Please select your home edition
Edition
A+T Instruments BFD 2024 Leaderboard

Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli dominate Match Race Final to win the UniCredit Youth America's Cup

by America's Cup media 26 Sep 06:02 PDT 17-26 September 2024

Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli's young guns, generational talent, dominated the UniCredit Youth America's Cup Final with a comprehensive victory over NYYC American Magic in a high-adrenaline, six-leg, race sailed in winds up to 18 knots and big waves.

Led by the mercurial Marco Gradoni, undoubtedly a name for the future of America's Cup racing for Italy, and with the outstanding talents of co-helmsman Gianluigi 'Gigi' Ugolini, and trimmers Rocco Falcone and Federico Colaninno, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli were simply a class apart, leading from start to finish, showing consistent and conservative front-running, after capitalising on a early startbox entry penalty for NYYC American Magic.

After coming in seconds early at the port end of the line, the umpires penalised the Americans with a 75-metre 'get behind' penalty and despite starting well, after the first tack, the team were forced to give away the leverage to the Italians. The distance of 75 metres quickly became 100 metres as Luna Rossa covered tenaciously over by the right boundary and then offered no passing lanes over the next six legs.

Sailing smartly, Luna Rossa made no mistakes, rounding the leeward gates with two-boards down in the 18 knot breeze and bearing away steadily at the top gates - albeit at speeds in excess of 46 knots. It was a masterclass of front-running and the clipped, concise communications onboard the Italian boat were worthy of the very best in the Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup.

For the NYYC America's Cup youth team led by Harry Melges, with co-helmsman Kyle Navin, and trimmers Severin Gramm and Finn Rowe, their dream was extinguished, and the sailors were left ruing the starting error as well as some minor splashdown errors that eventually resulted in a 36-second deficit to the Italian crew. These talented young sailors will bounce-back for sure and they were magnanimous in defeat, taking it as a lesson and moving on, but disappointment was nevertheless etched on their faces. So near, yet so far.

Winning the UniCredit Youth America's Cup, after surviving a small final gybe scare on the last leg into the finish line, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli have laid down a serious marker, a signpost for the future of this passionate country's involvement at the elite apex of sailing.

The next generation of talent coming from Italy is at the very top level, and winning the UniCredit Youth America's Cup at a canter after dominant and consistent performances all week, is confirmation of what looks like an unstoppable force in world sailing.

Wild scenes of celebration were seen onboard Luna Rossa after the race with this tight-knit team - who have been the model of focus and quiet determination throughout the event - finally letting off steam and spraying the Juvé & Camps cava with abandon.

A delighted Marco Gradoni, the figurehead not only of the Youth team but of Italian youth sailing, spoke onboard saying: "This moment is important because we worked a lot for this and now we have achieved our goal. I really want to thank everyone, the coach, the shore team, the tech team, everyone really because it was super hard to get here at this level. But we did it and it's an amazing feeling."

Later today the Italian team will receive the fabulous bowline-knot-inspired UniCredit Youth America's Cup trophy and, in claiming the title, have left little doubt as to their pedigree and potential. The future is now and the UniCredit Youth America's Cup has showcased the very brightest of talents in stunning Barcelona.

Remember the names, the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli youth sailors are the 2024 UniCredit Youth America's Cup champions - and are on a roll.

Related Articles

UniCredit Youth America's Cup Finalists set
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli and NYYC American Magic set to light up the race course It could well be billed as the 'battle of the new age' as two of the world's finest young sailing talents go head-to-head for the UniCredit Youth America's Cup title. Posted on 24 Sep
Spain & Great Britain secure last Semi Final spots
After a tense day in the UniCredit Youth America's Cup It was a day when the brightest youth sailing talent on the planet announced their arrival into the big league after an outstanding day of racing at the UniCredit Youth America's Cup that saw a total of six races completed in superb Barcelona conditions. Posted on 23 Sep
Fickle breeze keeps the fleet ashore on Sunday
At the UniCredit Youth America's Cup A teasing light weather system sat over Barcelona today with bruised, early morning clouds delivering rain to the area before clearing in the afternoon, leaving mere zephyrs across the racecourse of the UniCredit Youth America's Cup. Posted on 22 Sep
UniCredit Youth America's Cup day 4
Sensational Sweden Imperious on all-action day It was some of the best racing we've seen in this fabulous summer of sailing in Barcelona with the Invited Teams of the UniCredit Youth America's Cup having a rip-roaring day in a big sea state. Posted on 21 Sep
UniCredit Youth America's Cup day 3
SailTeam BCN on top after hometown race win The opening day of fleet racing for the Invited Teams from Australia, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden in the UniCredit Youth America's Cup, saw Mother Nature ultimately dictate the schedule. Posted on 20 Sep
UniCredit Youth America's Cup day 2
Luna Rossa confirm star billing Remember the names of Marco Gradoni and Gianluigi Ugolini, two nailed-on future stars of the America's Cup for sure, who today confirmed their top billing, scoring two straight wins for Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli on day two. Posted on 18 Sep
UniCredit Youth America's Cup day 1
The young sailors were in full survival mode Sometimes, good things take time, and after a lengthy delay on day one of the UniCredit Youth America's Cup in Barcelona as the lower-end wind-limit of 7.5 knots struggled to be met, suddenly, in the early evening the regatta roared into life. Posted on 17 Sep
UniCredit Youth America's Cup Press Conference
Next Generation set to shine After an early-morning photocall at the Hivernacle del Parc de la Ciutadella the next generation of sailing superstars were presented at a Press Conference ahead of tomorrow's start of the UniCredit Youth America's Cup. Posted on 16 Sep
Youth America's Cup Cancelled
Due To NZ Government Immigration Rules The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (RNZYS) has today confirmed that next year's Youth America's Cup event has been cancelled due to New Zealand Government restrictions around immigration. Posted on 1 Sep 2020
RNZYS confirms 15 teams for Youth America's Cup
There are now only a handful of entry spaces left available The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron is delighted to announce that fifteen teams from twelve nations all over the world have already officially entered into the 2021 Youth America's Cup. Posted on 6 Mar 2020
North Sails Performance 2023 - FOOTERMackay Boats 728x90 BOTTOMRS Sailing 2021 - FOOTER