GC32

A victory in the event and a title defended in the GC32 class

7 November, 2021

A double for Alinghi, who won the last event on the circuit and defended their title of Champion of the GC32 Racing Tour, earned for the very first time in 2019 (a fallow year in 2020). From November 4 to 7, the Mar Menor (Spain) welcomed the fleet of 32-foot foilers for their last meeting of the year. Ten races were validated under various conditions. The standings were tight until the 7th, after which Alinghi took off. The Swiss team, Black Star, and the Austrians from Red Bull completed the podium of the event. In the annual general classification, Red Bull takes 2nd place, with Black Star 3rd. Zoulou, led by Erik Maris, was 4th and wins the "owner driver" classification. Ernesto Bertarelli: "Well done the team! I am delighted with this new championship victory. This confirms the title won in 2019 and shows our level and commitment. "Congratulations to all the other teams who gave us more and more problems. I also pay special attention to Erik Maris, the only owner driver to have entered all races this year and who has even won a few! "Our sporting season is coming to an end. 2021 also marked the official launch of the TF35 Trophy, run over seven events on Lake Geneva and at sea, and I am already looking forward to the 2022 season." Arnaud Psarofaghis: "Our goal was to win the GC32 season, as well as every event. We finished second in one of the regattas, tied on points with the first, Red Bull, last September, so overall we can be satisfied. "We have been consistent at the top of the table, patient when needed and the team knows how to come out on top at key moments. We also have the advantage of a close-knit team, which has worked together for a long time and is competent in all areas. "Here at Mar Menor, I loved the third windy day. We didn't start off very well, but by winning the last two heats we took the advantage at a decisive moment. This is the result of hard work over the course of several years." Nils Frei: "The team raced very well technically and tactically. After savouring this new victory, we will work again to find improvements. When you win, it's important not to rest on your laurels. "After we dominated the first regatta in Lagos, the other teams kept maturing and at the end of the season each team could win heats under their preferred conditions. One of our strengths is versatility and we look forward to focusing on continuing to improve." By the time the championships resume in 2022, and with hope that other teams join those already competing, the team will train in GC32 and fine-tune the optimisation of the TF35...without forgetting to hit a few ski slopes ;-) General classification after 10 races - GC32 Mar Menor Cup (4th and last round of the annual championship) 1st - Alinghi: 20 points 2nd - Black Star Sailing Team: 27 points 3rd - Red Bull Sailing Team: 28 points 4th - Zoulou: 38 points 5th - Team Rockwool Racing: 42 points 6th - Argo: 55 points   Extract from the 2021 GC32 Racing Tour overall results after four regattas 1st - Alinghi: 5 points 2nd - Red Bull Sailing Team: 10 points 3rd - Black Star Sailing Team: 12 points 4th and 1st owner driver - Zoulou: 18 points ... Click here for the full results.   Options to review the racing modeled in 2D thanks to the gps tracker placed on each boat from the first to the fourth days of competition: Tractrac website, or via these free apps (click here for an Iphone, or here for an Android). To find out more gc32racingtour.com To learn more about the race monitoring system, the team composition and the GC32 Racing Tour in general, a summary of the event is here. #GoAlinghiGo  //  GC32racingtour Credit for photos © Sailing Energy / GC32 Racing Tour 2021

GC32 vice-world champion, tied on points with Red Bull

19 September, 2021

Reigning world champion, Alinghi finished second at the GC32 Worlds in Villasimius, Italy. Tied on points with Red Bull Sailing Team after 14 races, the rule says the one finishing before the other in the last race ends up in front overall. The team had an excellent last day but broke its starboard foil two-thirds of the way into the last race. The hazards of motor sports! The double Olympic champions Hagara / Steinacher won gold while a second Swiss team, Team Tilt (Sébastien Schneiter), completed the podium. Alinghi continues to lead the annual "GC32 Racing Tour" Championship. Arnaud Psarofaghis: "We had everything to play for until the last day, it was an exciting world championship! The world title didn't escape us only on the last round, though. We lacked consistency this week. We lost too many points in the first few days in situations that could have been avoided. Today we raced really well to make up the gap, then take the lead before the last race and I'm really happy with the performance on board. Congratulations to Roman, Hans Peter and all their team, it was a pleasure to race against them!" Varied and complicated conditions Eight teams competed in fourteen races in Sardinia in mixed conditions during the four days of competition. Very light breeze and rain played the spoilsport during the first two days, with respectively one and three races validated. On Saturday and Sunday, the 32-foot foilers were finally able to complete the full programme by lining up for ten races in magnificent conditions. Timothé Lapauw: "We had a very good last day. In strong air we have good speed and efficient manoeuvres. The wind was very variable the first two days, which made it difficult on board. The race patterns were not clear and the strategy difficult to establish." The comeback Helmed by Arnaud Psarofaghis, Alinghi were seven points behind the leaders entering into the last day of competition. With three wins and a second place, the reigning world champions made a magnificent comeback this Sunday, September 19, to finish tied on points with Red Bull. Nicolas Charbonnier: "We have sailed among a fleet of eight boats here compared to six in the other races this season. It's still a small fleet, but it's always interesting the more numerous it is. The classification was really tight, unlike the other GC32 races this season. We had fewer good days during these Worlds, but reacted very well and are very happy to end on such a good day. Despite the damage..." Unfortunate foil damage in the last race A mechanical sport like competitive sailing generates its share of complications, sometimes beyond the control of the team members. Alinghi paid the price in the last race of this championship. With the team heading for overall victory by sailing at the head of the fleet and having started race 14 with three points lead on Red Bull, the team's starboard foil (the right part allowing the raising of the boat above the water) broke into two pieces. Bryan Mettraux: "Every year, at the start of the season, we do NDT (non-destructive testing), an ultrasound of all the carbon parts - the hulls, foils, beams and mast. This scanner allows us to check the state of wear of the boat, to identify and repair any initial cracks. We did not observe anything during the last scan and no signs of wear have been visible to the naked eye since, unlike a rope or block, which show weaknesses visually." A first victory for Red Bull The third of the four stages of the 2021 season, the Villasimius Cup, which also served as the World Championship, is won by Red Bull. The Austrians even sign for their very first victory since arriving on the circuit! The owner-helmsman classification (Owner Driver Trophy) goes to Erik Maris (Zoulou). Yves Detrey: "Red Bull sailed well all week, while our first races were more complicated. We are obviously disappointed to have suffered this foil breakage in the last race and not to have been able to fight to the end. In the history of the GC32 fleet, this is the first time that a foil has broken like this." Still leading the GC32 Racing Tour 2021 After three stages of the annual championship, Alinghi maintains the lead in the general classification, three points ahead of Red Bull. The team will stay in Italy and return to Scarlino for the last TF35 event of the season, September 23-26. As for the GC32 Racing Tour, the fourth and final stage of the season will be held in early November in San Pedro del Piñatar (Mar Menor), Spain. General classification after 14 races - GC32 World Championship and Villasimius Cup (3rd round of the annual championship) 1st - Red Bull Sailing Team: 43 points 2nd - Alinghi: 43 points 3rd - Team Tilt: 50 points 4th - Black Star Sailing Team: 51 points 5th - Team Rockwool racing: 58 points 6th - Zoulou: 60 points 7th - Argo: 90 points 8th - Swiss Foiling Academy: 109 points Extract from the provisional general classification of the GC32 Racing Tour after three races 1st - Alinghi: 4 points 2nd - Red Bull Sailing Team: 7 points 3rd - Black Star Sailing Team: 9 points Click here for the full results. Options to review the racing modeled in 2D thanks to the gps tracker placed on each boat from the first to the fourth days of competition: Tractrac website, or via these free apps (click here for an Iphone, or here for an Android). To find out more gc32racingtour.com To learn more about the race monitoring system, the team composition and the GC32 Racing Tour in general, a summary of the event is here. #GoAlinghiGo  //  GC32racingtour Credit for photos © Sailing Energy / GC32 Racing Tour 2021

The double in the two GC32 events

1 August, 2021

Back in Lagos, the same six teams, the same Portuguese wind-blue sky combo and, in the end, Alinghi wins. The same script for the Lagos Cup #2 as it was for #1? Nicolas Charbonnier, tactician: " Yes and no! The podium is different, we had a lot more wind during this second round, fewer races were able to be launched, and the victory was played out up to the last margins. "The level of the fleet has risen rapidly since we raced last month. We expected it and it was confirmed. Between that and today's more irregular wind in terms of strength and direction, we had to adapt our way of racing. I was more conservative on the tactical choices to take fewer risks. It pays less overall, but at the end of the day, it's the end result that matters to us above all." Preference for a victory with a leg to spare (Lagos #1) or one that goes to the wire (Lagos #2)? Nicolas: "I like to win before the end because it means that we sailed very well and widened the gap enough not to make the last race(s). On the other hand, when we fight to the end, it's because the level of the fleet goes up, and that's exactly what we're looking for: racing against the best opponents to improve our level." Arnaud Psarofaghis, co-skipper: "The gaps were tighter in this event because we didn't race as well as last month. We only won three out of 13 races and we made mistakes. Black Star sailed very well today, but, as with any competition, you have to be as consistent as possible to be at the top of the table. "I prefer to win an event when we race to the end. It's less comfortable on board, but it helps us progress in other areas of the sport." Flashback to the last race There was a change of pace for the fourth and last day of this event: the wind became more irregular in strength and direction, playing the spoilsport, but spicing up the racing, meaning Black Star could still win the event in the final race. Between the two boats a "very close marking" begins immediately, leaving room for Alinghi's opponents to express themselves at their best in the water. The Swiss rookies of Swiss Foiling Academy also sign their very first victory on the circuit. Hopp Schwiiz! As for our two direct rivals in the overall standings, given that no other competitor interfered with the placings in this thirteenth regatta, Alinghi, who had started the last race with a three-point advantage, took the overall victory. Black Star takes second place overall, providing Switzerland with the double on its national holiday. Zoulou, led by the owner driver Erik Maris, finished third, beating Red Bull and Rockwool at the post by recording a good last day. In August, the team will train on the TF35 on Lake Geneva, after which the boat will be dismantled and installed in its container to travel to Scarlino (Italy) for the very first sea regatta of the TF35 Trophy (from 9 to 12 September). General classification after 13 legs – GC32 Lagos Cup #2 1st - Alinghi: 30 points 2nd - Black Star Sailing Team: 32 points 3rd - Zoulou: 46 points 4th - Red Bull Sailing Team: 46 points 5th - Team Rockwool racing: 48 points 6th - Swiss Foiling Academy: 71 points Extract from the provisional general classification of the GC32 Racing Tour after two events 1st - Alinghi: 2 points 2nd - Black Star Sailing Team: 6 points 3rd - Red Bull Sailing Team: 6 points Click here for the full results. Options to review the racing modeled in 2D thanks to the gps tracker placed on each boat from the first to the fourth days of competition: Tractrac website, or via these free apps (click here for an Iphone, or here for an Android). To find out more gc32racingtour.com To learn more about the race monitoring system, the team composition and the GC32 Racing Tour in general, a summary of the event is here. #GoAlinghiGo  //  GC32racingtour Credit for photos © Sailing Energy / GC32 Lagos Cup 2-2021

A textbook start to the GC32 season

5 July, 2021

Wind, foilers and competition during the 18 races launched in the four days of this first event of the GC32 Racing Tour. For all those who returned to the marina in Lagos (South Portugal), it made for a beautiful sailing event. Alinghi was not to be outdone and set the bar high at the season's start, winning 11 of the 17 races run and thereby allowing themselves to return to port before the 18th. In fact, the overall win was even sealed four races before the final run! The objectives of the GC32 season are clear: to defend the 2019 World Champion title and also the annual ranking. The tone is set! Red Bull Sailing Team and Team Rockwool Racing completed the podium. Yves Detrey: "We had thought that we might have been a little rusty after an 18-month break from the GC32, but we are happy to see that it is not the case! The conditions were mostly tough this week, but that's how we like it. With our manoeuvres, our speed or our tactics, we were able to find the keys to get back into the game when it was necessary. Frankly, we sailed really well in all areas. "To win a four-day regatta, the key is to be consistent at the front and to avoid bad heats, and that's what we did." Within the fleet of six boats, one team is remodelled (Black Star) and two are new to the circuit (Rockwool and Swiss Foiling Academy). What is the level like? "Each has had their ups and downs, but with training and with the experience gained race after race, their level will go up. I imagine they will watch videos of this event, in addition to the experience accumulated over these 18 rounds. Then you must work, practise your lines and avoid repeating previous mistakes." Nicolas Charbonnier: "By attacking this last day with a good lead, we expected not to have to run all the races to win the event. While chatting during our daily briefing, we thought there was always an opportunity to try some different things. We sailed without pressure and even achieved our best speed of the week, 37,73 knots." How do you stay efficient from one year to the next? "We are fortunate to sail together very often and to have had a stable crew for several years. We have friends among us and the atmosphere is great. Individually everyone is good and collectively our team works. The preparation of the boat is methodical, we have been sailing in GC32 since 2015 now and we also practice foiling with the TF35. The helm and the trimmers make the boat go fast, the tactician takes us to the right place around the race course, the coordination of the crew is precise during the starting phases and in the manoeuvres. The combination of all these factors is ideal, and we push ourselves to innovate to continue to progress." Arnaud Psarofaghis: "Don't just look at the final score, which might make it look like it was easy for us. We fought in each of the races and on each leg to get there. It was sometimes thanks to a manoeuvre, a layline, a few metres gap to mark rounding. Our opponents generally have fewer hours on the clock than us, but each gave us a hard time at different moments. This is exactly what we are looking for on the GC32 Racing Tour, to push us to always be better. We missed this circuit last year and it really complements the TF35 Trophy. "At the end of this first event, we are happy with the work accomplished to regain our 2019 level. We think we have reached it, and even exceeded in certain phases. In any case the GC32 is really a great boat for racing – more teams should join us!" An exceptional sanitary context, an exceptional programme this year. The team will be back in Lagos at the end of this month for the second leg of the GC32 Racing Tour (July, 29 to August 1st). The 2021 championship will consist of four events, including the GC32 World Championship from 16th to 19th September in Villasimius (Italy). Extracts from the general classification after 18 races - GC32 Lagos Cup N ° 1: 1st – Alinghi: 33 points 2nd – Red Bull Sailing Team: 58 points 3rd – Team Rockwool Racing: 61 points 4th – Black Star Sailing Team: 62 points Click here for the full rankings, including all boats. Options to review the racing modeled in 2D thanks to the gps tracker placed on each boat from the first to the fourth days of competition: Tractrac website, or via these free apps (click here for an Iphone, or here for an Android). To find out more gc32racingtour.com To learn more about the race monitoring system, the team composition and the GC32 Racing Tour in general, a summary of the event is here. #GoAlinghiGo  //  GC32racingtour Credit for photos © Sailing Energy / GC32 Lagos Cup 1-2021

9th GC32 Racing Tour - Useful information

16 June, 2021

A recap // What: One-design circuit created in 2014 and which will include four events in 2021, contested in Europe. Alinghi competed for the first time in 2015 in their foiling debut, then again in 2019 when the team won the championship. More info is here. Who: Five to 10 international teams bringing together professional sailors and owner drivers. Five team members usually form a crew. Where and when: From July to November 2021, in Portugal, Italy and Spain (click here for the racing calendar). How: The teams compete aboard a 32-foot foiling catamaran called a GC32, in successive 20-minute races launched around buoys. When weather conditions allow, the events take place near the coast. Race tracking options Follow the team via different means during the various stages, each of which is comprised of four days of competition (up to six races each afternoon – but please take note of the fact that the time zones will change according to each event's location). On Twitter @alinghi > Publication of results and assorted pictures and video On Facebook @alinghi and Instagram @alinghi > Interviews, video & photos Online > gc32racingtour.com: Races modeled in 2D (live and in replay) from the first to the fourth days of competition > alinghi.com: News and photos   Équipage du GC32 (SUI 8) Helmsman and skipper: Ernesto Bertarelli (SUI) Co-hemlsman, co-skipper: Arnaud Psarofaghis (SUI) Tactician and mainsail trimmer: Nicolas Charbonnier (FRA) Frontsail trimmer: Bryan Mettraux (SUI) Foil trimmer: Timothé Lapauw (FRA) Bowman: Yves Detrey (SUI) Substitutes: Nils Frei (SUI) and Florian Trüb (SUI) Technical Team João Cabeçadas (POR) David Niklès (SUI) Team Director Pierre-Yves Jorand (SUI) To find out more gc32racingtour.com Hashtags for the events #GoAlinghiGo  //  #gc32racingtour  //  #gc32 Credits for photos © Sailing Energy/GC32 Racing Tour

2021 – The first all-foiling season

26 April, 2021

With the usual "high-performance team + regatta + multihull + one-design" components, Alinghi will be in "flight" mode on the two circuits chosen for the 2021 season. Since 2015, this was already the case on the GC32, but now that the Décision 35 has been replaced by the T Foiler 35, our boats' hulls should barely touch the water! The TF35 hits the piste The recent development in public health guidelines should now allow for the seven TF35s to officially start the very first championship of this new class of foilers. From Friday 30 April to Sunday 2 May, up to five races per day can be launched in the waters off Nyon for the first event. Also on the programme this year are four other grand prix, two of which will be in Italy in the autumn and two Lake Geneva classics in June. No gatherings of more than 15 people will be allowed this weekend, but nevertheless there is still the possibility of watching these flying machines from the shore. And if you do have a boat, please do keep in mind that the TF35s regularly change course to maintain foiling in shifty air. As for the team, after many days spent training and continuing to gain knowledge of their TF35, Alinghi switched to race mode with an emphasis on the preparation of the start phases and the rounding of the marks. Nils Frei, trimmer: Is the team ready to race? "To be honest, we don't 100% know yet, because in the 30 years we've been racing we've never had a year-long competitive break! "But we got together for days, or rather weeks of training and I don't think we forgot everything. With the lack of competition, we will be a little rusty in the phases that are difficult to simulate in training, such as the starts with several boats, contact phases, communication on board compared to our competitors. But I think the automatic way in which we know these things inherently will come back quickly." Nicolas Charbonnier, tactician: "We are aiming for the top of the table on this new circuit, but the TF35 remains a foiler to be tamed, and we will face new, very competitive teams. One of our strengths will be the stability of our team, reinforced by the arrival of a young Swiss sailor, Florian Trüb, who takes his role as replacement sailor very seriously and helps Yves with the electronics and analysis of performance. Obviously we will also seek to win our 8th Bol d'Or, if the public health rules allow it to be held." A revamped 2021 GC32 Racing Tour In 2021, Alinghi has also set itself the goal of defending the titles it won in 2019 at the annual GC32 Championship and at the series World Championship. The health situation at the start of the year forced the organisers of the GC32 Racing Tour to postpone the start of the races until the end of June in Portugal, with the conclusion scheduled for November in Spain. The World Championship should, under the current plan, be held in mid-September in the south of Sardinia. After a blank sporting season in 2020, the whole team is delighted with the prospect of regaining acquaintance with the adrenaline of competition, with, of course, the strictest respect to prevailing public health guidance. For the practical info about the TF35 season, click here. For the provisional 2021 programme, click here. A tracking system will be onboard each TF35 and you can follow all the races live or in replay on the Tractrac website, the TF35 Trophy website, or via these free apps (click here for an Iphone, or here for an Android). #GoAlinghiGo tf35.org gc32racingtour.com  Credit for Photos © Loris von Siebenthal

