Just focus on your job and do it well.
That was the message at Luna Rossa as they prepared for the Prada Cup final on Saturday morning, and one that appeared to have sunk into the crew.
The Italian challenger flew into the action on the first day of their first-to-seven series against Ineos Team UK, taking a 2-0 lead.
It was a statement day on the water for the Italians, handing their British rivals their first losses of 2021 in the process.
"We felt very prepared," Luna Rossa co-helmsman Francesco Bruni said after the day's racing.
"We'd had a long training in the water, and the boat was going faster and faster day by day over the last two weeks, so the feeling was good.
"But we knew that we were against a very strong competitor. This morning we only passed the time thinking about the race and not wasting time thinking about our mood; just focus on your job and do it well."
Benefitted by the light conditions present for the first race of the series, Luna Rossa flew to a substantial lead from the start as Team UK struggled to get up on their foils from the start. It was a bit of a non-event as Luna Rossa cruised to a comfortable win.
However, the second race was simply a case of the team who sailed a better race coming away with the spoils as the wind had picked up to a level at which neither team had to worry about staying above the water.
The two teams took different route to reaching the Prada Cup final. Going unbeaten in the round robin races, Team UK progressed straight through to the final while Luna Rossa had to compete in the semifinal against American Magic – a series the Italians won 4-0.
While both teams believe they had the more advantageous route to the final, Bruni said having the extra races served a great purpose for his syndicate.
"It's a hard balance between modifying the boats to go for a little bit of an edge in speed and spending time on the water to try to improve what you already have.
"We also made some small modifications to the whole package … but the time on the water was key for us. We are in good shape; we can sail good races, but tomorrow can be a different story so we have to just focus and think about the next race."
That next race is expected to take place in higher conditions, with the forecast for Sunday suggesting conditions will be towards the higher end of the wind limit - conditions which are expected to favour the British syndicate.
So, while his team got off to the prefect start, Bruni wasn't getting too far ahead of himself.
"It's only two points. It's a long series – it's the longest series so far – and we have to take it race by race, day by day.
"The performances of the boats were very close in the second race, and I think we're going to see a lot of close racing. So, we have to not take anything for granted and just think about the next race."
Heading into the Cup racing?
• Give yourself plenty of time and think about catching a ferry, train or bus to watch the Cup.
• Make sure your AT HOP card is in your pocket. It's the best way to ride.
• Don't forget to scan QR codes with the NZ COVID Tracer app when on public transport and entering the America's Cup Village.
• For more ways to enjoy race day, visit at.govt.nz/americascup.
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