Women's America's Cup: Teams sparkle on opening day of Puig Women's America's Cup

After a dock-out at the Port Olímpic that was full of colour and noise from the teams and their supporters, even featuring a stirring send off by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, the Auckland-based Maori tribe, the sailors exited the port to make history on the waters of Barcelona.

Nerves, understandably, were on display in the opening race with half the fleet bunched up in poor air at the starboard end of the start area, whilst Athena Pathway and Emirates Team New Zealand thundered down the starting line in unison to start well ahead and establish the early front-running.

Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli was the first of the chasers and the Italians soon showed their pace, overtaking Emirates Team New Zealand after a poor tack mid course from the Kiwis. However, at the first windward gate the Italians fell off the foils in a light spot and steep chop – losing several places and putting them in catch up mode for the rest of the race.

After two quick laps, with all the teams fighting to stay on the foils as the unstable Garbi wind fluctuated around 7-9 knots, GBR stayed ahead and recorded a one-minute-and-19-second win over Emirates Team New Zealand, with Alinghi Red Bull Racing storming into third after a close tussle with NYYC American Magic throughout the race. Luna Rossa snatched fourth on the final run after the Americans came off the foils.

The second race of the day felt marginal from the start with several boats falling into displacement mode as the start clock ticked down the final minute. Once again Athena Pathway made the best of the start and stole an early lead with Alinghi Red Bull Racing giving chase, but the fickle wind gods were about to dictate the outcome.

With the breeze starting to transition to a new direction and becoming increasingly unstable, at the first leeward gate the entire fleet fell off the foils and it was the luck of the draw who would get back flying first. Luna Rossa and Athena Pathway were the first to get airborne out to the left and stormed into a big lead whilst Alinghi Red Bull Racing gave chase.

Luna Rossa stormed to victory and crossed the finish line after two laps, just as the wind clocked round further to the east and upturned the podium order as Alinghi Red Bull Racing overtook a displacement mode Athena Pathway, before both boats ghosted across the line, with the Swiss celebrating stealing second. Ultimately the race was stopped for the remaining boats as the wind transition filtered up the course and points were awarded according to the teams’ positions at the final windward gate.

After a short delay as the shifting wind filled and settled, the resulting conditions were some of the most challenging for AC40 racing seen so far here in Barcelona.

With the wind gusting up to 18 knots and a nasty, unpredictable swell, the talent rose to the top with helmswomen Giulia Conti and Margherita Porro on Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli putting the hammer down and emerging from the pack through consistent sailing to take the win and steal the lead in the series. Their race was especially hard-fought having been off the foils a minute and a half before the gun and then, having regained flight, thundered down the course at 41 knots to start late, but in contention.

The early front-runners were Athena Pathway, Emirates Team New Zealand and Orient Express L’Oréal Racing Team who, as a pack, headed to the right of the course. The Italians went left and forced their way into the leading group and then down the first run were the big winners as Athena Pathway copped a boundary penalty and then splashed down.

From there, Luna Rossa were never headed and scored a dominant win, sending it down the final downwind leg to the finish at speeds in excess of 40 knots to score the full 10 points and take a one-point lead over Athena Pathway in the series overall.

The final race of the day was a thriller from start to end. Luna Rossa hit the start line midway along and at pace, whilst Athena Pathway started unopposed at the starboard end of the line having led the fleet back from the right boundary of the pre-start box. This was a clash of the titans and early advantage went to the Italians who had to dig deep upwind against the hard-charging and high-pointing British team helmed by Hannah Mills and Tash Bryant.

At the first gate it was Athena Pathway who bore away with a nine-second lead, but down the first run the Italians lit the after-burners out on the left of the course, before gybing in on starboard to assume the lead to leeward and ahead of the British. It was a lead they nearly lost on the final upwind leg but a gutsy split out to the left of the course – whilst the British stayed right – sealed the deal and Luna Rossa brought it home at speed in big seas to win by 13 seconds.

Behind the top two a thrilling battle ensued for the final podium spot, with Orient Express L’Oréal Racing Team executing a bold perfectly timed gybe on the bow of Emirates Team New Zealand, and just managing to control the boat’s yaw and speed afterwards before bearing away across the line to seal third place.

The standings at the end of the day show Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli as the team to beat, leading by four points over second placed Athena Pathway who have a handy gap of 11 points to Emirates Team New Zealand in third. The fight for the all-important podium places in Group A will continue on Tuesday October 8 with all six teams knowing precisely what they need to do to progress in this competition.

The Puig Women’s America’s Cup delivered spectacular action on its opening day. The experience gap is being bridged super-fast by some of the finest female sailors on the planet and the racing is electric to watch for the crowds of fans who gathered at Port Olímpic to cheer on their team.

Text and images courtesy of the America’s Cup.