Unicredit Youth America’s Cup: wave, wind and spectacle in Barcelona

After the convincing performance of Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team’s youths, youth teams not belonging to America’s Cup syndicates-Spain, Sweden, Germany, Holland, Australia and Canada-also took to the water at the Unicredit Youth America’s Cup. A number of considerations can be made after the 5 races of the AC40 Unicredit Youth America’s Cup Group B held (Luna Rossa is in Group A).
First, these teams (with the exception of the Swedes) who were largely getting on an AC40 for the first time showed that one can learn to use them to their best really quickly and well.
It should be made clear that all of the men and women involved on board have considerable experience in running foiling boats, in the various classes, and that some of them had been training with a view to participating in the Olympics.
All of them, however, have spent a large number of hours on the simulator, training that allows for considerable manual dexterity and adequate alertness.
Sailing then is quite another matter but doing the simulator has now become almost indispensable because these extremely high-tech AC40s have to be at sea the right amount of time and much can be learned ashore as well. The women who participated in these Group B races yesterday are Maru Schell, at the starboard helm on the German boat, and Georgia Lewin-LaFrance, at the port helm on the Canadian boat. It is clear that the 4 wins in a row reported yesterday by the Swedish team, which has long had its own AC40 owned by the Artemis Group (which may be preparing to return to the America’s Cup), clearly indicates that the simulator is not enough but then great experience on the water and in real racing is needed.
Surprising was the racing conduct of the Australian team (starboard helmsman Jack Ferguson, port helmsman Cole Tapper), who pushed the hardest and racked up quite a number of touchdowns, splash downs and surges, with a nice final nose dive, which made the race even more spectacular.

Cross wave that really makes sailing not easy so much that all boats had during the trials more than one setback.
We could see in contrast to yesterday some good starts, which are an indication of the acquired ability of the crews to maneuver these technological means, which sometimes seem to have a life of their own.
What is surprising is the continuous change of the boats leading the standings, we saw total revolutions and changes of positions at every moment of the race.
It is clear that these touchdowns totally affect the boat’s position on the leaderboard.
You may have made a good start and taken the right side, but then you risk being punished by a crash.
The games almost always remain open until the end of the race. Race No. 2 The Race Committee decided for yesterday to shorten the race course to 4 sides from the regulation 6 sides in order to have more races.
Good start, with 5 boats very close together.
Only Germany is not lined up at the start but. far and last, and even has a penalty to pay for going out of the boundary.
Also in the race is the Dutch boat (the same one the Italians are using) that had left the field yesterday and retired due to technical problems.
The AC40s take the left with the leading three almost parallel.
Germany starts late, takes the right side of the field and gains enough water to get back into the game.
Wind on 15/16 knots, wave 70 cm.
Spanish team in the lead, tailed by Swedes and Dutch.
At the first mark Spain turns first heeled by Sweden and Holland at 8″ and 9″.
Canada at 21″, Australia at 40″, Germany far behind.
Turning the buoy, the Swedish hull passes in the lead, tailed by the Canadian hull, which is then slowed by a pair of touchdowns.
At this point touchdowns also for the Swedes, who turn the stern mark with 17″ on the Spaniards, followed by the Australians.
At the end of the second windward side Sweden continues to lead clearly, with a 48″ gap over Australia, tailed by Holland, Spain and Canada.
Germany remains far, far behind.
The last side downwind sees incredible stunts by the teams with the water going over the decks and the AC40s making continuous touchdowns.
The battle comes down to a fight between the Swedes and Australians, who cut first with a 15″ lead.
At 39″ the Dutch, well off the Spaniards, lost Canadians at more than 2′ and also racking up a penalty for going out of bounds.
Germans lost. Race No. 3 At the start of the second race of the day, which is actually the third scheduled for Group B boats (those that have been invited to participate in the Unicredit Youth America’s Cup).
Before the start, Spain takes a penalty for overshooting the boundary.
Smooth start with the six boats being fairly close together.
Australia takes the lead with Canada choosing the left.
At the first mark. passes Australia, which is not spared then a touchdown (but the others also touch) followed by Canada.
Australia decides to go for the left again but is the victim of a disastrous splash down that allows the Swedes to take the lead again and pass the stern mark ahead of Canada, Australia, Holland (protest), Spain (protest).
Germany last, well behind.
At the second windward mark Sweden is in the lead, tailed by Canada and followed at one minute by Australia (protested by Holland) who is fourth, by Spain and Germany, further back.
Positions confirmed at the finish, with Sweden winning the regatta followed by the Canadians at 49 ” and Holland and Australia within a few seconds, almost paired.
Much more distant is Germany.
No damage, no breaking despite the tense easterly wind and disjointed waves from different directions. Test 4 Nice start with wind 14 knots and wave as before.
Canada chooses the left and goes in the lead followed by Australia, Sweden and Spain who continuously alternate in position.
At the mark first Australia followed by Sweden at 8″, Canada at 9″, Spain at 13″, Germany at 28″, Holland at 47″.
Protest for Canada halfway down the stern side, then an impressive splash down by Australia, so much so that it passes Sweden in the lead, who rounds the stern buoy first.
At the windward mark new spectacular gybing by Australia.
At the second windward mark the first pass is by Sweden, followed by the teams of Spain, Canada, Germany and Australia, very close to each other, followed by Holland.
The last side sees continual changes in the positions of the teams chasing the Swedes at high speed with surges, touchdowns, and ballasting.
At the finish the first place goes to the Swedish boat of the Artemis team whose first helmsman is Oscar Engstrom, second place for Spain at 35″, followed by Australia at 47″ and Germany at 54″.
Further back are the teams from Holland and Canada. Trial 5 Four boats on the starting line, Canada lagging, Holland absent due to technical problems with the boat.
All choose the left to the edge of the field.
Australia, Spain and Sweden come up practically lined up.
At the windward mark Australia and Sweden choose port, Germany and Spain starboard.
In the stern side Australia clearly In the lead but a splash down stops her and Sweden moves to lead.
At the leeward mark Sweden passes first, followed by Spain and Germany.
On the second windward side a penalty to Austrralia, later unassigned, which passes to lead closely tailed by Sweden.
At the third gate Australia and Sweden go over the right buoy, followed by Spain.
On the final downwind side, due to a splash down by Australia the Swedes once again take the lead, crossing the finish line first with a lead over Australia of 14″, followed by Spain at 1.19″, Germany at 1.42 and Canada at 2.25. Race No. 6 Also a good race, enlivened by the bow tuck that Australia proposed before the start, from which she fortunately emerged, but which detracted from much of the race as she started with a huge delay.
Problems at the start for Spain as well, arrived late to the start and remained last throughout the race.
Fortunately, however, Dutch boat had overcome technical problems and started regularly.
Wind was dropping to 12.5 knots and the wave stable.
At the windward mark once again the Swedes led, followed at 11″ by the Dutch and within a few seconds of each other by the Germans, Canadians and Australians, who had begun to catch up.
Spain far behind.
At the stern mark Sweden increases the distance from the Dutch, who move to 44″ while the Canadians overtake the Germans.
The recovery of the Australians continues.
At gate 3 Sweden still firmly in the lead, followed by Canada, Holland and Australia.
But on the last side a disastrous splash down compromises the position of the Canadian team, so that at the finish first are the Swedes of the Artemis team, now on their 4th win, followed at 45″ by the Dutch.
Third after a race in which they managed to turn the starting situation around, the Australians. Ida Castiglioni