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Luna: The story of the 115m explorer's €50m refit

After several years in the Port of Dubai, the 115 metre Luna has been spotted on the move, according to BOAT Pro's Global Fleet Tracker . As she sets sail for the Mediterranean, we look back at the multi-million dollar refit in 2014 that saw the transformation of this world cruiser.

Originally envisioned as a more elegant version of 113 metre Le Grand Bleu , Luna , when launched, made headlines for two reasons: the celebrity of her first owner, Roman Abramovich, and in more specialist press for that long, low aft deck that sacrificed interior volume for sun worship. That famous pool, the biggest ever seen on a superyacht at the time, is still jaw-dropping, especially when empty and its full scale is revealed.

As one of the world’s most famous explorer yachts, she had done remarkably little exploring since her debut in 2010, but that was set to change when Luna was purchased by new owners in 2014. They spent a season on board in the Med before releasing the yacht in October that year for an extensive refit that would wrap in her five-year survey. 

Almost two years later, in 2016, BOAT International steps on board. The yacht's swimming pool is netted, the crew are busy washing the decks and superstructure, and canvas hides all the sunloungers, but the huge spaces that make Luna so special are impossible to cover up.

And even on a grey, overcast day, her hull absolutely pings: flawless, faired and painted a special new colour christened “Luna Blue”. It’s a marked difference. The yacht’s first owner wanted to reinforce her rugged aesthetic by making a show of her plate seams and welds, but giving her a shiny new coat was the biggest item on the to-do list when Luna was laid up at German Dry Docks in Bremerhaven, northern Germany, in late 2014. “The previous paint wasn’t very attractive,” says the owner’s representative. “Just a top coat over bare hull. Luna now has the most high-quality paint job to date on such a vessel. It’s a complete mirror finish.”

The work was done by local firm Thraki Yacht Painting and constitutes the biggest single change to the boat in its six-year life. It took 70-80 painters eight months to fill and fair more than 2,000 square metres of hull, while also refinishing Luna ’s superstructure. But first the hull was sandblasted to remove any remnants of the old paint.

“We then applied more than 20 tonnes of filler,” says Thraki’s MD Ritvan Metso. “This was followed by two epoxy primers, a show coat and top coat.” The result is an uninterrupted shine as you look down the hull, with no blemishes or movement in the finish. “This is what Luna was missing,” adds the owner’s rep with clear pride.

Frank Neubelt led the design team from German studio Newcruise in defining Luna ’s exterior lines. He calls it a “boy cool” look — tough but elegant. It was the first major motor yacht project worked on by the German designer and remains the biggest.

Outdoor life, obviously, was key to the design and, of all the proposals put in front of Luna ’s first owner, he was “most amazed by the idea to create a very open outer deck”, says the designer. “So we quit all the earlier concepts with lots of toys on board and I was free to create her style.”

The deck below might not be rammed with superyacht water toys but there is still plenty of room — in fact, more than you’d think. To port, two tender garages sit opposite a gym and behind all of this is Luna’s expansive beach club wrapping round a spa, with steam bath, plunge pool and sauna.

This whole area was changed extensively in the refit. Updated equipment from Technogym has been installed in Luna ’s superyacht gym , alongside new mirrored panels lining the length of the space. “Gym equipment keeps changing — and we only like the best,” says the owner’s rep. The glass means you can fold down the huge 12-metre shell door and look out over the water without anyone seeing you sweating inside.

Conversely, the platform means it’s possible to do morning routines outside, with the water lapping almost at your feet. A further shell door opens behind and Luna ’s transom door folds up, to create the feeling of a single, open, water-level space.

The teak throughout this area has been replaced, alongside a host of other cosmetic changes: new mosaic on the walls in the steam room, upgraded AV and a new pantry area to ease service. The sofa in the rearmost section of the beach club now faces backwards — with a view of the sea instead of a TV on the bulkhead, in place of which is now a beautiful fish-eye sculpture discovered in Greece on one of the yacht’s travels. “Who wants to see a huge TV in a beach club?” asks the rep. “ Luna is a boat to relax on! There are 80 other TVs on board.”

