In the senior team of Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, the generational change has already been completed following the elimination in the final of the challenger round of the America's Cup. Helmsman Jimmy Spithill has declared the end of his active Cup career after his eighth consecutive outing. The youngsters in the team - Marco Gradoni, Ruggero Tita and others - have already completed their first training sessions with "Luna Rossa" on the Barcelona course.
Women's America's Cup: Italy wins
But will female sailors also have a chance to switch to the big cup foilers in the future? There is no lack of potential in the performance-orientated Italian team, for example. After the victory of the Azzurri around young star Marco Gradoni in the Unicredit Youth America's Cup, the women of the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team followed suit. Giulia Conti, Maria Giubilei and their team showed what they are made of in the final of the historic first Women's America's Cup.
In the knockout duel for the symbolic victory at the premiere in the Barcelona Arena, the Italians prevailed against the British team Athena Pathway led by double Olympic champion Hannah Mills. It was the expected duel between the two top-favoured teams. Both camps of the furious women were in raptures, eager to add this success to their team accounts.
The Italians wobbled briefly in the pre-start phase, entering the start box a little too late. Hannah Mills and her team then had two options: attack or jibe away. They opted for the second option and relied on the speed advantage they had shown in previous races. However, it was Giulia Conti and the Italians who were able to gain a few valuable metres at the start.
'Luna Rossa' strikes back: victory in the Women's America's Cup!" La Gazzetta dello Sport
Conti & Co. took control of the race as soon as they reached the left-hand side of the course - and never relinquished control despite all the attacks from the Brits over a total of six sections of the course. Three-time Olympic medallist Hannah Mills, her co-pilot Tash Bryant and trimmers Saskia Clark and Hannah Diamond kept the race extremely close, battled to the end but were unable to overtake.
They are fantastic sailors, incredible people, I love them so much. I think this victory is down to the strength of our team. The team spirit is unique." Giulia Conti
Giulia Conti, co-skipper Margherita Porro and trimmers Maria Giubilei and Giulia Fava celebrated their victory with flaming hearts. Even at the international press centre in Barcelona, the many Italian journalists applauded as the Azzurri crossed the finish line 19 seconds ahead of Athena Pathway.
Two Cup trophies for the future
Out on the America's Cup course, Marco Gradoni also jumped onto the women's boat and celebrated their triumph. Previously, it had been the other way round in the Youth America's Cup: the female sailors had cheered on the men. In the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli camp, it was not only team boss Max Sirena who had hoped fervently that the women would also be able to win.
Despite all the team spirit, there was also rivalry between the two teams as to who was the better crew in the racing team. After victories in both events, there is no longer any need to discuss this. Instead, they celebrated together.
Trimmer Maria Giubilei, an Olympic Nacra 17 competitor, said: "I hope this will inspire people to follow their dreams and live the life they want to live." When asked whether she believed that female sailors would also be racing on the large AC75 Cup foils in the future, Maria Giubilei said: "I hope so! I think that would be a good thing. Especially because I would love to be on 'Luna Rossa' myself one day."
I think it would be good at some point if there wasn't just one regatta for us, but if we competed together with the other sailors." Maria Giubilei
England's sailing star Hannah Mills openly admitted her disappointment at losing the final. She was nevertheless positive and beaming: "If you look at the big picture, Ben (editor: Ineos Britannia's CEO, skipper and helmsman Ben Ainslie) and I set up this Athena Pathway programme to inspire young girls in particular who want to try sailing. Or those who want to give sailing a try. We want to show them that there are so many more opportunities: whether on the water, at regattas or in roles on land."
When will we see female sailors on "A-boats"?
The 36-year-old British professional athlete, who is also involved in the SailGP as a strategist, was certain: "We have really achieved our goals with what we have created here. That's the most important thing for me. I'm so proud of everyone in this crew and the whole team that helped us achieve this."
Discussions and talks about when the time might actually come for women to race on the "A-boats" in the America's Cup are still ongoing. If the AC75 spoilers (which will be decided by the future Cup winners) remain in place in the near future, the four pilot and trimmer positions could actually be filled on a gender-neutral basis, as there are no power disadvantages to be feared here.
However, most women still have another deficit to make up for: many lack the experience that is such an important factor in the sport of sailing. This lack is due to the lower chances of success to date and possibly also the smaller number of women who have set their sights on such a summit attempt.
The Women's America's Cup has made an interesting and relevant contribution here for the future. Another could be to give female sailors more opportunities to compare themselves with male Cup newcomers in the future. Even a 49er Olympic champion like Dylan Fletcher joined Sir Ben Ainslie's team with no previous Cup experience, displaced the previously seeded co-skipper Giles Scott and is now in his 37th America's Cup match.
Martine Grael makes the start at SailGP
Why shouldn't an outstanding sailor of sheer ability be able to do this if she gets the chance? In the SailGP, Brazilian 49erFX helmswoman Martine Grael now has the chance with the start of the fifth season of the still young World League.
The 33-year-old from Rio de Janeiro will steer the F50 catamaran for the new Brazilian team from the first regatta on 23 and 24 November in Dubai. Experts believe that the Olympic champion and circumnavigator will make a successful ascent. Experts agree: she just needs to be given enough time to learn - just like the male newcomers like Erik Heil and the Germany SailGP team. Now is the chance.
A look back at the final duel for the America's Cup:
