SOURCE: www.americascup.com
The Swiss challenger for the 37th America’s Cup has received its second AC40 foiling boat and, following a christening ceremony attended by the Barcelona team, it headed out to the America’s Cup race course for a test sail. This one-design boat is key to match race training ahead of the upcoming America’s Cup.
In an important step forward in the Swiss campaign for the 37th America’s Cup, Alinghi Red Bull Racing — representing the Société Nautique de Genève — has taken delivery of a second AC40 one-design foiling boat meaning the Swiss challenger can soon match race on the America’s Cup course in Barcelona.
“This is an important step for us, we will be able to have all members of the Driving Group on the water at the same time and this will raise their performance,” explained Sailing Team Advisor Pietro Sibello.
The seven members of the Driving Group will rotate between the boats, accompanied in turn by the two Sailing Team Advisors Pietro Sibello and Dean Barker and by Ernesto Bertarelli.
Christened at the Alinghi Red Bull Racing temporary base in Barcelona by Elena Saez, Shore Team Assistant, AC40 #2 underwent a successful first round of tests out on the water.
“The tow testing validated the boat’s structure and allowed us to check the systems, the next step will be to put the sails under tension before being able to shift into second gear,” said skipper Arnaud Psarofaghis.
With just four months to go to meeting its rivals for the first time at the opening America’s Cup pre-regatta in Vilanova y Geltrù in mid-September, Alinghi Red Bull Racing is getting into race mode and will soon start valuable two-boat training sessions on the water following months of virtual two boat training on a simulator.
“With almost a year to go to the Cup, we are making progress in the campaign and it’s time to race!” said Nicolas Charbonnier, from the Driving Group. “This second AC40 will give us a reference point on the water which will allow us to be more efficient in everything we test.”
The team will alternate between match racing the two AC40s and training on the AC75 from next week, while the design team in Barcelona and the build team in Ecublens, Switzerland, continue working on the race boat.
