Luna Rossa has completed the first sailing session of its new AC75 campaign boat in Cagliari, marking a significant milestone in its challenge for the Louis Vuitton 38th America's Cup. After several delays during the afternoon, the Italian team launched the yacht and finally took flight shortly after 7 pm in the waters off Sardinia.
The new AC75, nicknamed the "Silver Bullet", was helmed by Peter Burling and Ruggero Tita during a cautious commissioning session designed to test systems and gather early performance data.
The six-person crew also included trimmers Umberto Molineris and Vittorio Bissaro, with Maria Giubilei and Marco Gradoni occupying the port and starboard crew pods.
Initial runs were conservative as Luna Rossa worked through a detailed testing programme. Gybes were completed with both foils deployed for stability, while technicians repeatedly boarded the yacht between sailing sessions to inspect systems and analyse data.
Cup Crew — Luna Rossa sailors and technicians work through early systems checks during the team’s first AC75 commissioning session in Cagliari. Photo: Ivo Rovira
Despite the cautious approach, the boat quickly demonstrated its potential, reaching estimated speeds of 40 to 42 knots during its first sustained foiling runs.
Luna Rossa CEO Max Sirena described the launch as an emotional moment for the team. "It is always a pleasure. Every time you put this lady in the water, there is quite a lot of emotion from the team," he said. "I think we are quite happy with the day and what we achieved. We nailed everything that was on the book to tick off."
Sirena noted that all teams face similar challenges when launching a new AC75 under the latest America's Cup rule cycle. "It is always an important day because you get immediate feedback and answers," he said.
The team's reconnaissance report indicated a productive first outing despite a number of minor technical delays during rigging and sail installation. Observers noted extensive instrumentation on board, including foil-mounted cameras, LiDAR systems and sail-monitoring equipment as engineers evaluated performance under the new rule set.
The first foiling session lasted around 14 minutes before the crew stopped for inspections. A second sailing session followed, focusing on foil performance and stability testing in 14 to 16 knots of offshore breeze. The boat appeared to experience some pitch and ride-height instability during the early runs, although such issues are common during initial commissioning programmes.
Luna Rossa is scheduled to resume sailing on Friday as development work continues ahead of the next America's Cup, which will be staged in Naples.
