Luna Rossa Challenge has jumped out to a 3-1 series lead over BMW ORACLE Racing at the Louis Vuitton Cup. In these Semi Finals, the first team to win five races advances to the Final, and following today’s victory, the Italian team is one step closer to its goal.
Luna Rossa Challenge led all the way around the race track, after starting to the left of the American team. After one lap of the course ITA 94 was ahead by just 12-seconds, but helmsman James Spithill and his crew extended that lead to nearly half a minute at the second windward mark and held on to win by 24-seconds.
In the other pairing, Emirates Team New Zealand started ahead of Desafío Español 2007 and extended the rest of the way around the race track. The Spanish made up five-seconds on the final run, but it wasn’t enough; the Kiwis won by 42-seconds. The Emirates team has a 3-1 series lead.
An enormous spectator fleet enjoyed a sunny Friday afternoon with good sea breeze conditions for racing.
