America’s Cup, gli australiani testano l’AC45
America's CupEnglishTeam AustraliaVela 17 Febbraio 2011 Zerogradinord 0
Auckland – Un paio di giorni dopo aver ufficializzato la loro sfida all’America’s Cup, nove componenti del team australiano si sono radunati ad Auckland per testare l’AC45 indossando maglie griffate con il logo AUC AC34. Ad alternansi a bordo del prototipo di questo nuovo monotipo sono stati alcuni giovani velisti provenienti da classi acrobatiche come skiff, multiscafi e moth. E’ infatti sui giovani che il team aussie ha deciso di investire parte delle risorse. Al termine della giornata tutti si sono detti particolarmente soddisfatti per l’esito dell’uscita in mare.
Josh McKnight si è spinto oltre, commentando: “Non c’è ragione alcuna per la quale non possiamo vincere l’America’s Cup. E’ questa la grande novità riguardante la prossima edizione. E’ tutto nuovo. Tutti partono da zero e tutti possono vincere”. La giovane match race Lisa Chamberlin, che alle spalle ha una piccola esperienza in fatto di multiscafi, ha espresso parole di ammirazione nei confronti dell’AC45 e ha aggiunto che fare il match race con i catamarani rappresenta una sfida, ma garantisce anche grande divertimento.
Mettendo da parte lo scetticismo iniziale, il veterano del match race e velista olimpionico Neville Wittey ha detto: “Queste barche elevano il nostro sport. Sono atletiche ed entusiasmanti. Non vedo l’ora di provarle in un duello vero”.
Un commento ripreso dal coach del team Adam South, velista espeto di multiscafi, specie in versione offshore: “Con barche del genere starà alla mia esperienza mettere un freno all’entusiasmo delle giovani leve affinchè non facciano nulla di avventato. La prospettiva è interessante. Navigando con l’ala sarà necessario imparare alcune tecniche nuove ma questa è senza dubbio la strada che la Coppa America doveva prendere. Credo sia la cosa più magica che è capitata in oltre centocinquanta anni”.
AMERICA’S CUP, TEAM AUSTRALIA TEST AC45
[Source America’s Cup] Sporting team uniforms with the slogan AUS AC34, the group of nine sailors rotated in various sessions on board – and their verdict afterwards was universally positive.
Team Australia has a strong emphasis on youth sailors coming out of multihull, skiff and moth sailing circles. Extreme sailing is in their blood and they took to the hardwing catamaran with enthusiasm.
Josh McKnight was bullish about the team’s chances. “There is no reason why we can’t win the America’s Cup,” he declared. “That is the great thing about the new catamaran. It is all brand new. Everybody starts from scratch, so everybody is in with a chance.”
Youth match racer, Lisa Chamberlin, has very little multihull experience, but described the AC45 as an “awesome boat.” Match racing in multihulls would definitely be a challenge, she said, but reckoned it was going to be great fun.
Jason Waterhouse, by contrast, has been sailing multihulls since he was four years old and is working towards an Olympic slot in the 2016 games.
“The boat is incredibly efficient,” he said, adding that he thought the Cup would see some exciting new moves introduced to match racing.
Despite some initial skepticism, veteran Australian match racer and Olympic sailor Neville Wittey was looking forward to the prospect of match racing in multihulls. “I would love to aim one of these things at somebody in real anger. It will be fantastic. This boat will elevate our sport. It is very athletic and exciting.”
Team sailing coach Adam South has a long history of offshore multihull racing and, although he has more grey hairs than most of the team, his enthusiasm was dialed right up the scale. “A sensational bit of kit,” was how he described the AC45. He said the make-up of the fledgling team was a mix of young and old.
“The enthusiasm of the young guys will shine through and the wiser heads will keep a cap on that and make sure they don’t do anything too rash,” he said. “It is going to be an interesting prospect. Sailing with the wing will require learning some new techniques, but I was very impressed by how easily and fast the boat transitions through tacks. This is definitely the way the America’s Cup had to go. It is the most magnificent thing that has happened in sailing in 150 years.”
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