Expectations for the second day of racing at the first Preliminary Regatta of the AC38 were for more crash and burn conditions on the Mediterranean waters of Cagliari. The weather gods had a different plan – but the racing amongst the eight boat fleet was still hugely entertaining nevertheless.
Disaster struck the British GB1 team while Dylan Fletcher’s crew were warming up prior to racing, when a problem with the hydraulic system controlling one of the foil flaps developed a serious malfunction. Despite the best efforts of the shore crew, the problem could not be resolved on the water and the team returned to the dock never to return.
One year out from the 38th America’s Cup in Naples, Italy the two frontrunning teams – Emirates Team New Zealand and the Italian syndicate Luna Rossa – have both this taken the opportunity to put in some valuable training time on the expected AC38 racecourse.
Last week I made a ‘trains, planes, and automobiles’ round trip to attend an update presentation on Giovanni Soldini’s Ferrari Hypersail project at the spectacular all-new North Sails loft in Genoa, Italy.
