Vulcain Trophy - Team Tilt finishes sixth

by Team Tilt Sailing on 23 Sep 2014 Team Tilt closed the 2014 Vulcain Trophy Decision 35 championship over the weekend satisfied with what has been a positive season for the young team. The youth sailing team, led by Lucien Cujean and Sebastien Schneiter, has undergone regular crew rotation throughout the year and closed the season with a sixth place on the championship leaderboard and a ninth place at the final Grand Prix SAP.

Co-skippers, Lucien and Sebastien, missed the final event of the season as they were racing their 49er at the ISAF World Championships in Santander, Spain. Philippe Cardis stood in for them. 'We have had a lot of crew changes over the second half of the season,' said tactician Tanguy Cariou. 'We didn’t have a strong enough core to compete like for like with the experienced teams on the circuit. Every sailor onboard needs to improve and we will of course be back in 2015 stronger thanks to the experience gained this season!'

Speaking from Santander, Lucien Cujean looked back at the Decision 35 season: 'We had a very strong start to the year with a win and a podium finish, but we lacked training during the second half of the season,' he explained. 'We have learned a lot this year,' agreed his teammate Sebastien Schneiter. 'We still have a long way to go to reach the level of the professional teams, but we are on the right track.'

The Team Tilt programme is dedicated to the development of young sailors so the progress report for 2014 is all the more satisfying: 'I have never learned as much as I have this season,' said Sebastien. 'That objective has certainly been achieved!' he added. The standard of the fleet this year has also meant that the young team was able to measure itself against a very high benchmark. 'We are lacking experience and consistency, but that didn’t stop us stepping onto the podium twice!' said Lucien.

The team has confirmed its entry for the 2015 Decision 35 circuit although the crew has not yet been named. 'Lucien and I are focussed on our 49er Olympic campaign which takes a lot of our time, but Team Tilt will be on the start line in 2015 with the same goal of developing young sailors and giving the top boats on the circuit a run for their money!' said Sebastien.

Alinghi won the 2014 Vulcain trophy ahead of Realstone and Ladycat Powered by Spindrift. Team Tilt’s sixth place strengthens the momentum created by its 2013 Youth America’s Cup fourth place. And with the Decision 35 season now finished, Lucien Cujean and Sebastien Schneiter are 100% focussed on their 49er Olympic campaign.

Team Tilt crew – Grand Prix SAP

Philippe Cardis – helmsman
Alex Schneiter
Tanguy Cariou
Jonas Schagen
Jocelyn Keller
Jeremy Bachelin

Grand Prix SAP – results

1. Realstone 1 2 (7) 1 3, Total 7
2. Veltigroup 3 1 2 (5) 5, Total 11
3. Zen Too 6 4 1 (8) 1, Total 12
4. Ladycat Powered by Spindrift Racing 2 3 4 3 (9), Total 12
5. Racing Django (9) 5 5 2 4, Total 16
6. Okalys 5 (8) 6 4 2, Total 17
7. Mobimo 4 6 3 (7) 7, Total 20
8. Oryx (10) 9 9 6 6, Total 30
9. Team Tilt 7 7 8 (9) 8, Total 30
10. Ylliam - Comptoir Immobilier 8 19 (11) 11 11, Total 40

2014 Vulcain Trophy – results

1. Alinghi 1 5 1 1 3 1 1 11, Total 24
2. Realstone 4 2 2 4 2 5 6 1, Total 26
3. Ladycat Powered by Spindrift Racing 2 3 6 6 1 4 2 4, Total 28
4. Zen Too 6 4 5 5 5 3 5 3, Total 36
5. Mobimo 3 6 3 2 4 2 9 7, Total 36
6. Team Tilt 5 1 4 3 6 6 8 9, Total 42
7. Veltigroup 8 7 7 7 10 7 3 2, Total 51
8. Okalys 7 9 8 8 7 10 4 6, Total 59
9. Racing Django 11 10 9 10 8 9 7 5, Total 69
10. Oryx 9 8 10 9 9 8 11 8, Total 72
11. Ylliam Comptoir Immobilier 10 11 11 11 11 11 10 10, Total 85
Team Tilt Sailing