Alinghi Red Bull Racing at the America's Cup Preliminary Regatta 1 in Vilanova i La Geltrú - Overall
by Alinghi Red Bull Racing 18 Sep 2023 05:15 NZST
15-17 September 2023
Alinghi Red Bull Racing on day 3 of the America's Cup Preliminary Regatta in Vilanova © Alinghi Red Bull Racing / Samo Vidic
The first test of all-out racing for Alinghi Red Bull Racing
The first Preliminary Regatta is in the books with a fifth-place finish for Alinghi Red Bull Racing as weekend of racing in Vilanova i la Geltrú gets team's competitive fire going.
In the lead-up to this Preliminary Regatta, the sailors of Alinghi Red Bull Racing talked a lot about the importance of being back. Returning to the America's Cup as an entry, entering what they called "full race mode" and being at the start line of America's Cup racing for the first time in over 13 years under the flag of the Société Nautique de Genève yacht club.
That challenge was met head-on Sunday as the team wrapped up competition placing fifth in the final standings after 5 fleet races over the weekend in Vilanova i la Geltrú. "The team was in the mix for a place in the final match race going into Race 5 but an electrical issue with the one-design foil cant system at the start of the last fleet race forced us to go back on shore," said Nils Frei, head coach. "It's clearly disappointing but it was not something within our control."
The starting crew of helmsman Arnaud Psarofaghis and Maxime Bachelin with Yves Detrey and Bryan Mettraux trimming showed they were fully ready to face off against the world's best sailing teams throughout the weekend.
"It was incredible to be racing against every team that is competing in the America's Cup," said Arnaud Psarofaghis. "It's the start of it all - the last year of preparation before the Cup next year and we were happy to come here and be right up there in terms of boat speed and boat handling."
In the end, the goal was to get that taste of competition for the first time in this campaign and test all the workflows during the intensity of race mode from sailing team to shore crew, from logistics to operations. From that standpoint, a big step forward was taken in Vilanova for Alinghi Red Bull Racing with the 37th America's Cup Challenger Selection Series races now less than 1 year away. Alinghi Red Bull Racing returns to competition again November 29-December 2 with the second America's Cup Preliminary Regatta in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Later this week, the public will have the chance to meet the team and go behind the scenes at the official Base Opening on Thursday, 21 September from 16h30-21h located at Placa Odissea in Port Vell, Barcelona.