2023-11-30 17:34:56
– Alinghi Red Bull Racing lands on the podium straight away
In Jeddah, the Swiss Team shone with its consistency during day 1 of the preliminary regattas of the 37th America’s Cup.
Published today at 6:34 p.m.
Alinghi Red Bull Racing performed well on Thursday in Jeddah.
LDD
In the America’s Cup, confrontations between contenders are very rare. For the 37th edition of the oldest sporting trophy in the world, only three meetings have been set before getting down to business, in October 2024 in Barcelona. After a first trial run at Villanova in Spain a month and a half ago, the six teams entered will meet this weekend in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. A highly anticipated meeting which should allow the five Challengers and the Defender to make an impression, or not.
As in Spain, everyone lines up with identical training boats. AC40s, flying monohulls with exceptional performance. Voted Boat of the Year 2023, the AC40 can fly at four times the speed of the wind. On this opening Thursday, we saw Luna Rossa Prada speed towards victory at more than 30 knots while the established wind on the course was only 7 knots. “It’s simply exceptional,” noted Shirley Robertson, English-speaking voice of the Cup and multiple Olympic champion. We need to stop for a moment and think regarding what these numbers represent.”
Emirates Team New Zealand a little stronger
Staying perched on your foils was the challenge of this day 1 which took place in marginal wind conditions. The slightest error during a maneuver is punished by a landing with serious consequences. In these delicate conditions, Alinghi Red Bull Racing played the card of consistency by making a minimum of mistakes.
After a timid start (4th), Arnaud Psarofaghis and Co followed up with a superb 2nd place and ended the day with a new podium (3rd). Overall, the Swiss Team is 3rd behind Emirates Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, still in the race for qualification for the final which will take place on Saturday and which will be played in a single round between the first two.
Before that, 5 rounds are still on the program and everything remains possible in the wake of the Defender who dominated both debates for two races before making a mistake during the third round. Despite this hiccup, Emirates Team New Zealand seems to be evolving a notch above the competition.
2nd different day
For Alinghi Red Bull Racing, the results of day 1 are very positive. On his return to land, Bryan Mettraux explained how much he had to fight to stay in flight: “It was a complicated day because we had to make sure to keep the boat on its foils. Once landed, it is difficult to get the AC40 off the ground once more. With more wind, we can concentrate on the competition itself but when the conditions are weak like today, all our attention is focused on maintaining speed.
On Friday, the wind is expected to blow much stronger in Jeddah. Enough to offer a very different spectacle with more phases of close contact and duels during buoy crossings. “The 2nd day will be different with other conditions,” underlines Swiss skipper Arnaud Psarofaghis. I think we have to approach it as a new start in this regatta, going there and sailing as usual without worrying regarding the rest.
Grégoire Surdez has been a journalist at Sport-Center since 2019. After an internship as a free candidate from 2002 to 2004 in the 24-hour sports section, he worked there for 5 years. In 2009, he joined the Tribune de Genève and specialized in monitoring alpine skiing, sailing and ice hockey. In 2020, he co-authored the book “Suisses en Mer” (published by Favre). More informations
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