Team Tilt set for the Red Bull Youth Americas Cup Selection Series

Team Tilt set for the Red Bull America's Cup Selection Series © Team Tilt

Seven Swiss sailors, all under 25, are poised to seize the opportunity of a lifetime tomorrow at the Red Bull Youth America's Cup qualifiers. For the first time in the history of the America's Cup youth sailors will open the world's most famous yacht race with a competition of their own.

The Red Bull Youth America's Cup fleet will include teams from Oracle Team USA, Team New Zealand and Artemis, as well as from around the world that have qualified on merit.

Team Tilt is one such team who flying the Swiss flag and representing the Société Nautique de Genève will line up tomorrow against 10 others on board the AC45 catamarans.

"It is an extraordinary opportunity for us, I can't wait for the competition to begin," said Lucien Cujean, Team Tilt helmsmen. "We have been preparing and dreaming of this day for four months. The team is ready and we are impatient to get our hands on the AC45! We have dozens of questions: will the AC45s feel like a Decision 35, will the weather be good, will we stand a chance? I hope we can keep the boat the right way up and that we don't end up high and dry on Alcatraz!"

Team Tilt will compete in the second round of qualifiers that run from 18 until 24 February (the first round was held last week). Performance counts for 60% of the results, while determination, the team's training programme and potential are also among the criteria that will determine their success. Results will be posted from Monday 25 February.

"I am very proud of the work achieved by the team since November," said Alex Schneiter, Team Tilt project manager. "Every one of our young team members has worked hard on preparing for this and the team is ready to compete against some of the best at the Red Bull Youth America's Cup selection series. We are looking forward to doing battle for a place for Switzerland and Team Tilt in this great event!"

www.teamtiltsailing.ch