Included in the new sofa design are drawers for storing shoes, the idea being that you board via the bathing platform, sit on the sofa, put your shoes in the drawer… “and relax”, he adds. Luna ’s boarding steps have been modified, too: they’ve been opened up to allow guests to walk directly up from the tender, instead of being forced sideways, making it much safer, and easier for crew to assist guests.

Luna ’s owner and his family sometimes take breakfast at the beach club dinette to port, a space they’re already planning to change in the next big yard period by adding a large new shell door on the port side — bringing the number of major openings in this space to six — and 18 portholes in the transom, to give a view and let in light even underway.

Beyond the superyacht's beach club , the entire lower deck is dedicated to Luna ’s crew, who are well served with spacious cabins forward, all of which were upgraded with new upholstery, curtains and AV/IT. Further crew quarters are found on the deck below, but the main attraction here are the machinery spaces.

Big yachts such as Luna have large, impressive engine rooms, but this one stands apart, not just in the volume dedicated to housing the engines and electric motors, but in the polish applied to it. “It’s the most spotless engine room I’ve ever worked in,” reports chief engineer James Burden — the result of a fastidious owner who regularly visits the crew areas.

As a result, the chequerplate floor is polished once a week and you could shave in the cylinder heads. “We even painted the toolboxes the same colour as the engine to keep things neat,” he adds.

Luna ’s seven generators output a total of 15,000hp and they power electric motors coupled to each shaft. “Diesel electric, in terms of operating a ship, is great,” says the chief. “It’s less real estate taken up, it’s less vibration, it’s more economical, it’s more flexible for the owner and it’s more flexible for us to operate.”

She’s got massive power — designed to nudge Luna through shallow ice — and can run at her full speed of 21 knots and still have one generator offline. With all generators engaged and running at full revs, Luna could power a town of 25,000 people. In the yard, the shafts were taken out for survey and maintenance, and seals and bearings were replaced, while air-con was added in a number of the working areas to improve conditions, among a host of other jobs.

The main hot work happened in the living spaces decks above. The lounge fronting Luna ’s observation deck has always been a superb place to be when coming into a new port or anchorage, but it’s been made even better by an extended deck cut-out, creating an entirely new exterior seating area.

“You can now walk to both sides, relax or sleep on the sofa and use it for dining,” reveals the owner’s rep, who has spent considerable time on board Luna . “It was incredible being up there when coming into Cuba. The new exterior observation lounge was very useful.”

Other changes have been made to the rear of the bridge deck, with new extendable wind breaks installed to protect this main outdoor dining space when it’s blowing. The teak has been perfectly re-caulked all over the boat and the two helidecks are now clad in Future Teak from Bolidt, embellished with Luna ’s name and logo.

Donald Starkey was the original interior designer for Luna but joined the project when the yacht, which is managed by Y.CO , was only about 70 per cent complete at its build yard of Lloyd Werft . He worked hard to impose himself on a boat mostly built and won some concessions — extending headroom throughout the living spaces and adding a dining room, which wasn’t on the original GA.

“I did this by subdividing the upper deck lounge on the starboard side,” he says. “I separated the lounge and dining room by a wall incorporating a fireplace, which can be appreciated from both sides.” The stone-panelled finish to this unit is contextual in an interior that leans heavily to the natural.

“My intention was to try and create an elegant but calm feeling, away from the hard-edged traditional glossy interiors,” he says. This extended to sourcing oak panels in Germany cut from large logs that could be sliced into 70cm veneers, to avoid too many joints. The panels were then wire-brushed to expose the deeper grain and stained pale.

Starkey’s original intention had been to lay the oak floor using antique 17th century beams, but was dissuaded by concerns about splintering and combustibility. Modern oak was used instead and “aged” to create the same effect, which extends throughout Luna and grounds the entire design.

The floor, it should be noted, is also an absolute pleasure to walk on. One of the quirkier design flourishes involves the main deck guest corridor on Luna , with its arched separations, which not only add visual interest to an otherwise straight corridor but also serve to hide watertight bulkhead divisions.

Six years on and Starkey’s interior is still pristine, thanks to an owner with a meticulous eye for imperfections and a crew dedicated to making sure there aren’t any. Some updating was done in Luna ’s refit period, including the addition of new fabrics in the corridors and updates to all cabins, but the soul of Starkey’s design is very much intact.

And while the owner gets the pick of those cabins, with its huge views and access to a private terrace forward, it’s the guests that get the easiest access to Luna ’s headline feature, through the guest corridor on the main deck that leads straight out on to the aft deck. It’s a proper playground and perfect for the family’s children to run around, in complete safety.

A new raised section of this deck, just aft of the pool, was added in Luna’s refit and helps create distinction on the massive platform. The area can be tented and is a great spot for “tea and fruit in the afternoon”, says the rep.

Throughout Luna ’s 14-month refit, around 130 jobs were completed, ranging from the tiny (the installation of new wine fridges) to the tricky (the separation of the ballast tank system) but, taken as a whole, they have managed to improve on a classic. Until now few people have ever seen inside Luna and, as for being featured in a magazine, forget it. But finally here’s proof of her pedigree — Luna has risen. 

First published in the November 2016 edition of BOAT International

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Roman Abramovich’s Yacht Fleet Past & Present

Say what you want about the elite, but you can’t help but marvel and low-key admire their spending habits when it comes to luxury toys. While Roman Abramovich might only be Russia’s 12th richest man (with a net worth of 9.8 billion USD), he’s undoubtedly the one you’ve heard the most about.

A fortune that began with a toy doll company, Abramovich and his now ex-wife used its success as a catalyst to world domination through everything from oil to consumer goods.

Among his arsenal of past and present superyachts, the billionaire tycoon also owns a private Boeing 767 and Gulfstream G650, while his ex-wife Irina took the Dassault Falcon 900 during their divorce settlement.

The pricetags below of these Roman Abramovich yachts – past and present – are in Australian dollars.

A Complete List of Roman Abramovich’s Yachts

Sussurro – $146 million.

Rumour has it that Sussurro is now owned by his ex-wife by way of a divorce settlement, and is rarely used regardless as it is almost always docked in Antibes.

ECSTASEA – $154 MILLION

Ecstasea is one of the fastest large yachts around, with an impressive 43,000 horsepower at a length of 86 metres.

LUNA – $386 MILLION

This 115-metre monstrosity boasts dual helipads and was built by Lloyd Werft at Stahlbau Nord Shipyards. The world’s second largest expedition yacht, the LUNA was sold to Abramovich’s friend and Azerbaijani billionaire Farkhad Akhmedov for 240 million Euro in 2014.

PELORUS – $386 MILLION

Clocking in at the same length and a very similar price tag, the Pelorus was built in 2003 by Lurssen and was briefly owned by a Saudi businessman before being sold to Abramovich the year after.

Optimised for long distance cruising, the Pelorus is without a doubt the sleekest of the tycoon’s line-up, with this vessel capable of 6000 nautical miles at 16 knots in a single voyage. Pelorus is now owned by Hong Kong businessman Samuel Tak Lee.

ECLIPSE – $643 MILLION

There’s no way Roman Abramovich could part from his flagship superyacht and the world’s largest by length at 163.5 metres. Known as the 1.5 billion dollar superyacht, Eclipse’s original cost price was realistically no more than 500 million USD.

Built in total secrecy by Blohm + Voss of Hamburg to custom request from Roman, Eclipse sports bulletproof windows, an advanced missile detection system and a provision to escape via submarine located at the bottom end of the yacht. Bond villain gadgets aside, its other amenities are things such as dual swimming pools and 20 jet skis.

RELATED: Here Are 5 Of The Best Oceanco Superyachts Of All-Time

How many yachts does Roman Abramovich own?

Roman Abramovich owns five yachts named Sussurro, Ecstasea, Luna, Pelorus, and Eclipse

How much are Roman Abramovich's yachts worth?

Roman Abramovich’s yachts are worth $1.7 billion

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Motor Yacht Luna 115m Delivered to Roman Abramovich

By B. Roberts

The delivery of motor yacht Luna, the world’s largest expedition yacht, took place on Saturday 10th April 2010. Her new owner was confirmed by newspapers to be Roman Abramovich, as he arrived at Kristiansand, Norway to take delivery of the 115m superyacht.

Abramovich travelled by private jet to Kjevik Airport where he was transferred to a helicopter with his family to the landing pads of M/Y Luna, located just south of Kristiansand's coast. M/Y Luna, the world’s largest expedition yacht, is the latest addition to Abramovich's personal fleet as reported by Norwegian paper fvn.no .

Launched last October by Lloyd Werft and Stahlbau Nord Shipyards, the 115m Motor Yacht Luna has recently undergone outfitting and painting. Luna has now made her way to her new owner who travelled with his family on her maiden luxury voyage around the Kristiansand Archipelago, enjoying a day out on what is now a part of the most revered personal fleet on the water.

Designs have also been released regarding Luna’s extremely luxurious and innovative design. Newcruise Design were responsible for M/Y Luna’s exterior styling, featuring two helicopter pads facing forward and to the rear around the large communications tower. She also holds transom doors at the sides, which lead directly to that yacht's high quality tenders.

The large, open aft deck holds a covered swimming pool and sunbathing areas, much like the stunning 82m Alfa Nero, with a dedicated open luxury leisure area featuring a beach club leading down to the swim platform. M/Y Luna is an expedition yacht in its own class, allowing the owner to cruise greater distances without having to stop or refuel; traversing difficult weather conditions at sea whilst enjoying a great amount of luxurious living spaces.

It is believed that Motor Yacht Eclipse , soon to become the world's largest mega yacht, will alsobe delivered to Roman Abramovich in time for the summer. Abramovich was ranked top in Forbes 2008 rich list with a current estimated worth of around $11.2 billion. With two of the largest and most stunning yachts to take the water paired with the ownership of Chelsea Football Club, we’ll be keeping an eye on what yachts venture to South Africa this year for the world cup.

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Motor yacht Luna 115m delivered to Abramovich

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The world’s largest expedition yacht 115m Luna has been delivered to its new owner Russian billionaire Roman Arkadyevich Abramovich.

Roman Abramovich arrived at Kristiansand, Norway, to take delivery of the 115m motor yacht, which is the latest addition to Abramovich's personal fleet.

The Luxury expedition superyacht Luna was built in Germany by Lloyd Werft and Stahlbau Nord Shipyards and launched in late 2009, becoming the second largest yacht to be launched in 2009, after Eclipse.

Luna’s exterior styling has been done by Newcruise Design. The yacht features two helipads facing forward and to the rear around the large communications tower. Luna is equipped with transom doors at the sides, which lead directly to yacht's tenders.

A covered swimming pool and sunbathing areas are featured at the large, open aft deck, with a dedicated open luxury leisure area featuring a beach club leading down to the swim platform. Luna enables the owner to cruise greater distances without having to stop or refuel.

Abramovich is currently the third richest man in Russia and the 50th richest man in the world according to the 2010 Forbes list, with an estimated fortune of $11.2 billion. Abramovich has become the world's greatest spender on luxury yachts, and had been linked to five boats.

