Minutes after Italy's Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team sailed across the finish line to earn a spot in the America’s Cup match, Francesco “Checco” Bruni popped up from the port cockpit, crossed over to the starboard side of the stylish black boat, gave a double thumbs up and hugged co-helmsman Jimmy Spithill.
Spithill, an Australian, was matter-of-fact. Bruni, an Italian, was ecstatic. “Fantastico, fantastico, bellissimo, bellissimo (fantastic, fantastic, very beautiful, very beautiful),” Bruni shouted. “We are different, Australians and Italians, very different.” Different, yes, but they’ve formed quite the tandem in steering Luna Rossa into the 36th America’s Cup match against defending champion Emirates Team New Zealand.