SNG

MORE WIND, MORE RACING, MORE WINS

6 May, 2017

After conditions yesterday put pay to a full day of racing in the opening event of the D35 Trophy, the teams would have been within their rights to have been worried about the light breeze and persistent rain that welcome the fleet on the waters off the SNG on this, the second day of the Grand Prix d’Ouverture. However, the seemingly ominous early conditions gave way to a good wind, meaning that a full six races could be run, making for some truly competitive and interesting sailing. The day’s first race didn’t exactly go to plan for Alinghi, who could only manage a fifth-place finish, but from then on things just got better for Ernesto Bertarelli and his team. Two finishes in third place were superseded by a great three race victories, meaning that Alinghi holds a commanding lead of seven points heading into tomorrow’s final day of the Grand Prix. As the team knows, however, the job is not yet completed and so the focus is very much on repeating today’s performance. Pierre-Yves Jorand, the team’s coach and mainsail trimmer on the D35, said of day two that: “The conditions today were tough and we had a difficult start, recording a fifth place in the first race. However, that is to be expected given that, as a team, the season is just coming together, and we were really pleased with the manner in which we rallied to record some really positive performances in the following races. We are aiming for more of the same tomorrow.” Results after day 2 Alinghi: 11 points Ylliam-Comptoir Immobilier: 18 points Zen Too: 18 points Realteam: 23 points Racing Django: 29 points Swisscom: 29 points Okalys: 33 points Mobimo: 36 points   To find out more d35trophy.com Credit for photos © Loris von Siebenthal If you want to know more about how to follow the racing, about Alinghi's team, or just about this regatta in general, you will find all that you need in the recap at the bottom of this news story. #GoAlinghiGo

After the flying GC32s, now the powerful D35s

2 May, 2017

As it is well known, once spring has sprung the regattas come thick and fast! Just as soon as Alinghi's GC32 had been dismantled, stored in its container, and sent on its way for the next Act of the Extreme Sailing Series, it was the turn of the D35 to enter the stage for the start of its annual championship. As usual, Lake Geneva will be the scene for the D35 Trophy, for which Alinghi is competing for the 14th season, in search of a 6th victory. The Alinghi crew remains as it was in 2016, apart from one change: Arnaud Psarofaghis coming in for Nils Frei as frontsail trimmer, as the latter recovers from his fractured foot. Pierre-Yves Jorand will be taking-up the position of mainsail trimmer, alongside helmsman Ernesto Bertarelli. Alinghi's club, the Société Nautique de Genève, is organising this opening Grand Prix, with six races scheduled for each day from Friday 5th to Sunday 7th May.   A RECAP: What: Opening Grand Prix of the 2017 D35 Trophy, which is sailed exclusively on Switzerland's Lake Geneva. The championship comprises eight events, including six Grand Prix and two Lake classics (the Genève-Rolle-Genève and the Bol d'Or Mirabaud). Who: Eight teams, with five to seven crew members (total weight limit of 470kg, except for the Bol d'Or). Where: The 'Petit lac' zone, in front of the Société Nautique de Genève (SNG) and up to Versoix if lack of wind does not allow races to be launched in front of the SNG. When: From Friday 5th May (start-time 2pm, local) to Sunday 7th May. How: Teams compete in races around buoys, lasting about half an hour each, using 35ft catamarans, the Décision 35, commonly known as the D35. Follow the action You can keep-up with the racing from the 5th to 7th of May, with up to six races per day: On Twitter @alinghiteam > Updates after each race On Facebook @teamalinghi and Instagram @alinghi > Interviews, videos and photos throughout the regatta On our website > Daily news and photos D35 Team Helmsman and Skipper: Ernesto Bertarelli (SUI) Mainsail trimmer: Pierre-Yves Jorand (SUI) Tactician: Nicolas Charbonnier (FRA) Frontsail trimmer: Arnaud Psarofaghis (SUI), replacing the injured Nils Frei (SUI) Grinder: Coraline Jonet (FRA) Bowman: Yves Detrey (SUI) Technical Team and Trainer João Cabeçadas (POR) David Nikles (SUI) Claudy Dewarrat (SUI) For more info d35trophy.com Event hashtags #GoAlinghiGo // #D35Trophy Credit for photos © Loris Von Siebenthal & Alinghi

