Luna Rossa's AC75 is back at sea in Cagliari to prepare for next year's America's Cup. After the tow test and initial technical trials, sailing sessions have resumed in the Golfo degli Angeli. On land, designers and engineers continue the research and development phase to optimize the boat for the 2027 event. On the other hand, solutions and innovations are being tested in the water, while the crew is simultaneously training.
"We're on day five," explains Horacio Carabelli, Luna Rossa's design director. "The rules, as we know, have changed, but right now I'd say it's very difficult to see the changes from the outside; the only noticeable thing is the cockpit layout, which has been modified to accommodate the five-person crew plus the guest. The boat is also lighter than the previous Cup and easier to handle in light winds. We're currently still sailing with the foils from the last campaign, but we'll be updating many things soon. We're happy with the new layout configuration: I think the boat is responding very well, as we expected."
Trimmer Maria Giubilei is the first woman to sail on the AC75 Luna Rossa and can't hide her excitement: "It was wonderful. We've been doing several tests and crew rotations these days, and coming aboard was incredible; I've been dreaming about it for a long time. As for the role of women on board, I imagine each team will make its own decisions, but Luna Rossa's playbook hasn't been finalized yet."
Peter Burling, one of the team's helmsmen, also shared his impressions after the first few days at sea: "It's certainly a different boat than I'm used to," he said. "It always takes some time to get used to it, and we have a long to-do list. The goal now is to gather as much data and information as possible. The hull is lighter than the last Cup, and our job is to maximize its performance and optimize it as effectively as possible in this new configuration."
Coach Josh Junior agrees: "The boat is powerful, very fast, and it's an incredible feeling to watch it sail. We're focused on checking the systems, but we've also done some pre-start maneuvers, and it's impressive to see how well it responds. My time on the AC40s was intense, fun, and very useful, but making the move to the big boat now is a special moment for me, too."
