Luna Rossa launched- The sixth Moon goes to sea
by Luna Rossa Media on 19 Jan 2007
Her crew line the decks after the Luna Rossa launch - Valencia - 18 January 2007 Luna Rossa Challenge 2007 S.L.@ Carlo Borlenghi
Luna Rossa ITA 94 was launched today from the Team base. As in the past editions Miuccia Prada was the godmother of the event. At 11.30 a.m. she smashed a bottle of Gran Cuvée Brut 2002, a Franciacorta from the Bellavista wine cellars, on the bow of the new boat.
At Mrs. Prada’s side were her husband Patrizio Bertelli President of Gruppo Prada and Head of the Luna Rossa syndicate and Carlo Croce, President of the Yacht Club Italiano. Don Antonio, chaplain of Santa Maria de la Mar had previously blessed the new boat.
In full dressing and covered by a protective tarpaulin, ITA 94 was lowered into the water half an hour later.
After the customary toasts Patrizio Bertelli, Francesco de Angelis and Carlo Croce met the press.
Carlo Croce said: 'This is the launching of the sixth Luna Rossa and I can see a lot of enthusiasm and style. Francesco de Angelis has most of the merit because he manages to keep united a Team that comes from all different parts of the world. I am very proud of being a part of this challenge.'
Patrizio Bertelli while talking about the 32nd America’s Cup stated: 'This is my third edition and each Cup is something completely new. Whoever wins the next edition must aim to make this event more sports based and less mundane. Furthermore the America’s Cup has an excessive cost and we should make it so that more teams can participate. This way there will be more emotions and sport.'
Francesco de Angelis commented: 'New techniques, materials, and the experience accumulated on the water in the past three years have come together in ITA 94. We were on time and precise with regards to the dates we had programmed and that is a good result in itself. We had to build a first boat to get to the same point the Defender was at. Then we developed a second one which is a full new package: new hull, new appendages, new materials and new sails. Even just looking at the calendar as of tomorrow it’s the beginning of a New moon.
At 3 p.m. today Luna Rossa ITA 94 left the dock for the first session of testing at sea.
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