The twelve teams that will participate in the third edition of the Young America’s Cup in Barcelona are ready to make their debut on the racecourses of the Catalan capital. For the first time, the competition will feature monohulls with AC40 hydrofoils (11.90 meters long) and a new generation of sailors, all under 26 years old.
The AC40 boats were already used by the teams in the 37th America’s Cup preliminary competitions in Vilanova i la Geltrú and Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) last year, but they have not yet sailed in the waters of the City of Barcelona.
The Land Rover Bar (now Athena Pathway) is the title defender from Bermuda in 2017, when they beat Team New Zealand, the winner of the first edition in San Francisco in 2013.
The youth in action
Divided into groups A and B, the top three teams from each side will compete together in four races to determine the two best teams that will advance to the final on September 26th
In Bermuda in 2017, Spain had a team, the Spanish Impulse, which included sailors such as Jordi Xammar, Diego BotÃn, Florian Trittel, Joel RodrÃguez, among others, and finished sixth. They will try to improve on that position in this edition, where they are serving as hosts.
The six teams in group A
In Group A are the six young teams competing in the 37th America’s Cup: Team New Zealand, INEOS Britannia, American Magic, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, Alinghi Red Bull Racing, and Orient Express.
Team New Zealand wants to regain the title they won in 2013 and lost in 2017. They have put together a powerful team led by Leo Takahashi, who brings extensive experience from SailGP and will serve as the main helmsman.
Next to him will be Seb Menzies, youth 420 world champion; Oscar Gunn, five-time world champion in the 49er class; Josh Armit, youth Laser Radial world champion; and Veerle Ten Have, youth world runner-up in iQFoil.
Group A is led by Team New Zealand, INEOS Britannia, American Magic, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, Alinghi Red Bull Racing, and Orient Express
The Athena Pathway (INEOS Britannia), heir to the Land Rover Bar, will be led by helmsman Nick Robins, trimmers Matt Beck and Alex Hughes, second helmsman James Grummett, and sailor Harriet Rogers
The Swiss Alinghi, coached by the naturalized Argentine Mathias Bühler, has put together a very well-prepared crew with Jann Schüpbach as helmsman, along with Andrea Aschieri and the Olympic sailor Arno de Planta, both world runners-up in Nacra 15 and 49er, as backups.
They will form a team alongside Arnaud Grange, Morgan Lauber, the female team member Marie Mazuay, Joshua Richner, Alexandra Stadler, and Tamara Von Allmen.
The athletes are under 26 years old
Ian Roman/ America’s Cup
The 20-year-old Italian three-time world champion Marco Gradoni, who showcased his potential as a helmsman in the Jeddah preliminaries, leads the young team of the Italian Luna Rossa with helmsmen Gianluigi Ugolini and Guido Gallinaro, alongside trimmers Federico Colaninno, Roko Falcone, and Stefano Dezulian.
The American Magic team is led by Harry Melges IV, the 2021 Sailor of the Year in the United States, accompanied by Severin Gramm, Ian MacDiarmid, Kyle Navin, Ben Rosenberg, Finn Rowe, and Ripley Shelley.
An exhaustive selection process with their Federation has led the French Orient Express to put together a very young team with the 420 class world champion, Enzo Belanguer, as the leader and main helmsman. He will lead Matisse Pacaud, Ange Delerce, Théo Revil, Gaultier Tailleu, and Lou Mourniac to secure a spot in the final series.
Participants of Group B
On its part, the Sail Team BCN leads Group B of the six invited teams in this edition, which also includes the Netherlands, Canada, Germany, Australia, and Sweden.
The Spanish team is expected to reach the final due to competing at home. It is composed of helmsmen Martin Wizner and Conrad Konitzer, with Jaime Framies and Antonio Torrado as trimmers. Albert Torres and Neus Ballester will be the reserve helmsmen, and Marcos Fernández the reserve trimmer.
The three-time world champion in the 49er class, Bart Lambriex, will lead the Dutch Jajo Team alongside Paul Hameeteman, Eliott Savelon, Aleksander Moliakov, and Bjarne Bouwer.
BCN leads Group B of the six invited teams in this edition, with the Netherlands, Canada, Germany, Australia, and Sweden also participating
Andrew Wood, one of the top Canadian experts in the 29er and 49er classes, will lead the Concord Pacific Canada team, alongside Andre Van Dam, Jack Gogan, Galen Richardson, and Georgia Lewin-Lafrance.
The three-time Olympic champion and seven-time European champion from Germany, Jochen Schuemann, has been the founder and driving force behind the men’s and women’s Team Germany.
In the young team, with Olympic sailor Marc Pickel as coach, the helmsmen will be Paul Farien and Maru Scheel, their only female sailor in the Youth Cup. Their crew will include Jesse Lindstäd, Julian Hoffmann, and Tom Heinrich.
The powerful Swedish Artemis, the only invited team that has had its own AC40 for several months, could be the main rival of the favorites. It boasts Oscar Engström and Hanno Seifert as helmsmen, supported by trimmers Oscar Andersson, Hugo Christensson, and Felicia Fernström.
Team Australia completes list of the Junior Cup men’s competition. Coached by Match Race world champion Harry Price, it will feature Cole Tapper, Jack Ferguson, George Richardson, Max Paul, Miles Davey, and Tom Needham.
The competition will begin this Tuesday, September 17th at 2:00 p.m. with the first four fleet races for the six teams in Group A. On Wednesday, Group B (invited teams), including Spain, will make their debut with another four races.
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Publish date : 2024-09-17 02:15:00
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