Please select your home edition
Edition
X-Yachts Leaderboard 2024 4

Red Bull Youth America’s Cup - Next World Energy stands firm

by Chantal Buard on 3 Sep 2013
Red Bull Youth America’s Cup Official Training 1 ACEA - Photo Gilles Martin-Raget http://photo.americascup.com/
In the Red Bull Youth America's Cup, Next World Energy is still well up there at the end of the second day. The French youngsters finished eighth and fourth in the day’s two fleet races on Monday in San Francisco Bay. With half of the races behind them now, they are in seventh place in the overall rankings, which remain extremely close with just three points separating the first seven teams. Here are the summaries of race 3 and 4 from Monday 2nd September.

The conditions were really pleasant for the third race in the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup: sunshine and a twelve-knot WSW’ly wind. After rather disappointing starts in the first two races on Sunday, the young French sailors on Next World Energy skippered by Arthur Ponroy with Antoine Lauriot-Prévost at the helm, were determined to do better today. Well placed in the middle of the line, they almost pulled it off. Unfortunately, they were given a penalty for being over the line too soon. They therefore had to slow down and lost some precious time. Three other crews found themselves in the same situation: Full Metal Jacket Racing (NZL), American Youth Sailing Force (USA) and Team Tilt (SUI).


At the rear of the fleet at the first mark, the French AC45 was in a rather tricky position as they tackled the first downwind leg. But it is not over until it’s over in these races, where the positions keep changing, and it is quite possible to claw your way back up through the fleet. For the French, it was a matter of never giving up. But Next World Energy simply could not move up through the fleet this time. After 25 minutes of a race they had dominated from start to finish, the Portuguese crossed the line first. They were the third winners in three races. The penalty at the start of the race was very costly for the French and they ended up in eighth place.

The top five in Race 3:

1/ ROFF/Cascais Sailing Team (POR) ;
2/ Team Tilt (SUI) ;
3/ American Youth Sailing Force (USA) ;
4/ Full Metal Jacket Racing (NZL) ;
5/ All In Racing (GER)
...
8/ Next World Energy (FRA)


The second race of the day took place in more or less the same wind conditions. The ten AC45s got off to a good start building up speed as they headed for the first mark. Rather left behind, the Next World Energy was back in eighth place after the first reaching leg with the Australians, Swedes and Swiss out in front. The positions would not change by the end of the first upwind leg. However, the second downwind leg saw a huge change in the situation. Suffering from a major problem with their Code 0, the Australians dropped right back in the rankings, while the French moved up two spots to be in fifth place at mark 4. And that in spite of a close call with the New Zealand Full Metal Jacket Racing crew, who almost collided with them. Next World Energy called for a penalty and were judged to be right. After a good upwind leg, with the AC45 skippered by Arthur Ponroy battling it out with the Portuguese for fourth place, the French grabbed the advantage at the fifth mark. In spite of coming under pressure from the Americans, the young French crew held on and just managed to stay in fourth place at the finish. Well played!

The top five in Race 4:

1/ Swedish Youth Challenge (SWE) ;
2/ Team Tilt (SUI) ;
3/ NZL Sailing with ETNZ ;
4/ Next World Energy (FRA) ;
5/ American Youth Sailing Force (USA)

Antoine Mermod, team manager for Next World Energy: 'The races are still just as exciting and closely fought. As on the first day, our starts weren’t that good today – that’s obviously something we need to work on. But we’re satisfied with everything else. The crew once again proved its ability to get out of tricky situations in today’s second race. In the first, there were no openings allowing us to get back up there. But it’s no big deal, as all the crews are experiencing some tricky races. The competition continues and everything is still to play for: it will all be decided in the final gybe in the eighth and final race!'

Arthur Ponroy, skipper of the Next World Energy AC45: 'All of the crewmen are on a war footing and we’re ready for action. It’s just a pity that we haven’t managed to get off to a better start in the races… We really need to improve on this aspect. If we got off to a good start, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t come up with some very good results. The second race of the day was promising: any race where you finish in the top five is a good race. The overall rankings remain close and the rest of the event looks like being a closely fought contest, particularly the last race, which counts double. But first of all we need to concentrate on tomorrow’s races.'

