The Prada Cup, also known as the Challenger Selection Series, was held in Auckland, New Zealand from January 15th to February 22nd, 2021. This event was a crucial step towards determining the challenger for the America’s Cup, which is set to take place in March 2021.
The Teams
Four teams participated in the Prada Cup – Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli from Italy, INEOS Team UK from Great Britain, American Magic from the United States, and Stars + Stripes Team USA, also from the United States.
Round Robin
The competition started with a round-robin format where each team raced against each other twice. INEOS Team UK dominated this stage of the competition by winning all of their races, while Luna Rossa won four out of six races. However, American Magic had a disappointing performance as they didn’t manage to win any races.
Semifinals
Based on their performance in the round-robin stage, Luna Rossa and INEOS Team UK advanced directly to the semifinals. Meanwhile, American Magic faced off against Stars + Stripes Team USA in a best-of-seven series with the winner advancing to face Luna Rossa in the semifinals.
In an unexpected turn of events, American Magic came back strong and won three consecutive races after losing their first two. They went on to win the series 4-0 and advance to face Luna Rossa.
Semifinals – Luna Rossa vs American Magic
The semifinal between Luna Rossa and American Magic was another best-of-seven series. However, this time it was Luna Rossa who dominated by winning all four races easily. The Italian team showed impressive speed and control throughout these races and secured their spot in the final.
Final – Luna Rossa vs INEOS Team UK
The final was a best-of-13 series, and it was a highly anticipated match-up between the two dominant teams from the round-robin stage. However, Luna Rossa’s dominance continued as they won the first four races of the series.
INEOS Team UK managed to win their first race in the fifth race of the series, but it wasn’t enough to turn things around. Luna Rossa won another two races to secure their victory in the Prada Cup.
The Future
With their victory in the Prada Cup, Luna Rossa has earned the right to challenge defending champions Emirates Team New Zealand for the America’s Cup. The America’s Cup will take place from March 6th to March 21st, 2021, and it promises to be an exciting event for sailing enthusiasts worldwide.
Conclusion
The Prada Cup was an exciting event that showcased some of the world’s best sailing teams competing for a chance to challenge for the prestigious America’s Cup. With Luna Rossa emerging victorious, we can’t wait to see how they perform against Emirates Team New Zealand in March.