Racing sailboats battle it out on the waters of Barcelona

Italy’s Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli and the USA’s NYYC American Magic are set to light up the Unicredit Youth America’s Cup Final, after four fleet races during the semi-finals yesterday (23 September 2024). The final race will take place on Thursday (26 September), and will feature two of the world’s top young sailors: Marco Gradoni from Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli and Harry Melges from NYYC American Magic.

Yesterday’s racing in Barcelona saw winds of 12-17 knots from the southwest, creating ideal conditions for the AC40 class yachts. The fleet races began after the yachts were released from the ‘nou’ Port Olímpic marina, with J2 jibs raised as the wind built. The first race was won by Swedish Challenge Youth Team powered by Artemis Technologies, closely followed by Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, who demonstrated consistent performance throughout the day.

The second race saw NYYC American Magic claim their first win, while Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli secured a win in the third race. By the end of the fourth race, Athena Pathway from Great Britain and the Swedish Challenge were close behind the leaders, with only a few points separating them.

In the final race of the day, Andoo Team Australia led from the start and secured a decisive victory. The local team, Sail Team BCN, finished in third place. Meanwhile, NYYC American Magic outperformed Athena Pathway, securing second place overall and advancing to the final alongside Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli.

Marco Gradoni and Gianluigi ‘Gigi’ Ugolini from Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, supported by trimmers Rocco Falcone and Federico Colaninno, will compete in the match race final. Ugolini expressed confidence in their preparation, saying: “We have been doing a lot of time on the simulator, so I think we will be ready for the final match race.”

At NYYC American Magic, helmsmen Harry Melges and Kyle Navin will lead a team that has been closely integrated with the senior America’s Cup team. “The guys sailed really well today, and we just stayed focused and kept it all together,” says Navin. “Out on the racecourse we had a couple hard moments, but we recovered quickly and ended up making it to the final.”

Athena Pathway finished third overall, with skipper Nick Robins acknowledging the team’s efforts despite missing out on the final. Andoo Team Australia, led by Cole Tapper, finished the day with a win in the final race, though it was not enough to advance.

The UniCredit Youth America’s Cup Final will take place on 26 September, promising a close and highly competitive race between Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli and NYYC American Magic. The outcome remains unpredictable as these two teams face off for the title.

Racing sailboats battle it out on the waters of Barcelona

Image courtesy of Ricardo Pinto / America’s Cup.

The news comes after the finalists were confirmed for the Louis Vuitton Cup last week. Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, the team representing the Circolo della Vela Sicilia yacht club, has secured its place in the Louis Vuitton Cup final after a last race against NYYC American Magic.

This means the Italian team will battle the Brits for the right to duel with defending America’s Cup champion Emirates Team New Zealand (ETNZ). When the winner of the Louis Vuitton Cup final meets ETNZ, the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup match will be decided.

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