MORNING GLORY
The first proper day of sailing for Alinghi Red Bull Racing saw a very early start for the shore team who launched BoatZero in the early-morning Barcelona light at 8.15am. With the forecast suggesting a shut-down of the breeze in the afternoon, the Swiss were eager to maximise their day by making the most of the morning’s zephyrs.
When the breeze did come, the team had BoatZero motoring on some decent runs where the concentration was clearly on maintaining flight and ride-height. As we have become accustomed to seeing with Alinghi Red Bull Racing, their sail programme is something to be admired with perfect, almost box-fresh North 3DL’s glistening in the Barcelona morning sun. Noticeable is the attention that the Swiss sail designers have paid to the clew area with a curved batten arrangement flowing from the clew forward and on the in-flight runs, it was working hard as the mainsheet traveller was trimmed aggressively.
Flight today was mainly low, consistent and remarkably stable with only the occasional broach eliciting a higher flight and subsequent splashdown. In the fading conditions, the team concentrated on relatively long runs along the Barcelona waterfront out towards the commercial port and despite the introduction of the self-tacking jib system, all of the tacks today were in displacement mode.
The forecast for the coming days is an improving picture and with the team eager to push BoatZero ever harder as their confidence grows, it will be interesting to see what those endless hours on the simulator combined with the exhausting gym sessions the team have taken over the last month, will produce.
Nicolas Rolaz, one of the youngest members of the team and the 2014 Optimist World Champion, spoke politely afterwards to the Recon Unit saying: “It was a very nice day, nice to be back foiling, we managed to take the most of the morning wind so we're really happy.” And asked about the break whilst the shore team fitted the new jib system, Rolaz offered: “The team kept on working on the boat but as well us in the Power Group we've been grinding in the gym getting fitter and getting ready for the season…The training plan is still very mixed, we’re doing a bit of everything, doing bag, doing upper body training, still undefined…we’re spending a lot of time on the bike because it's a good tool to get fit and we are exploring all the possibilities.”
A hint to cyclors on the Alinghi Red Bull Racing AC75 that will shortly be going into build?
You bet. (Magnus Wheatley)
On-Water Recon Unit Notes: Alinghi Red Bull Racing sailed for the first time since November 16 spending a total of 4 hours on the water.. They sailed on very unstable conditions for 3 hours. The wind finished over 1pm. They started the day with the J2 and when the wind went down they changed to J1.
Onboard Today
Driving Group: Arnaud Psarofaghis, Nicolas Charbonnier, Lucien Cujean, Bryan Mettraux, Maxime Bachelin, Yves Detrey
Power Group: Nicolas Rolaz, Nils Theuninck
Power Group: Lucian Cujean, Bryan Mettraux, Maxime Bechelin, Yves Detrey, Nicolas Rolaz, Nils Theuninck
Conditions: 10 degrees and sunny (AM). Wind: 5 -13 knots, North-West
Sails Used:
M1 (M1-1R): Zero Hours (Sails were raised for 30 minutes with chase rib alongside, no time sailing.)
Total Tacks: 5 – 5 touchdowns
Total Gybes: Zero
Dock-Out: 0945 Dock-In: 1345