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• Die Mega-Jacht „Luna“ liegt seit einem Jahr im Hamburger Hafen. Sie gehört dem Oligarchen Farkhad Akhmedov, der auf der EU-Sanktionsliste steht. (Archivbild)
• Foto: dpa | Marcus Brandt
• 11.05.2022 / 14:53
• Florian Boldt

Erfolg für Fahnder: Zweite Oligarchen-Yacht muss in Hamburg bleiben

115 Meter lang ist die „Luna“, rund 500 Millionen US-Dollar soll der Bau der Luxusyacht ihren Ex-Besitzer Roman Abramovich einst gekostet haben. Seit November liegt das Schiff in Hamburg. Und das wird vorerst so bleiben: Das Bundeskriminalamt (BKA) hat den neuen Besitzer ausfindig gemacht und das Schiff aufgrund der Russland-Sanktionen festgesetzt.

Offiziell gehört die Luxusyacht „Luna“ einem Trust, also einer Treuhandgesellschaft, aus Liechtenstein. Dahinter soll der Oligarch Farkhad Akhmedov aus Aserbaidschan mit seiner Familie stecken – doch bislang war dies noch nicht vollständig geklärt. Dem BKA gelang nun allerdings, die Besitzverhältnisse hinter „Luna“ aufzudecken. Das bestätigte die Behörde auf MOPO-Nachfrage. Zunächst hatte die „Süddeutsche Zeitung“ darüber berichtet.

BKA legt Oligarchen-Yacht „Luna“ in Hamburg an die Kette

Und tatsächlich: Akhmedov ist den BKA-Recherchen zufolge der Eigentümer der auf der Lloyd-Werft in Bremerhaven gebauten „Luna“. Der 66-Jährige gilt als kremlnah und steht seit April auf der Sanktionsliste der Europäischen Union. Akhmedov sei „ein führender Geschäftsmann, der in Wirtschaftssektoren tätig ist, die eine wesentliche Einnahmequelle für die Regierung der Russischen Föderation darstellen“, heißt es in der EU-Begründung.

Starten Sie bestens informiert in Ihren Tag: Der MOPO-Newswecker liefert Ihnen jeden Morgen um 7 Uhr die wichtigsten Meldungen des Tages aus Hamburg und dem Norden, vom HSV und dem FC St. Pauli direkt per Mail.  Hier klicken und kostenlos abonnieren .

„Die MS Luna unterliegt somit dem Sanktionsrecht“, teilte das BKA mit. Sie darf also „eingefroren“ werden, wie auch alle anderen Besitzgüter oder Vermögenswerte einer durch die EU sanktionierten Person. „Das Einfrieren führt danach jedenfalls zu einem Verfügungsverbot. Eine eingefrorene Sache darf nicht mehr veräußert, vermietet oder belastet werden“, erklärt die Behörde.

Das könnte Sie auch interessieren: Wirbel um Eigentümer: Mega-Yacht im Morgengrauen aus Hamburger Hafen verschwunden

Aus Senatskreisen erfuhr die MOPO, dass die „Luna“ zuletzt gar nicht fahrtüchtig gewesen sei. Die Gefahr, dass das Schiff Hamburg verlasse, habe demnach nicht bestanden. Ursprünglich gehörte die Luxusyacht Roman Abramovich, dem einstigen Geldgeber des FC Chelsea . 2014 erwarb Akhmedov das Schiff, musste es 2018 im Rahmen eines Rechtsstreits mit seiner Ehefrau Tatiana allerdings abgeben – zumindest offiziell.

In Hamburg ereilte zuletzt die „Dilbar“ ein ähnliches Schicksal. Auch im Falle der 2016 gebauten Luxusyacht blieben die wahren Besitzverhältnisse lange unklar, ehe das BKA die Schwester des kremltreuen Oligarchen Alisher Usmanov als Eigentümerin ermitteln konnte. Auch die „Dilbar“ wurde anschließend in Hamburg festgesetzt.

Prada’s Space-Age Bid for the Most Elusive Sporting Trophy in History

In pursuit of the America’s Cup, the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team is taking sailing out of the water—literally.

