Youth America's Cup: Dodici giovani squadre in vista del vertice di Barcellona - Maru Scheel: "Avanti così!".
Tatjana Pokorny
· 16.09.2024
There was tense but also infectious anticipation on the stage at the press conference with the young skippers for the 3rd Unicredit Youth America's Cup, which starts on Tuesday off Barcelona. Eleven men and one woman answered the questions of the international reporters. They presented their teams, reported on their very different preparation, the training days before Barcelona and the challenging handling of the AC40 foils.
It was noticeable that there was only one female skipper on stage, Maru Scheel from Kiel. Her eleven fellow skippers and competitors are men in the Unicredit Youth America's Cup. The trained 49erFX helmswoman from the Kiel Yacht Club said: "I'm just happy to be on the boat. Not because I'm a woman, but as an athlete."
Youth America's Cup: springboard for Cup talents
After an early morning photo session at the Hivernacle del Parc de la Ciutadella in Barcelona, the next generation of sailing stars were unveiled at the press conference ahead of tomorrow's start of the Youth America's Cup. For the next generation, it is the ultimate showcase and a chance to break into the professional world. The competition, which is now being held for the third time since 2013, has established itself as a trailblazer for the America's Cup teams.
Many of the current stars have already taken part in the Youth America's Cup before stepping into the limelight. These include two-time Cup winner and current defender Peter Burling, who is skippering the New Zealand "Taihoro" and defending the "Auld Mug" with Emirates Team New Zealand. Eleven years ago, Peter Burling, Blair Tuke and Andy Maloney won the Youth America's Cup. Today, all three are key members of the America's Cup defence team.
Twelve teams will compete for the Youth America's Cup in Barcelona. They will have to prove themselves in both the fleet race and the match racing showdown in order to be successful. "To finally get on the real boat after many months in the simulator, to feel the wind, the waves and the real boat, it's just great," said Maru Scheel. Sometimes, says the 24-year-old skipper for AC Team Germany, it is "quite hard to get the communication systems all right, but the challenge is the same for everyone".
Different levels of experience in the Youth America's Cup
The teams' AC40 experience to date is not quite the same for everyone. "Some teams here have already sailed hundreds of hours on the AC40s, others like us or the German team before Barcelona didn't have any until the first training session here," said skipper Bart Lambriex from Jao Team Dutch Sail in Barcelona. At 25, the multiple 49er world champion just fits into the age limit for the Youth America's Cup, which is open to sailors up to the age of 25.
One of the favourites for overall victory in the 3rd Youth America's Cup is the Italian team Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, whose skipper Marco Gradoni has an XXXL horizon compared to his youth rivals. Marco Gradoni was the port helmsman for the senior team in the 37th America's Cup at the second America's Cup pre-regatta in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), when the Italians finished second behind the Kiwis.
Marco Gradoni said in Barcelona: "It was a really great experience to be with the Luna Rossa team in Jeddah - and now here with the youth team, all new guys. The past is the past and now I want to focus on the present."
Marco Gradoni is the high-flyer
The assessment of the three-time Opti World Champion and Cup high-flyer, who is only 20 years old, before the start of the Youth America's Cup: "I think we have a great team, really good sailors and the women's team is also very supportive. We just need to focus, we've learnt a lot and we've done a lot ourselves to be here and prepare, so we just want to go sailing and do our best."
It's a great honour!" Leo Takahashi
Leo Takahashi, the next rising star of New Zealand sailing, said in Barcelona: "Emirates Team New Zealand is a household name back home, so it was really cool for the team and I to be involved in the operations and see how it all works. These boats are fantastic. The simulator was a really good stepping stone. A big shout out to the ACE team and Emirates Team New Zealand for providing us with these boats and giving us a springboard to showcase our talents."
According to the format for the Unicredit Youth America's Cup, the total of twelve teams for the Fleetrace Qualifying Series will be divided into two groups of six. The crews representing official America's Cup teams will sail in one group (Pool A), while the invited teams from Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden will sail in a second fleet (Pool B). AC Team Germany will start the race with Maru Scheel and Paul Farien as helmsmen and trimmers Tom Heinrich and Jesse Lindstädt.
Team presentation in the America's Cup Race Village
The top three teams in each pool after eight races will contest the semi-finals with four more fleet races. The top two teams will advance to the match race final for the Youth America's Cup. A single race will decide the winner on 26 September. The Youth America's Cup will begin on 17 September with the first races for Pool A and will continue on 18 September with the first races for Pool B. AC Team Germany will start on 18 September. If you are currently in Barcelona, you can see all the teams on stage at the America's Cup Race Villange this evening (16 September).
