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Luna Rossa ace Francesco Bruni has called New Zealand team captain Peter Burling “a crazy talent” but questioned his experience before the America’s Cup match.
The match is on hold until at least March 10 and the two teams have been working overtime to make the most of the unexpected delay.
Bruni and his Australian co-helmsman Jimmy Spithill will double down to take on Burling’s skills on the wheels of the two AC75s.
COR 36 | Studio Borlenghi / Things
Luna Rossa are pressuring New Zealand team captain Peter Burling ahead of the America’s Cup match.
Burling, Olympic champion, double world sailor of the year and America’s Cup winner, has a lot on his shoulders that the Italians will be looking to exploit, especially in the starting draw.
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“Burling is a crazy talent, he has won it all. He is young, but I hope he lacks the experience that Jimmy and I have. We have been sailing for many years, having done more races than can be counted,” said Bruni. Italian navigation site Navigation.
The cheerful Bruni, ignored the postponement of the races that had allowed them to continue their development since they won the Prada Cup final 7-1 against the United Kingdom team.
“It doesn’t change much, it’s just four more days after three years of work,” said the 47-year-old.
“We are working on new sails that have arrived from Italy. The guys in the loft are very busy.
“There are also the sheets … there is no revolution, only small improvements.
“That is also what is happening with the aerodynamics, small improvements because changing a lot a few days before the final can be risky.”
COR 36 | Borlenghi study
Jimmy Spithill and Francesco Bruni constantly perfect their work as co-helmsmen aboard the Luna Rossa.
Bruni had a mixed rendition of the New Zealand team’s Te Rehutai with all the waterfront talk about it being a real speed machine that may have already hit 60 knots in training.
“I don’t know. But it doesn’t matter much to me. Top speed can be a problem at low speeds,” Bruni said. Navigation.
“For a few months they have certainly had smaller foils with large flaps … a combination that gives good control of the flight height, but can be difficult in low wind conditions.
“Then there is the aerodynamic part that only they have, with a hollow cabin.
“I feel very safe, if the boats go at the same speed.”
TEAM EMIRATES NZ
The New Zealand team have been squeezing their best with their AC75 Te Rehutai.
The two boats went through the official measurement process on Monday afternoon, declaring a vital equipment that cannot now be changed during the match.
These include the hull, rigging, foils, foil flaps, sail plan.
Teams can still train until March 10, but must show up for the opening race with their boats in the configurations that were presented to the gauges.
Before the measurement process, the New Zealand team had Te Rehutai cruise the racing areas in a 16-knot northeast wind, presenting what appeared to be another sail development.
They used an extremely small jib while trying to minimize the drag caused by these frustrated monohulls that can sail at more than triple the wind speed, even upwind.
Over the past week, defenders have featured a “batwing” mainsail that has the severely narrowed upper section around the poles, again to minimize drag.
They’ve also used a refined Code Zero, operating the lightweight version almost like a spinnaker alongside the jib in downwind races in light conditions.