Do or die in the D35

25 September, 2015

Racing has ‎just finished on Day 1 of the Grand Prix SNG, the last and decisive regatta of the 2015 Championship. Heading into the competition, it would be all about Alinghi and Team Tilt, the two Swiss rivals who have been battling it out at the top of the leaderboard all season. With Tilt holding the lead, albeit a slender one, this regatta is a straight shootout. Whichever of the two teams finishes ahead of the other will takes the title. Which has made for an exhilarating Day 1 and, after today's racing, will make for a nerve-shredding finale! As befits a championship that is coming down to the wire, Friday's racing was extremely close. Wind conditions were good - between 10 and 15 knots - and the first sprint got off on time. Seven boats started on port, including both title contenders. It was an auspicious start for Ernesto Bertarelli's team, who, having gone past Tilt before the first mark perfectly timed their jibe on the last run to take first place from Ladycat, with Tilt down in 7th. Race 2 was equally good from Alinghi's persective, with the team making it two from two, although this time Tilt were right on their heels in second place. It wasn't to be three from three, however, with 7en taking the plaudits and with Tilt ahead of Alinghi. Race 4 made the overall picture even closer - Tilt took it, with Alinghi in 4th, having had a coming-to with Mobimo that saw the former break their starboard hiking ladder (fixed soon after) and incurring a penalty. Happily, Race 5 saw a return to winning ways. Having rounded the mark first, Alinghi maintained their lead to take three wins for the day. But then, fitting the script of intense competition, Tilt took the last race of the day just ahead of Bertarelli's team! It was truly a duel… Things could still not be closer - Alinghi's lead over Tilt is but two points! It promises to be hugely exciting tomorrow, so stay tuned to our twitter feed for live updates. ALLEZ ALINGHI!

Challenging Conditions for the first GP of the D35 Trophy, Alinghi Finishes in 2nd position

11 May, 2015

Amid challenging condtions, last weekend saw the first Grand Prix of the 2015 Decision 35 Trophy at Société Nautique de Genève. With winds going from 28 knots to zero on Friday afternoon, with a mix of rain, gusts, breakage and even a capsize for Racing Django – taken by surprise by a strong gust when leaving their mooring – the race committee had little choice but to call the day’s racing off without a single regatta sailed. On Saturday morning all of the teams were back at the Société Nautique de Genève, impatient to start competing. But the wind was, again, capricious and the first start gun could only be fired at the very end of the afternoon – the SNG Starting Vessel and the 11-boat fleet of the Decision 35 having spent their time chasing the wind up to almost Nyon all afternoon. The racing finally took place between la Belotte and le Reposoir – in a rather strange direction with very shifty winds… Two races were sailed in these tricky conditions and the race committee did a terrific job managing to get the racing going. At the end of the first racing day, three boats were tight on points, Team Tilt, Ladycat powered by Spindrift Racing and Alinghi, with five points each. On Sunday, a nice Séchard, allowed the fleet to sail four more races in relatively steady wind conditions. Alinghi led race five from start to the finish, showing that the 2013 and 2014 champion is still very much in business. The lasting impression after this first weekend isthat the fleet is more compact than ever and that podium places will not be easy to come by. After six races, the overall ranking of the week-end was: http://d35trophy.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Classement-GP-SNG-2015-officiel.pdf And the provisory season 2015 ranking is: Team Tilt (1pt) Alinghi (2pts) Zen Too (3pts) Ladycat powered by Spindrift racing (4pts) Veltigroup-Swisscom (5pts) Realteam (6pts) Racing Django (7pts) Oryx (8pts) Okalys (9pts) Mobimo (10pts) Ylliam Comptoir Immobilier (11pts)