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(Reuters) - Luna
Rossa put themselves in a strong position to qualify for the
Challenger Series final by taking a 2-0 lead over American Magic
in the best-of-seven repechage semi-final at Auckland on Friday.
The Italian team won the first race by two minutes and 43
seconds, and the second by three minutes and seven seconds in
breezy conditions at Waitemata Harbour.
American Magic's "Patriot" -- patched up after sustaining damage
following a capsize during a round robin race -- struggled in
testing conditions.
The winners of the semi-final take on Ben Ainslie's INEOS Team
UK to determine who will face defenders Team New Zealand for the
America's Cup.
"We're very happy. Difficult conditions today ... we had a skid
sideways, lost grip... but we regrouped after that, reacted
quickly," Luna Rossa helmsman Francesco Bruni said.
"The last races we did were not up to the standard we wanted so
there was a little bit of tension. In the past the boat has not
been the fastest in strong winds but we knew we had made some
big improvements.
"We had it on the numbers but to see it on the water is a
different feeling."
The American team's skipper Terry Hutchinson said they would
come out swinging on Saturday, with lighter winds predicted.
"It's all you can really do. We just have to sail better,"
Hutchinson said.
The Challenger Series ends on Feb. 22 with the winners taking on
TNZ from March 6 for the America's Cup.
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter
Rutherford)
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