Youth Foiling Gold Cup Act 2 all set for Limone
by 69F Sailing 12 Aug 2021 14:09 BST
13-26 August 2021
Youth Foiling Gold Cup Act 1 © Marta Rovatti Studihrad
The cold grey waters that greeted the youth sailors in Act 1 of the Youth Foiling Gold Cup feel like they were from another world as the world's top foiling youth sailors take the wraps off their Persico 69F boats form Act 2 in Limone sul Garda this week.
The sun is shining, the famous Garda ora wind is pumping and the fast foiling yachts have new One Sails 4T recyclable sails that have been colour coded to the boats. The multi-coloured fleet will create an impressive spectacle for the summer holidaymakers but make no mistake, the sailors are here for the tight fight on the water, not for the gelato!
Act 1 champions, team Dutch Sail - Janssen de Jong have been on-site for weeks, training hard to get to know the local wind shifts. Team helm, Cas van Dongen can't wait to mix it up with the YFGC fleet, having been training without competition back home in the Netherlands since the conclusion of Act 1 in March. "We feel that the Persico 69F really rewards clean boat handling in the manoeuvres, so we have focussed on our job list. It will be interesting to see what the other teams have improved on since we last saw them."
The Dutch team was dominant in Act 1, but Italian team Young Azzurra, helmed by Ettore Botticini was the best of the rest and have since become the overall champions in the parallel Persico 69F Cup series. "The Grand Prix events are excellent training, and we're coming back to the Youth Foiling Gold Cup match fit from all the racing. We have worked hard on our starts and on the first reach and feel that this will be our weapon against the Dutch".
While the favourites going into Act 2 are clear, the top two teams won't have it all their way as they will be joined by eight other teams that are deep with talent and experience. The ten teams represent Italy, USA, Switzerland, France, United Kingdom, and the Netherlands and count among their ranks several national, European and world championship title holders in a variety of sailing classes.
69F Sailing Director, Dede de Luca, is happy to see the youth sailors return to Garda, especially on the new side of the lake. "The location is exceptional because we are in Limone so it will be new for the sailors and the circuit. We have all the ingredients for a great event, including newly colour branded sails using the 4T technology and, of course, great youth sailors on fast foiling boats. Even the new gold medalist in the Nacra 17, Ruggero Tita, will be on hand to give the sailors some tips, and their prizes at the end!"
Key details:
Sailing days, August 13th through 26th. Sailing dates include training days, qualification, knockouts and finals.
If you want to watch the racing live, come to 69F RACE VILLAGE in Limone sul Garda, Lake Garda located in Spiaggia lungolago (25010 Limone Sul Garda, Province of Brescia, Italy)
If you can't watch live, check out our social media channels @69fsailing