The British beat the Italians Prada in the final of the Louis Vuitton Cup. Next challenge: debunking the New Zealand holders of the America’s Cup.
One last edge under the sun. And the flying monohull of the Ineos challenge crossed the finish line to beat the Italian team Prada and win the Louis Vuitton Cup. A hell of a great victory for a team which had started slowly in the challenger competition and was able to gain momentum to win 7 victories to 4 and obtain the right to challenge the New Zealand defending champion of the America’s Cup, on the Barcelona waterway, from October 12.
By triumphing over the five challengers, including the French challenge, Orient Express
Racing, first to be eliminated, the crew led by the legendary Ben Ainslie confirmed all its talent and its ability to tackle the “mountain” Team News Zealand, which chose for this 37th edition of the Cup America, the oldest sporting trophy in the world, to defend its title in Europe and not in the distant southern waters.
The British have never won the coveted “Auld Mug” since its creation off the south coast of England in 1851 and have not qualified for the “match” which allows it to be won since 1964. The skipper Ben Ainslie, with the backing of British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, has built a boat with the help of the Mercedes Formula 1 team that he hopes can go all the way.
More info to come
