Youth America's Cup: Cup youngsters challenged - cut-throat competition instead of foil action

Everything looked good for a strong start for Youth AC Team Germany in the first race of Qualification Group B at the 3rd Unicredit Youth America's Cup. The foiler was travelling well just before the signal and the on-board data after the race suggested that it could have been a dream start. If only the port foil had not suddenly come up on the way to the line - through no fault of the crew.

Hard: The same boat already had to contend with exactly this technical problem in the races of qualifying group A when it was still being sailed by the youngsters of the Swiss team Alinghi Red Bull Racing.

After foil breakdown: early start instead of dream start

"We went out with little wind. The race was postponed longer. We got into the pits well, the timing was good. Then our port foil just came up in the start box. It was the problem that Alinghi already had. That's why we had to tack in front of the boat just before the line and dropped off the foil. From then on it was tricky, otherwise it would have been a cool zero start," summarised Lukas Hesse, Chief Shore Operations at AC Team Germany.

All six teams in qualifying group B in the opening race realised that every start on the AC40 speedsters is particularly difficult at the lower wind limit. Only the Australians started the race without a penalty. It didn't save them in the end. The five other teams had taken at least one penalty by the time the starting signal was given, Canada even three!

The penalty was imposed on the German boat because the mini-cupper with a striking advert for "Kiel.Sailing City" was still on the windward side of the line at the start signal as a result of the foil problem. "As soon as you are through to leeward and dipped into the line again, you are 'clear'," explained Lukas Hesse.

Light wind start for Youth America's Cup

Involuntarily starting the opening race on the wrong foot with marginal winds and a half metre wave, the German quartet with helmsmen Paul Farien (starboard) and Maru Scheel (port) as well as trimmers Tom Heinrich and Jesse Lindstädt struggled as the race progressed. The course was full of holes and had as many traps as moles on the grass. On the foils, off the foils and back on the foils - that was the main task of this challenging day.

While the Dutch Jajo Team Dutchsail fell behind at the start and had to abandon the race, the highly favoured Swedes initially dominated the race. They were followed at the first gate by the aggressive Sail Team Barcelona, Andoo Team Australia, Black-Red-Gold and Canada. In this second qualifying group B of invited teams with no connection to any of the current racing teams in the 37th America's Cup, the Swedes are in a league of their own on paper.

Unlike the other Pool B teams, the young Swedish Challenge powered by Artemis Technologies has its own AC40. This gives helmsmen Oscar Engström and Ludvig Lindqvist and their crew a huge training advantage. Other invited youth teams, such as the Spaniards, were able to gain at least some real AC40 experience in advance thanks to charter opportunities. The Dutch and German talents, on the other hand, have to transfer the knowledge they have acquired in the simulator to the regatta course as quickly as possible.

Sweden shock in the final sprint

So far, they have not done badly at all. In training before the Youth America's Cup, AC Team Germany finished 2nd and 4th, showing that they definitely have a chance of reaching the semi-finals. The first three places in each of the two qualifying groups qualify for this. In the first race, luck may not have been on their side with the technical failure. In the end, however, skipper Maru Scheel and the three men from AC Team Germany still managed to secure fourth place.

The highly fancied Swedes also had to admit defeat in the final sprint, which was full of twists and turns. They were stuck in displacement mode on the course, which was shortened to three sections. They were edged out by the Spaniards, who were acclaimed on their home turf, as well as Canada's Team Concord Pacific Racing.

"It was a shocker when we couldn't get back on the foils on the last downwind section, it was simply painful. We got away quite well with third place and could have finished fifth. But of course it still hurts," said Swedish helmsman Ludvig Lindqvist.

Weekend action in the Youth America's Cup

The Australians finished fifth behind AC Team Germany. Only one race instead of the hoped-for four on Friday evening was the slim yield of the light wind sailing day. But it made us curious for more.

Youth America's Cup, Qualification Pool B, intermediate results after 1 race:

1. Sail Team BCN Youth (Spain), 10 points
2. Concord Pacific Racing Youth Team (Canada), 7 points
3. Swedish Challenge Youth Team powered by Artemis Technologies (Sweden), 5 points
4. Youth AC Team Germany (Germany), 3 points
5. Andoo Team Australia Youth Team (Australia), 2 points
6. Jajo Team Dutchsail (Netherlands), 0 points

The races of qualifying group B in the Youth America's Cup will continue on Saturday (21 September) from 14:09. Click here for the live broadcast. And here is the reload of the opening race for Pool B: