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

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

A performance from the whole team from the first to the last delivers GC32 World title. After four intense days in the waters of Lagos (Portugal) to decide between ten world-class teams from seven countries, Alinghi is crowned GC32 World Champion by recording 12 podium-place finishes (including eight wins) in eighteen races. For the second year in a row, Switzerland wins. "Who would have thought that one would have to be Swiss in order to be GC32 World Champion”, joked the team’s helmsman, Arnaud Psarofaghis, at the prize-giving ceremony. Team Tilt, the former World Champion, finished in second place, ahead of INEOS Rebels UK, the team of Ben Ainslie, four-time Olympic gold medalist. Ernesto Bertarelli, Alinghi’s skipper who had to remain in Switzerland during the competition, said: "I'm proud of my team. Arnaud, Nico, Bryan, Tim and Yves sailed brilliantly. This title is the result of a lot of work upstream, both on the water and on land. I would also like to congratulate the technical team, David and João, and the coaches, Nils and Pierre-Yves, whose work contributes so much to great results such as this one." Arnaud Psarofaghis, helmsman and co-skipper: "I'm very happy. The guys on board and the technical team have done a great job. We even managed to secure the win with two races to go and that’s a great result given the calibre of the fleet. And with Tilt in second place, it shows that sailing in Switzerland is doing well." Yves Detrey, bowman: "It's a long-term job that pays off. We are not World Champion because of these four days. It’s happened because of months and years of hard work." Nils Frei, coach: "You couldn’t really say that the team is missing titles from its list of achievements. A two-time winner of the America's Cup, seven victories in the Bol d'Or and the D35 Trophy, and four-time Extreme Sailing Series winner; the team is constantly evolving, renewing itself and seeking to improve. “But a World Champion title is really nice. The opportunity to win a world class championship does not come around every day. Indeed, you’d need to go back to 2001 to see the team’s last world crown, which was in the Farr 40." It is therefore with joy that the team records this new victory, which is the fruit of many years of work on the GC32: working to learn its behaviours, to tame it, to repair it and to optimise it. The work done at team-level has also been huge and fundamental: the team’s composition, training, adaptability, not least in the face of injury-enforced absences, its member’s knowledge of one another and their ability to come together as one. Pierre-Yves Jorand, Team Director: "The knowledge of the boat and teamwork allowed us to compete in a variety of conditions this week in Lagos. We started the racing with several reaching starts in strong winds, then, in the middle of the championship, we sailed in light conditions with upwind starts style. Each time the guys were able to find the keys to make good starts, go to the right side of the course and especially to run the GC32 fast, very fasty, while manoeuvring wonderfully. Congratulations to all, as well as to the organising committee who delivered a very good event both on the water and on shore." One special mention for Bryan Mettraux, the sailor who retains his title of World Champion given that he was aboard Team Tilt last year, during the first world championship of the series in Riva del Garda. Congratulations also to the American team Argo, led by Jason Carroll, who wins the world title of owner-driver. The whole team would like to thank its supporters and partners for their daily support. After the dismantling of the boat, the team will enjoy a few days of rest before regrouping in Palma de Mallorca at the end of July for the 3rd stage of the GC32 Racing Tour. Click here for the general ranking after 18 races. To find out more gc32racingtour.com #gc32worlds #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