America's Cup: Luna Rossa gets sailing again a month after dismasting
by Luna Rossa Media 1 Mar 2020 19:12 PST
2 March 2020
Luna Rossa's AC75 docked at the team base in Cagliari, Sardinia - February 25, 2020 © Alessandro Spiga
After a forced break of almost a month, Luna Rossa is ready to get back on track. It has been an intense period for the team, working in the shed around the clock.
The initial program had been a two-week break from sailing, to allow designers and shore team to implement some modifications. This plan changed with the dismasting that took place in late January, when further days were added to repair the damage.
With the boat back in the water, this past week has been challenging and filled with long days of load testing and practice on the water.
Sailing sessions resumed today in perfect wind conditions that allowed the team to regain confidence with the boat.
Alessandro Franceschetti, design team member, gave us a short report. "We have worked hard in this past month to develop important upgrades to the boat, with which we are very happy. The Boat and team are now in “race mode”, ready to race at the end of April."
How do we fly?
With less than two months left to go until the start of the first act of the America’s Cup World Series in Cagliari, to be held from 23 to 26 of April, curiosity is at its peak for these new “flying monohulls”. For the first time these boats will compete between the buoys in what are expected to be incredibly tight and spectacular races. The schedule involves three days of Round Robins, while the last day will feature the Finals, for the first and second place, with the Petit Final to determine third and fourth place.
We will see completely new yachts, with outstanding performances and technological solutions very close to aeronautical engineering, that allow a boat as heavy as an elephant to “fly”.