GC32 Riva Cup finishes in grand style

by Press Office Fraglia Vela Riva on 30 May 2016 The first edition of the GC32 Riva Cup finishes in grand style. The first edition of the GC32 Racing tour featured Olympians, Skippers from the America's Cup and celebrities such as Pierre Casiraghi. Franck Cammas on Norauto had a well deserved win after leading in the standings all week. The speed record for the GC32 was achieved by the Team Tilt with 39.7 knots.

The staff of Fraglia Vela Riva are pleased with the outcome of having organised an event with nine 32' foil boats with 19 races completed in perfect skiff conditions with winds of 8-10 knots which also added to the speed and performance of the boats in competition.

This event attracted the attention of not only of the international media ( due to the presence of Pierre Casiraghi on Malizia Yacht Club of Monaco), but also of the many enthusiasts wanting to watch these incredible crafts glide through the water.

The Teams on their first regatta of the season, gradually gained confidence and gradually day by day were able to improve so by the third day they were performing at their best fending off adversaries. All the Teams went beyond a speed of 35 Knots due to the excellent wind conditions on Northern Lake Garda. The record set by Team Tilt of 39.7 knots, however, won't last long considering the improvement made in the last three days.

Fraglia Vela Riva has come up to the challenge of organising such an event . The safety on water alone was guaranteed thanks to the navigational authority of Riva del Garda who were able to keep the race courses free of windsurfers and all kinds of boats with a fleet of six motor boats. The logistics were ideal with enough space for containers and cranes for lifting the catamarans and all within walking distance from the old town of Riva del Garda which was appreciated by everyone.

Final Standings
The best of the pack was Franck Cammas skipper of the French team in the 35th America's Cup and winner of the Volvo Ocean Race as well as the Transat Jacques-Vabre, Route du Rhum, Solitaire dub Figaro. He returns to competition after a serious injury sustained during training last autumn. Cammas maintained good form always coming in the top three apart from a fifth.

The Swiss team Tilt, coached by Italian Pietro Sibello former 49er Olympian, with technician Australian Glenn Ashby ( Olympic silver medallist at Beijing on the Tornado catamaran and multi champion on class A, Tornado and Formula 18 and skipper in the America's Cup with Team New Zealand.) They showed themselves to be the main adversary to Cammas but problems arose in the tenth race where he compromised with Norauto on the last day where only one race was completed due to a drop in the wind.

Many competitors expressed their appreciation including Australian Ashby, “This regatta was a perfect mix of work and pleasure with 19 magnificent foils taking part on an exceptional lake Garda which even with bad weather allowed us to race with 14-15 knots. In third place was Armin Strom Sailing Team, the new skiff of president of the GC32 class Flavio Marazzi, who maintained a good average. Malizia Yacht Club of Monaco with Pierre Casiraghi, after capsizing on the second day, managed to place a first and third partial but weren't able to maintain their rhythm and therefore dropped behind.

“It was the best week of sailing I've ever had and I can't wait to come back and compete on the GC32”- commented Pierre Casiraghi, second in the special classification owner – driver behind American Jason Carroll on Argo twice world champion on the Melges 32. Compliments were made by Team Spindrift on the conditions on Lake Garda who declared Lake Garda the ideal location for GC32 racing.