects from the new campaign.

The prototype, explains skipper and team director Max Sirena, will be the boat-laboratory that will be used to develop technologies and ideas for the construction of the Ac75, the almost 23-meter “missile” with which the America’s Cup will be raced in Barcelona in September 2024 (with a preview stage hopefully in Cagliari). Always flying boat, which will be built in Bergamo by Persico Marine. In March, another 12 meters will be added to the fleet, the Ac40, which will be used for training and for the America’s Cup races for women and young people, new for the 2024 edition, in the water from 3 to 17 October always in the city. Catalan. In addition, a hydrogen-powered catamaran-tender, mandatory by regulation, which Luna Rossa will develop “in-house”, build by Persico and power (electricity and batteries) in partnership with an Italian automotive company. “Luna Rossa is a challenge of made in Italy”, remembers Sirena.

Luna Rossa also starts from the double helmsman, a successful and copied formula, with Francesco Checco Bruni and James Spithill, the duo of the last edition, and from the “cyclists”, team members who will have the task of developing energy on board with their legs . The opponents will be the defender New Zealand, the English of Ineos Uk, the Swiss of Alinghi and from the USA American Magic. «We are talking about a French team, but I doubt it. It’s not just a question of money (90-95 million euros, the budget), you need know-how, men. The America’s Cup is beautiful, but too extreme, I don’t tire of saying it. But they don’t want to listen to us », Bertelli says again. Message to the Kiwis sent. Speaking of which. The selection of the challengers will no longer be labeled Prada Cup. “We were treated like enemies in Auckland, it’s not done.” Another message to Team New Zealand forwarded.

Luna Rossa also starts from a changing team. There is no longer the strategist Pietro Sibello, who moved to Alinghi (“But I don’t think the role of the tactician will be seen anymore”, says the patron), we expect, among others, Ruggero Tita, gold medal at the Tokyo Games in Nacra 17 , in balance with the 2024 Paris Olympics; the other blue Vittorio Bissaro and, for the women’s and youth teams, the other half of the gold of the Nacra 17 Caterina Banti and the phenomenon Marco Gradoni. «We start the selections for the America’s Cup womens and youth in November – says Sirena-. We already have the names, I don’t think there will be any problems ». The goal is not said for good luck, but the motto of the America’s Cup is: there is no second. –

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