1st 2020 GC32 Racing Tour event cancelled due to COVID-19

13 March, 2020

Due to the current health situation, the organising committee of the GC32 Racing Tour has cancelled the opening round of the 2020 championship. The competition would have been held in Muscat, Oman from March 26 to 29. The team had planned to be there from March 17 and, as such, no member of Alinghi is currently there. The second stage of the GC32 Racing Tour is scheduled for Riva del Garda (Italy) from May 28 to 31. To date, no decision has been made and an assessment of its feasibility to go ahead will be made in due course. Regarding the TF35 Trophy, the second circuit on which Alinghi is competing in 2020, the team is hard at work preparing its new boat, the delivery of which it took early March in Switzerland. In terms of its schedule, the team has been first working on the assembly of the boat and its fittings, wiring the electronics, preparing the automated flight system and more (for those who want to find out more, please see our social media feeds). The rules for this new foiling class allow a possible first launch on April 1st for the eight teams entered on the circuit. The championship should start with a regatta organized by the Société Nautique de Genève from May 21 to 24. Health and safety above all, the programme will be adapted accordingly.

Alinghi does the 2019 treble

9 November, 2019

After a GC32 World Champion title at the end of June in Lagos and an 8th D35 Trophy in 16 seasons at the end of September on Lake Geneva, Alinghi finished its sporting season in style by securing the 2019 GC32 Racing Tour in the Gulf of Oman with a win in the final event. From the 6th to the 9th of November, the city of Muscat, located on the Arabian Peninsula, hosted the fifth and final round of the GC32 Racing Tour 2019. The six teams in contention raced in varied conditions, with light air at first changing to stronger breezes and waves, helping to diversify the competition. At the start of this final stage of the Tour, the two rivals, Oman Air and Alinghi, had one and the same goal: to finish in front of the other, whatever their place in the fleet because no other competitor could join them at the top of the ranking. At the end of the 17 races that were completed over four days (including nine won by the team), Alinghi won the event and added a first "GC32 Racing Tour" title to its record, in the wake of the Championship Extreme Sailing Series won in 2018 , also on the GC32. Zoulou and Red Bull Sailing Team completed the podium of this fifth and final round of the season. Overall, Oman Air finished second, followed by Red Bull. Zoulou finished fourth and first in the owner-driver classification. Ernesto Bertarelli, skipper of the D35 and GC32: "I warmly congratulate the team for the work they have done throughout this season, especially at key moments, of which there have been many in recent days. I also congratulate Zoulou, Erik Maris's team, who recorded a nice second place in Oman. "The GC32 Racing Tour is the world's most demanding one-design multihull racing circuit, resulting in intense racing. Every micro-detail counts towards achieving victory and that's what our team is doing every day. "We have won the GC32 Racing Tour 2019, we are the reigning world champions of the discipline and we won our 8th D35 Trophy in 16 seasons on the lake. We've achieved the treble this year and to fulfil our goals...it's fantastic." Arnaud Psarofaghis, co-skipper of the GC32: "To see the final score, you'd be forgiven for thinking that this victory was easy, but everything was still up for grabs this morning. Even being 10 points ahead, you never know what could happen in a regatta, the proof this morning being the contact between Oman Air and Zoulou, with the latter returning to port to be out of the water quickly before their boat took on water. We had to stay attentive and race every moment as if the scoring was tight. "For me, it's the team that makes us win throughout the year. Everybody on the team is important, like David who managed to fix our boat two days ago during the night." Nils Frei, coach: "We have a great team spirit in our group and we have been able to stay focused on key moments. The team is strong technically and mentally, it's essential to go for wins and keep winning." Pierre-Yves Jorand, Team Director: "When the conditions are difficult and the pressure rises, the guys deliver their best game. During the World's at the end of June, or here in Oman, they had no room for error and they sailed superbly. Congratulations to the sailors, the technical team and thank you to all those who support us every day; friends, families, partners, the team that remains at the office and of course a big thank you to Ernesto who makes all this possible. I am already looking forward to the challenges ahead in 2020!" While hoping to go on and achieve even more on the GC32 Racing Tour 2020, to perfect our technique in foiling, the team will be busy these next months preparing for the arrival of its brand new foiler, the TF35, before the launch of the class in the spring of 2020 on Lake Geneva. Click here for all the 2019 rankings. To find out more gc32racingtour.com #gc32racingtour #GoAlinghiGo To find out more about how to follow the racing, the team composition and the circuit in general, find the event recap by clicking here. Photo credits ©Sailing Energy/GC32 Racing Tour  &  ©Lloyd Images

