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Ryan Anderson / Stuff
The New Zealand team was showing quick form on the Prada Cup field before Luna Rossa’s dominant victories for the UK team on Sunday.
Luna Rossa will challenge the New Zealand team for the America’s Cup, but do they have the pot to beat the defenders?
Italians claim that they really don’t know. The New Zealand team will know.
In a data-driven race, the Kiwis have an informational advantage over Luna Rossa, who were so impressive as they beat the UK team 7-1 to win the Prada Cup final in Auckland on Sunday .
Italians hit first on matchday four against Team UK
Now all eyes turn to the Copa América match that begins on March 6, another best-of-13-race series.
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The ancient formula of the fastest boat always wins will certainly be true.
Italy and New Zealand have not raced since the World Series prep race in December, when the Kiwis won both matches, the first with a hammer and the second much closer.
Rival teams have eyed each other relentlessly ever since, and the Italians, despite their public stance, will have a genuine feel. They admit that the New Zealand team is “really fast”.
Ryan Anderson / Stuff
Luna Rossa was too strong in the lighter conditions for the UK team.
But the New Zealand team has the advantage of getting some genuine comparative data.
The rules allow the New Zealand team to have time on the field before and after the Prada Cup races, and they have been maximizing it.
Of course there are wind variations, but you will know exactly how fast they have had Te Rehutai rampaging across the field, as they have done for the past two days in some very light conditions, to the delight of the large fleet of spectators.
They can then compare that to what has unfolded in Luna Rossa’s dominating victories over Team UK.
It would be fascinating to know what the relative numbers are.
The New Zealand team also has the advantage of seeing the Italians race regularly, observing their nuances and strategizing accordingly.
What we do know about Luna Rossa is that they have been on a real upward curve since they were in Auckland.
The record challenger is looking better and better, and they were certainly too powerful in the milder winds for the British.
They have also shown an improvement in the higher wind range, admitting it was a problem area for them, but they are confident they have fixed it.
They are fast in the corners and the work of their crew has improved dramatically under the pressure of racing. It all seems like a wonderfully balanced package.
We also know that, in Jimmy Spithill, they have a man behind the wheel to cause trouble in the starting box where their radical move to have him co-direct with Francesco Bruni seems increasingly coordinated.
Those moments in the heat of battle are areas of doubt for the New Zealand team, who have not competed since December and who have not really sailed in anger since June 26, 2017 when they completed a 7-1 win over the team. from the US in Bermuda. to recover the Copa América.
Fiona Goodall / Getty Images
The New Zealand team is practicing, while the UK team and Luna Rossa battled for the Prada Cup.
Skipper Peter Burling has limited himself to working on race situations in the simulator and getting tangled up with his trainer Ray Davies, who has been operating as an opponent on one of the team’s pursuit boats.
As always, there are many questions about the two teams as they prepare for the first outing and the first endurance race on March 6.
But he suspects that the New Zealand team already has some answers about the most important ingredient of all: speed.
