Italy's Luna Rossa, left, and Team New Zealand sail in race one of the America's Cup on Auckland's Waitemata Harbour, Wednesday, March 10, 2021.
“I though the boys sailed a great race,” Luna Rossa helmsman Jimmy Spithill said.
Team New Zealand Luna Rossa raced in the informal America’s Cup World Series prior to Christmas but neither team was near the stage of technical development they were in by the first race Wednesday.
That racing showed that Luna Rossa was quick, especially upwind in light winds, and that it was well sailed by its dual helmsmen Francesco Bruni and Spithill.
Luna Rossa felt the sting of sea spray as Team New Zealand sailed away on the first leg of the first race.