Alinghi wins in Riva del Garda

15 September, 2019

From the very first race in this fourth event of the GC32 Racing Tour in Riva del Garda (Italy), Alinghi showcased its intent by taking-up position at the head of the fleet. There then ensued a tense and close battle over the course of the four days of racing. Oman Air managed to square things up in the 17th race and by the end of the 18th they led the Swiss by two points. With only one race left to run, Alinghi needed to finish in front of its rival by two places. The team sailed nicely, winning the leg. In its wake, Red Bull Sailing Team crossed the line just in front of Oman Air. Mission accomplished! (And the video is on Alinghi’s Facebook page J) Arnaud Psarofaghis, helmsman: "In the five races today it was very tight with Oman, but we did not sail well at first. We made tactical and strategic mistakes, trying to attack at the wrong moment. They were stronger than us in four races, but we only needed to win one. “From Thursday we’ve had great conditions, typical to Lake Garda, but also races where it was less so. This opened-up the sailing tactically and created opportunities to lose position or to get back into contact with the leaders. “We did not always made it in front at the first marks. On the other hand we managed to overtake the fleet and control our opponents, without which we would not have won the event. “Oman Air gave us a hard time. It’s a good thing that they did so and our two teams have been progressing together. The rest of the fleet is also sailing really well, but maybe is a small step behind in terms of consistency. “For the season’s class victory, we already know that it’ll be between Oman Air and us, because neither Red Bull nor Zoulou can catch us. It will be whichever of the two teams finishes ahead of the other, regardless of the result within the fleet. Will we prepare differently given these special circumstances? "We will need to be steady and to sail well so as to be ahead of the fleet and therefore minimise errors or trouble. We sail in a fleet and we of course have to deal with traffic. And to try and put pressure on a rival to make a mistake themselves, one has to sail really well. It’ll be an interesting match-up.” João Cabeçadas, shore team and rigger: "In my role, in collaboration with David, we must do everything possible to provide a reliable boat, able to win legs, and we must anticipate possible losses. Since June, we have done well across our two circuits in back-to-back events without incurring damage [João touches wood at the same time as he speaks...]. But the season is not over and by the time of next event in Oman, I'll have been over the boat with a fine-toothed comb to ensure we deliver the best tool. “After that, it’s up to the sailors to race. When it's tight like today, the time on board the following boat can seem long because once the start is underway there’s nothing we can do for the GC32. But, from the outside, we observe and we also study our competitors, because if we want to continue to win, we must seek areas for improvement and sometimes draw inspiration from our opponents. I think they managed to make progress in areas where they were maybe behind than us before. It's up to us to work on our weak points as well."   Only one point separates Alinghi and Oman Air in the season’s overall standings and the last event promises to separate the two. Oman, from the November the 6th to the 9th, will decide who finishes in front of the other. In the meantime, the team will be back, this Friday September 20th, at the Société Nautique de Genève for the last event of the 2019 D35 Trophy. Click here for the 3rd event general ranking after 19 races. To find out more gc32racingtour.com #gc32racingtour #GoAlinghiGo To find out more about how to follow the racing, the team composition and the circuit in general, find the event recap by clicking here. Photo credits ©Sailing Energy/GC32 Racing Tour