Only four countries have ever won sailing’s America’s Cup, the longest-running sporting competition in history. For more than 120 years, in fact, there were only two contenders—America and the United Kingdom—racing on average every four or five years. But the UK never won; it lost the very first race to the New York Yacht Club’s schooner the America in 1851. Sailing has come far since then.

For Patrizio Bertelli, Prada Group Chairman and himself a passionate sailor, it’s been a long road since the first Luna Rossa race team was announced in 1997. Five campaigns to challenge for the cup have seen Prada race off against the holders twice, most recently in 2021. But like the Brits, they have never won the “Auld Mug,” as the trophy is known. Now in his sixth campaign, Bertelli’s determination is undimmed.

“It’s the difficulty of winning it that makes the America’s Cup so fascinating,” he says. “It’s unique—a difficult, complex challenge. It involves building a group of highly specialized people coming from different fields, people capable of working together harmoniously for months with very intense rhythms. It’s a difficult mechanism to set up, but even more difficult to manage. It takes perseverance, determination. You can’t give up; you must keep trying.”

For almost all of its history, the America’s Cup was, by its nature, closed off to the greater public. Races were generally held a good way from shore and were stately in pace, though not without their occasional upsets. But in 2012, everything changed with the debut of foiling. Foiling is the use of advanced physics to allow keelless sailboats to fly on carbon-fiber foils above the waves. How’s that? Think of a sailboat as a vertical airplane wing. Wind over the sail creates thrust. But the water creates drag. Lots of drag. The foils, however (space-age hydraulically powered legs cocked alternately depending on the angle to the wind), create enough lift to raise the entire hull out of the water, reducing drag to a minimum. Speeds, of course, rise exponentially—if you can keep it up on the foils, that is. It’s a knife-edge balancing act that makes for very, very good TV.

“In Barcelona, as in the last edition of Auckland, with only the rudder and the side foils in the water, these flying boats are capable of sailing at more than fifty knots,” says Bertelli. “There are no more sail changes, the crew is composed of eight people, the races don’t last more than forty-five minutes, the tactics and strategy are transformed. A whole different world, but that’s the America’s Cup, the most advanced expression of this sport.”

For Max Sirena—a veteran Luna Rossa skipper who has raced in five previous Prada campaigns and is team director and skipper of this, his sixth—the process of harmonizing high-tech equipment with a human crew is a long and delicate process. “The boat is so complex and fragile at the same time,” he explains, “so you need to learn how to use it at its best. In terms of control, we are more advanced than with the last generation of boat. There is way more technology applied to the performance of the boat. We have a better idea on how best to use the boat. The biggest challenge is us. The main thing is to be prepared. The strength of the team really comes out during the down moments. When you win, it’s easy. I spend a lot of time to ensure the team remains strong when things aren’t going our way.”

Space age and transformative for sailing though foiling is, that didn’t prevent Miuccia Prada from following storied nautical tradition back in April and smashing a bottle of bubbly over the bows of the latest Luna Rossa AC75 boat—in this case, using Cantine Ferrari’s Maximum Blanc de Blancs. For fans of the famous Linea Rossa, the red stripe that has graced Prada sportswear since the first America’s Cup campaign, a small collection of technical gear as worn by the team on the water is available online now . This is no mere merch opportunity, however. In partnership with Woolmark, a body set up to protect and promote the use of fine-quality wool, the clothing is made using merino wool. It’s not perhaps the first thing you would associate with such a high-tech sport. But mindful of sustainability, Prada joined with Woolmark to exploit the natural breathability and performance capabilities of merino for wind- and waterproof sailing gear and jersey training clothes that look every bit as good on the street.

