For the first time in the history of the America’s Cup, the all-female crew of Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli triumphed in the world’s most famous sailing competition. In the waters of Barcelona, the Italians wrote a new chapter in sailing history, defeating the British team “Athena Pathway” in the grand final of the Women’s America’s Cup.
Giulia Conti and Margherita Porro at the helm, with Giulia Fava and Maria Giubilei as trimmers, led Luna Rossa’s AC40 to triumph. The achievement began with a preliminary race and the semifinals, where the Italian sailors prevailed with 5 wins out of 5, despite the British team being considered the favorite. The final was hard-fought, with the Italians dominating from the start, leaving the British behind and finishing with an 8-second lead, a narrow but decisive margin.
During an interview, Giulia Conti commented on the achievement: “We have written the history of women’s sailing by proving we can race on these boats. A truly great experience that represents a new step toward our access to the men’s America’s Cup, and the hope that in the future there may be a woman aboard an AC75. We would like that access to be based on merit and not through a quota, but that will depend on who wins the America’s Cup and what rules are set. Above all, it was brilliant to place our final between the first two men’s races.”
The women’s event took place during the America’s Cup grand final, an extraordinary stage in which the Italians shone among the world’s best. Yanmar, official sponsor of the America’s Cup, supported this historic competition, which saw Luna Rossa’s women’s team emerge as champion.
This historic triumph comes after the victory already achieved by Luna Rossa’s youth crew in the Youth America’s Cup, further strengthening the Italian team’s reputation on the international sailing scene.
Max Sirena, Skipper and Team Director of Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, emphasized the importance of the victory, praising the sailors for the hard work and determination that led them to the finish line. “This victory is a source of pride for the entire team. It proves that our vision towards the new generations of sailors was right and that our training program has paid off”, said Sirena, highlighting how both victories, youth and women’s, have opened a new era in the history of the America’s Cup.
Simone Salvà, coach of the Luna Rossa women’s and youth teams, also spoke enthusiastically about the achievement, praising the skill and perseverance of the girls despite their limited experience in match racing. Salvà described the journey that led to the creation of a solid and talented team, capable of competing and winning at an international level.
With the historic double win in Barcelona, Luna Rossa has proven that the team’s future is bright and that training the new generations, both male and female, is the key to success.