Oman Air a touch above the rest; Alinghi 2nd

4 August, 2019

132 boats spread over four race areas, 26 nationalities and some 1,500 sailors came together in Palma de Mallorca for the traditional Copa del Rey, the 38th of its name. The 3rd stage of the GC32 Racing Tour circuit coincides with this great event and is an exception in the tour's annual calendar, given that the boats joined 10 other classes for a regatta put on by the well-oiled organisation over the course of the week. As usual, the Bay of Palma delivered very good sailing conditions and all 20 races on the GC32 programme were run. This time, it was Oman Air which showed greatest consistency and control of the foiling monotype catamaran. The battle between the two leaders raged to the end and, mathematically, the final result was not certain until the last race. But Oman Air did hold firm and won the last two rounds of the day, bringing their total to ten wins from 20, with Alinghi registering seven. And so five small points separated the two rivals after four days of fleet racing...and some phases of match racing (fans of our Instagram stories will be able to identify the moments ;-). Yves Detrey, bowman: "It was a great last day of racing against Oman Air. They were trying to make us lose ground when they were in front, and we did the same when we were in the lead. "As for the final result, we can only blame ourselves for not having sailed very well the first two days. In a small fleet, if you want to win, you have to race well from beginning to end. "Oman Air did it. They win, it's deserved. "I think we cannot always win when we compete. But you have to know how to stay on the lookout for the next event and keep learning. In Riva in September, there is no question of attacking Oman from the beginning. We will sail our modes, apply our manoeuvres and unfold our game as we did in the World Championship, and everything will be fine." Pierre-Yves Jorand, Team Director: "Oman Air delivered a very complete game in terms of performance, manoeuvres, strategy and also on the starts throughout these 20 races with varied conditions. "On our side, we sailed a little below our level. We are not looking for excuses, though we have had a busy start to the season, not least with the World Championship, which was a big goal for us. I would also say that arriving in Palma with a slightly smaller fleet (six boats instead of 10), made a difference, removing a little of the extra spice and it does not take much in that scenario for the game to tighten. Indeed, we made some small positioning errors on the first day, we were less incisive than Oman in key moments like starts and we had trouble finding stability on the second day in choppy water. "We know what we must do to win next. We have the solutions. It's up to us to apply them and deliver a better result over four days in a row." Is it possible to win each regatta? "In high-level mechanical sports, it seems difficult. Sailing is a mechanical sport and a team sport. It takes individual performance, that each team member is at his best, and that they interact perfectly, that everyone is in the same dynamic. "I think that Oman worked a lot after Lagos (note: they finished 5th in the Worlds, a real under-performance for such a great team). They learnt from our manoeuvres, studied our game and came here a bit stronger. As in any high-level sport, a little improvement can be enough to pass the shoulder of your rival. "But let's be careful, I do not see any revolution to apply between here and Lake Garda. We will simply have to succeed in bringing our best game, as we did in five stages last year and as in Lagos a month ago."   After three events and following their victory, Oman Air sits alongside the top of the tour's overall standings with five points. Could this be a harbinger for other match racing sequences between us two in the last two stages of the season?! Red Bull follows with 12 points. From today (and once the GC32 is in its container), the team will head to Switzerland to help prepare the very first TF35, freshly arrived at Société Nautique de Genève. The first test sailings are expected by mid-August. From August 30th to September 1st, the 5th D35 Trophy will be organized by the Yacht Club de Genève. Click here for the 3rd event general ranking after 20 races. To find out more gc32racingtour.com #gc32racingtour #GoAlinghiGo To find out more about how to follow the racing, the team composition and the circuit in general, find the event recap by clicking here. Photo credits ©Sailing Energy/GC32 Racing Tour