Diego Stefani joins Armin Strom for the 4th event in GC32 Racing Tour

by Quinag on 20 Sep 2016 As Armin Strom Sailing Team prepares for the fourth event in this year’s GC32 Racing Tour, skipper Flavio Marazzi has announced the crew line up will include the highly-respected and talented Uruguayan sailor, Diego Stefani.

Diego has been associated with the Armin Strom Sailing Team since 2013 and this year has seen him lend his expertise from the coach boat as he recovers from an injury suffered last year.

“I’m looking forward to being part of the race crew again. My time off the race boat has given me a much clearer idea of what we should be trying to achieve in terms of tactical decisions and manoeuvres. It’s certainly much easier to identify the details when observing from the outside,” explains Diego.

Diego will take on a trimming role at the forthcoming GC32 event being hosted by Sotogrande, on the Spanish Andalusian coast, from 22 – 25 September. He is looking forward to being back in the thick of the action. As well as being driven to try new things and develop new techniques to maximize performance, Diego has a real understanding of the physics behind foiling catamarans and enjoys the practice as much as the theory.

“With trimming, for example, the main difference compared to other types of boats is the speed and acceleration. An instinctive understanding of when is the optimum point to start trimming is essential. This is especially so when sailing downwind. The apparent wind angle changes rapidly as boat speed increases. It is critical to anticipate the evolution,” advises Diego.

Also returning to the race boat is Flavio Marazzi who takes helm after missing the previous event in Palma. The crew is completed by two New Zealanders, 2016 Match Racing World Champion Phil Robertson and Olympian Andrew Murdoch, along with Irishman Shane Diviney.

The team left the 35 Copa del Rey MAPFRE on a high after securing second place and lifting their overall tour standing to third. “The success in Palma marked a big step forward. We’ll be working hard to maintain the momentum. Personally, I’m thrilled to have Diego back on board. His experience will be invaluable as we look to get on the podium once again,” says Flavio.

Renowned for hosting top sporting events, particularly golf and polo, Sotogrande is one of the oldest and largest privately owned real estate and leisure destinations in southwest Spain. The sailing area is located in open water and the team anticipates contending with a choppy sea state. The Rock of Gibraltar should provide a spectacular, distant backdrop for the four days of high speed action.

Racing at the GC32 Sotogrande Cup begins on Thursday, 22 September and runs until Sunday, 25 September.