Back on the water, currently the America’s Cup boats are nudging fifty-five knots (or more than sixty mph) on a good day, though most sailors will tell you that it’s consistency, not top speeds, that wins races. Sailing at this level is increasingly likened to Formula 1 on water. And the fast new physics of foiling has coincided with huge advances in the media technology to cover it, a move that is bringing new interest from global audiences and luxury brands as sponsors, not least Louis Vuitton, which sponsored the qualifying round robins from the early 1990s until 2017. This year, after a brief hiatus, it’s back and this time it’s sponsoring the America’s Cup itself, too.

“I believe that today, thanks also to Luna Rossa and its six challenges, the fame and the draw of the America’s Cup have increased greatly, and holding it in Europe is certainly an added value,” says Bertelli. “This is why more and more luxury brands identify with it.”

Race days at Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli’s base, in the harbor of Barcelona, are a family thing. Support staff, friends, and kids gather en masse on the dock’s edge, decked out in the team’s iconic silver-gray gear, waving giant Italian flags and singing along with the Italian pop blasting out of the speakers as the team makes final preparations to Luna Rossa before slipping the lines and heading out to the waters of Barceloneta. While all the teams have their fan base, none, it seems, are louder or more emotional than Luna Rossa’s. You’d be forgiven for thinking this is an Italian-only affair. But while national pride is certainly at stake, building a viable team means drawing on expertise from all over the globe.

“We have nineteen nationalities amongst us,” says Bertelli. “It is unthinkable today to want to form a group with so many specializations and with such a high-level drawing only from a single country. In the regatta, however, they are all Italians except James Spithill, who is in his fourth campaign with Luna Rossa and therefore is truly one of us.” “Jiiimmmeee,” as the mainly Italian crowd hails the Australian co-helmsman of Luna Rossa, is as much of an Italian hero as Francesco “Cecco” Bruni, his Palermo-born counterpart.

In the Louis Vuitton Cup’s fleet races, held from late August, Luna Rossa soared out to a commanding lead on points before a late rally from veteran sailor Sir Ben Ainslie’s INEOS Britannia pipped them. But still, they were through to the semis, which began over the weekend. If, as it appears, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli and INEOS Britannia face off in the final of the Louis Vuitton Cup, it will be a nail-biter. As we go to press, after today’s racing, the standings are 4–1 for both in their respective semis—the UK against Switzerland’s Alinghi Red Bull Racing, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli against American Magic Team USA. Each front-runner has to win only one more race to go through to the final of the Louis Vuitton Cup in late September. The semifinals continue Wednesday. And each has ample reason to hope for a win.

For more info and how to view, go to americascup.com .

Nick Sullivan is Creative Director at Esquire, where he served as Fashion Director from 2004 until 2019. Prior to that, he relocated from London with his young family to Boerum Hill, Brooklyn. He has styled and art directed countless fashion and cover stories for both Esquire and Big Black Book ( which he helped found in 2006) in exotic,uncomfortable, and occasionally unfeasibly cold locations. He also writes extensively about men’s style, accessories, and watches. He describes his style as elegantly disheveled.

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Luna Rossa Takes Lead in Louis Vuitton Cup Semifinals

A great start in the semifinals of the Louis Vuitton Cup . The Italian boat Luna Rossa takes a 2-0 lead over American Magic and keeps the dream of competing for the America's Cup against New Zealand alive. The helmsmen Spithill and Bruni have led the Prada Pirelli-sponsored team to two victories against the New York Yacht Club boat.

The Live Coverage

Another easy win for Ineos Britannia, taking a 2-0 lead over Alinghi

16:01 - Another victory! Luna Rossa takes a 2-0 lead

16:00 - It's a final head-to-head with Luna Rossa slightly ahead

15:58 - The Italian team has a thirteen-second lead at the fifth gate

15:50 - Luna Rossa is twenty seconds ahead halfway through the race

15:38 - The second race has started. The Americans are slightly ahead

The second race is about to start

In the other semifinal, an easy win for the British Ineos team against the Swiss Alinghi, who were imprecise and unlucky in their maneuvers throughout the race. The gap was over two minutes.

