Italy’s Luna Rossa wins first Women’s America’s Cup after beating British boat in the final

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Italy’s Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli won the first ever Women’s America’s Cup after beating Britain’s Athena Pathway on Saturday.

Luna Rossa led from the start and won the six-leg match race off the Barcelona beach front eight seconds ahead of the British boat.

America’s Cup organizers said they launched this all-women competition as a platform to get more women into the elite sailing event. Women have sailed in previous America’s Cups but none are on the crews of this edition of the 173-year-old regatta.

The event included 12 teams, six sponsored by the America’s Cup teams and another six teams that were invited.

The teams sailed AC40 foiling boats, which were also used in the youth competition, that seat four sailors compared to the larger AC75 boats with their eight crewmembers used in the America’s Cup.