Foiling SuMoth Challenge winners announced at 10th anniversary edition of Foiling Week
by Nicola Maggio 8 Jul 2023 18:36 NZST
29 June - 5 July 2023
Team Audace - Università di Trieste - 2023 Foiling SuMoth Challenge © Martina Orsini / We Are Foiling Media
The 2023 Foiling SuMoth Challenge concluded on July 5th, the final day of the 10th Anniversary of Foiling Week with the announcement of the winners on July 5th. Having completed 3 stages throughout the past week, the teams were judged by an international team of experts in their respective fields, resulting in top 3 winners per stage and one overall winner that was awarded a Garmin watch.
The seven participating university teams from five different Nations concluded three stages. The teams were assessed by a carefully selected jury including Todd McGuire (USA) from 11th Hour Racing, Chris J. Museler (USA) writer for the New York Times, Noah Ferrarotto (CAN) from SuMoth, Bruno Giuntoli (ARG) representing SuMoth and online judges Kellie Covington (UK) from Sustainable Marine Alliance, Tim Mollenhauer (UK) from MarineShift360, Andrew Friend (UK), Adriano Petrino (SUI) both experienced Moth Designers/Manufacturers and Paolo Manganelli (ITA) from Gurit. The jury members evaluated each team's report, presentation, and performance trials and their assessments culminated in the selection of the winners.
The first stage (S1), reporting and presenting, was completed by all participating teams. To accommodate the entries of this year, this stage was divided into teams of refitted boats and those with new concepts.
Winner of stage 1 in new concepts was the Audace Team. Hailing from the University of Trieste, they brought a fresh perspective to the SuMoth Challenge. Despite being rookies in the competition, their expertise in building fast boats showed with their creation, Flying Lina.
In second place came the POLIMI Sailing Team (Politecnico di Milano) with Febe, their newest build.
Third place went to UK based Solent University SuMoth Team, who impressed the jury with their sleek and eco-friendly vessel, using bio-based materials and industrial waste products. Their boat has been tested on the water, and the team is continuously tweaking it to achieve optimum foiling performance, embodying their commitment to sustainable sailing practices.
The refitted category of Stage 1 was won by Canadian team Rafale ÉTS (École de Technologie Supérieure) from Montreal. Returning for the second time, they significantly improved their boat's speed and reliability through a meticulous refitting process.
Runner up was the POLITO Sailing Team, a group of 80 experienced students from the Politecnico di Torino. This year marks their third appearance in the challenge.
The second stage (S2), manufacturing and performance trials, was successfully completed by six teams. The first place winner of this stage was the POLIMI Sailing Team. This boat exhibited great potential following successful sea trials. The team has worked tirelessly to ensure Febe's participation on the start line, and their dedication is commendable.
In second place came team Rafale ÉTS demonstrating exceptional performance at the starting line, they are now focused on enhancing their maneuverability, further cementing their reputation as formidable competitors. Runner up in stage 2 was Team Audace.
The third stage (S3), racing, saw four boats on the starting line on the majority of race days. Winner of this stage was POLITO Sailing Team, their vessel Sula consistently dominated the racecourse, showcasing the team's remarkable engineering skills.
In second place came The POLIMI Sailing Team (Politecnico di Milano) with their vessel Teti, which competed last year, and has been upgraded for improved reliability and on-water performance, which showed in their racing results. Third place was awarded to the Audace Team, while impressively achieving a speed of 20 knots during trials, it couldn't beat the other two teams.
The overall winner is determined by looking at its performance throughout all 3 stages, as well as being able to receive additional points for specific additional efforts made to the project, such as having a female as part of the team, producing a scientific paper entry, or having a member of the team from a country that is currently not represented in the Olympic Games.
The overall winner of the 2023 edition of the Foiling SuMoth Challenge is Audace Team, hailing from the University of Trieste. Todd McGuire from 11th Hour Racing was present at prize-giving to award the team their prize and congratulate them on their efforts.
Foiling Week is immensely proud to host the SuMoth Challenge, showcasing the remarkable talent, dedication, and sustainability initiatives of these university teams. The event provides a platform for innovative ideas and sets the stage for future advancements in sustainable sailing practices.
The SuMoth Challenge has received significant support from 11th Hour Racing, the organization that harnesses the power of sport to find and promote sustainable solutions. The Challenge is organized with the collaboration of its sponsors MarineShift360, Bcomp, and Persico Marine, in partnership with the Sustainable Marine Alliance, GAC Pindar and GiPSy buoys.
11th Hour Racing works to mobilize sports, maritime and coastal communities with an innovative approach to inspire solutions for the ocean. Since 2010 the organization has been harnessing the power of sport to promote collaborative, systemic change through three primary areas of engagement: Sponsorships, Grantees, and Ambassadors. Learn more at www.11thhourracing.org
The Foiling SuMoth is an international challenge for engineering and naval architecture universities to design, build and sail the best performing and most sustainable boat. The SuMoth Challenge is part of the We Are Foiling series of events and initiatives strictly related and connected to foiling, the new era of sailing towards a sustainable way of mobility on water.
For more information visit sumoth.org.