Italian team Prada has won the first race in the finals of the Louis Vuitton Cup despite a neck and neck finish which
saw them come within half a boat-length of America One.
The first of nine races in the finals, the win will be an important psychological boost to the team after a rough start
– after hitting America One at the race beginning, Prada had to make a penalty turn costing them valuable seconds.
But the Italians led comfortably for most of the race until the last mark when AmericaOne clawed back valuable time, at
one stage coming within half a boat of Prada.
Unfortunately it was not enough, and Prada swept to the finish winning by a respectable 24 seconds.