Victory for Luna Rossa! 1-0 in the Louis Vuitton Cup semifinals

14:44 - 22 seconds lead at the fifth gate for the Italian team

14:42 - Luna Rossa overtakes

14:40 - At the fourth gate, the gap is 4 seconds

14:33 - Halfway through the race, Luna Rossa is 16 seconds behind

14:30 - Not a good start for Luna Rossa, but they recover

14:25 - Started

14:07 - American Magic requests to move the race to 14:25

The challenge is about to begin

The format includes two races per day on Saturday 14, Sunday 15, and Monday 16 September. Five victories are needed to reach the final . In case of a tie, there will be two more days of racing on Wednesday 18 and Thursday 19 September. The other semifinal pits the Swiss Alinghi against the British Ineos. The final will begin on 26 September.

Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli against NYYC American Magic in the Louis Vuitton Cup semifinal

Where to Watch

All the races, not just those of the Prada Pirelli-sponsored team, will be broadcast live on Italia 1 and on Sky on the dedicated Sky America's Cup channel. Streaming will be available for free on Mediaset Infinity and with a subscription on Now and the SkyGo app.

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Luna Rossa, poco vento, scelte sbagliate e proteste Usa: così American Magic ha accorciato nella Vuitton Cup

Nella semifinale di Vuitton Cup, gli americani portano la serie sul 4-1. Luna Rossa cade dai foils e si arena. Bruni: «Una brutta scelta. Impareremo dagli errori e torneremo più forti»

Gli Ac75 decollano con qualsiasi vento, era stato lo spot per lanciare le barche volanti della Coppa America. Mah. Ieri a Barcellona, con 6,5 nodi ballerini, le astronavi da 6,5 tonnellate di peso sono state trainate dai gommoni per poter prendere il volo . Ma poi è stato uno strazio costato a Luna Rossa e Ineos il primo match point, affogato nel Mediterraneo in un lunedì avaro di aria.

La seconda bolina, però, ha riservato tre incroci pericolosi e due proteste americane , entrambe accettate dalla giuria. La Luna è stata costretta a rallentare per liberarsi dalla bandiera rossa e la seconda volta si è portata dietro una scia di guai, perché American Magic ha guadagnato qualche secondo, scappando via.

La scelta sbagliata

Adesso è la compagnia dei celestini ad inseguire gli uomini del New York Yacht Club, che lottano per sopravvivere. Con l’acqua alla gola, Slingsby e Calabrese danno il meglio di sé. La penultima boa è un wrestling: Luna Rossa sceglie la stessa degli americani , entra stretta, forza la virata e si ritrova nei rifiuti del vento dei rivali. Cade dai foils, si arena nel Mediterraneo. È finita. Il delta non viene registrato: la Luna staccatissima, infatti, sceglie di non proseguire l’inseguimento. «Una brutta giornata ma non è successo niente di drammatico — tranquillizza gli animi alla base sul 4-1 il timoniere Francesco Bruni —. Con il senno di poi avremmo dovuto puntare sull’altra boa e tenere la regata aperta: una cattiva scelta, dettata dall’urgenza del momento. Impareremo dagli errori e torneremo più forti».

La sconfitta di Luna Rossa spegne sul nascere la polemica in canna a Sir Ben Ainslie: se gli italiani avessero chiuso la semifinale Vuitton 5-0, con le regate rinviate a domani avrebbero avuto più margine di riposo. Non è questo il caso, purtroppo. Oggi la giuria farà rispettare il day off anche per concedere luce e acqua alla Youth America’s Cup, riservata agli Under 25 sugli Ac40: quattro uomini di equipaggio (due timonieri e due trimmer, non ci sono ciclisti: i sistemi di controllo di vele e foil sono alimentati dalle batterie). Marco Gradoni, Gianluigi Ugolini, Federico Colaninno e Rocco Falcone hanno una sola missione, la stessa dell’altra Luna. Vincere.

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17 settembre 2024

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