First race, first win

Today was a day of ‘firsts’: the first time the AC75s have faced off, the first racing in Barcelona, and the first races of the preliminary regatta.

And first win for Alinghi Red Bull Racing!

For the opening match of the entire event, all eyes were on the Swiss and French Challengers as they lined up on the water. Following a super start that saw BoatOne speeding over the line at over 45 knots, the Swiss team successfully kept the French boat at bay through clear comms, calmly executed manoeuvres and minimal mistakes made. It was a classic match race, with Skipper Arnaud Psarofaghis overheard midway through the race instructing the crew: “When they tack, we tack”.

 

“The guys identified they had the start under control, and then executed their pre-race plan pretty well,” said Rodney Ardern, Sailing Team Manager. “They sailed the boat fast with good communication around the course and managed to extend their lead, so it was a good day.”

In the end, the Swiss team crossed the finish line 36 seconds ahead of the French. As the first time these AC75s have raced, it was also a demonstration of how well these next generation boats perform. With wind of only 13 knots, top speeds on the AC75s today reached close to 50 knots.

© Samo Vidic / Alinghi Red Bull Racing

To show Alinghi Red Bull Racing’s switch to Race Mode, the team is now all kitted out in white. As usual, the sailors were sent off with fanfare for yesterday’s dock out, but this time was next level. A long line of kids rang the team’s brass bell (with some help from their parents) as BoatOne left the dock, while team members from all departments whooped and cheered. For Trimmer Bryan Mettraux, it was emotional. “We know that there are a lot of people working hard to give us the chance to sail these boats, and it's great to see them all here when we dock out. The energy and the atmosphere was amazing.”

Tomorrow Alinghi Red Bull Racing will again compete in the first match race of the day, opposite NYYC American Magic. “I think everyone's happy to get off on the right foot,” Rodney added. “We've got to meet all these challengers a few more times, so it's early days, of course, but we got a little bit of a gauge. We can see that we make mistakes, and everyone else is making mistakes, so we need to minimise those.”

As Rodney says, it’s a solid start. Now it’s time to keep up the pressure!

form-error-fields