Rankings after four races:

1 NZL Sailing with ETNZ (NZL) 28 pts
2. American Youth Sailing Force (USA) 28 pts
3. Team Tilt (SUI) 27 pts
4. Swedish Youth Challenge (SWE) 26 pts
5. Full Metal Jacket Racing (NZL) 26 pts
6. ROFF/Cascais Sailing Team (POR) 26 pts
7. Next World Energy (FRA) 25 pts
8 All In Racing (GER) 17 pts
9. Objective Australia (AUS) 9,3 pts
10. USA45 Racing (USA) 9 pts Energy Team website

Henri-Lloyd Dynamic RangeMcDYachts_Pyewacket-for-Sale_1456x180 BOTTOMAllen Sailing

Related Articles

Rooster Outlet deals during the boat show
More lines, more sizes, and bigger savings, even if you're not visiting Southampton The Southampton International Boat Show is officially underway, and we're excited to be there showcasing the latest Rooster kit alongside some unmissable deals. If you're visiting SIBS, make sure to come and see us at stand no W062.
Posted today at 7:00 pm
BONDS Flying Roos in pole position in Geneva
Day 1 of Rolex Switzerland Sail Grand Prix The BONDS Flying Roos top the event leaderboard with 25 points after opening day in Geneva. All 12 international teams battled shifty, light conditions, with those able to stay up on the foils and nail the maneuvers finding themselves still in the hunt.
Posted today at 6:21 pm
Biotherm takes the win
Spectacular Coastal Race in Boka Bay marks the end of The Ocean Race Europe The Boka Bay Coastal Race was a perfect reflection of this edition of The Ocean Race Europe: spectacular. And as they did over and over again during the past six weeks, it was Paul Meilhat's Biotherm who secured victory.
Posted today at 6:13 pm
SailGP: Australia on top in Geneva- Day 1
The Flying Roos sit on top of the leaderboard, after the first day of racing in SailGP Switzerland. The Flying Roos sit on top of the leaderboard, after the first day of racing in SailGP Switzerland. This was the first test of the new light air foils, and three races were sailed, all completed within the time limits.
Posted today at 3:08 pm
America's Cup: Vision for the Naples unveiled
Emirates Team NZ and Sport e Salute unveiled the vision for the America's Cup in Naples in 2027. Emirates Team NZ and Sport e Salute, the publicly-owned Italian company responsible for promoting sports and a healthy lifestyle across the nation, unveiled the vision for the Louis Vuitton 38th America's Cup in Naples in 2027.
Posted today at 2:30 pm
Globe40 2025 update
Credit Mutuel arrives in the Cape Verde archipelago Ian Lipinski and Antoine Carpentier on CREDIT MUTUEL marked the start of this second edition of the GLOBE40 with their victory in the first official leg of the event. It was at 08:37 UTC today that they crossed the finish line off the city of Mindelo!
Posted today at 12:36 pm
Meet Benoit Marie: 6-for-6 and Mini Transat Ready
Six races - six wins Benoit Marie isn't just having a good season — he's having a perfect one onboard his Classe Mini Nicomatic x Petit Bateau. Six races. Six wins.
Posted today at 11:00 am
The latest in fleet monitoring and tracking
Join us on October 22nd for an in-depth exploration of the latest in tracking technology Fleet monitoring and tracking are essential for efficiency, safety, and compliance with real-time visibility into fleet movements critical.
Posted today at 9:30 am
2025 Dutch Water Week day 3
Britain's Micky Beckett continues to lead the ILCA 7 fleet Day Three of the Dutch Water Week, the last stop of the Sailing Grand Slam 2025, brought sunshine and light winds to Almere.
Posted today at 8:53 am
Women's Match Racing Worlds in Chicago Day 3
Quarter-Finals set at Women's Match Racing Worlds After a third day of unseasonable light airs on Lake Michigan, the qualifying round-robin stage of the World Sailing Women's Match Racing World Championship concluded, advancing the top eight teams to the quarter-final stage.
Posted today at 7:57 am