Tatiana Sirena burst the champagne on the bow of the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team's second AC75 Cup yacht with a single spirited blow. The wife of team director and skipper Max Sirena looked as determined as the entire christening team of the Italian "Challenger of Record" that morning in Auckland. The boat, which carries the hopes of so many passionate Italian Cup chasers, was blessed by Father "Pa" Peter Tiphene of the Dean of Auckland Cathedral. There was also the traditional Maori ritual, while the black Cup giant in the typical Prada look was slowly lowered into the water.
With their christening, the Italians were the last to put their cards on the table. After American Magic and the British Ineos Team UK, the boat of the "Challenger of Record" is now also known with the pride of the Azzurri. Initial reactions were consistent in their assessment that the Italians' number 2 is much more similar to their first AC75 design than the British and Americans, whose second designs differ more starkly from the first. This realisation suggests that the Italians, as co-creators of the "Challenger of Record", knew what they were doing right from the start.
Racing stable owner Patrizio Bertelli was unable to attend the ceremony due to the current Covid-19 situation. The 74-year-old was last named Sailor of the Year this year by the Italian magazine "Giornale de la Vela" after 50 years of active sailing and 20 years of America's Cup involvement. With his sixth Cup challenge, Bertelli has even surpassed the five challenges of Britain's Sir Thomas Lipton (1899-1930). Bertelli, who initiated his first Cup team in 1997 and first appeared on a Cup start line as a chaser at the turn of the millennium, commented on his team's latest milestone in challenging times as follows:
"First of all, I would like to thank the Persico boatyard and all their employees for managing to respect the delivery times despite all the current difficulties and enabling us to deploy this second boat. In many ways, it represents an evolution of the first. I would also like to thank the whole team: regardless of their positions in the team, they have worked day and night to meet the deadline and be ready for the christening today. In a few days we will see 'Boat 2' sail and get our first impressions. I am sure it will fulfil expectations. And soon after that, the races will begin. My best wishes go to everyone working on this sensational project."
The hull, which was built at Persico in Nembro near Bergamo, reached the New Zealand Cup metropolis of Auckland on 6 October in the belly of an Antonov transport aircraft. Within a few days, the Italian team had installed the foils, onboard systems and instruments. The boat will be sent out for testing and training immediately after the first load tests, which began straight after the christening. Max Sirena said at the christening:
"Today is an important day in our challenge for the 36th America's Cup presented by Prada. The christening of our second 'Luna Rossa' is the culmination of three years of work by the team and all our partners. It is also the start of the most important phase of our campaign and it is great to see the motivation on people's faces during these intense weeks of work. Everyone knows how important this moment is: now we are getting very close to the heart of it all. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the whole team for the work they have done; from now on we will no longer have control over our time. The countdown to the first race has begun. I would like to thank Patrizio Bertelli for making it possible for us to get here together with Marco Tronchetti Provera and all our sponsors and partners."
There is not much time left before the first regatta comparison with the other challengers Ineos Team UK and American Magic as well as the Cup defenders from Emirates Team New Zealand. The America's Cup World Series Christmas race takes place just before the festive season from 17 to 20 December. It will soon become clear for whom it will be a sporting celebration. In the Prada Cup from 15 January to 22 February 2021, Italians, Americans and Brits will then battle it out for the right to challenge the Kiwis in the America's Cup duel. The 36th America's Cup is scheduled to take place from 6 to 21 March.
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
