Lake Garda ‘tranquillo’ for Day 1 of the GC32 Riva Cup

by GC32 Racing Tour on 11 May 2017 In stark contrast to the last few days when Lake Garda delivered the brisk, flat water conditions for which it is famous, the opening races of the GC32 Racing Tour’s GC32 Riva Cup had to be put on hold due to a lack of wind.

Late morning, the eleven GC32 catamarans ventured out of the Fraglia Vela Riva, at the north end of Lake Garda, to the race area in a promising moderate southerly ‘Ora’ wind. Sadly just minutes before the first start, the wind vanished and a haze appeared over the lake, partially shrouding the towering mountains that surround Riva del Garda.

After 40 minutes of waiting and no improvement, the AP over H flags were raised and the boats returned to the Fraglia Vela Riva to remain on stand-by. Sadly the wind remained evasive for the rest of the afternoon.

Principal Race Officer Stuart Childerley explained: “There is quite a lot of change going on around here with different weather systems - that has created instability. We had a small southerly come through before the start sequence and we are expecting rain this evening.”

Tanguy Cariou, Team Manager of Team Tilt added: “It was sunny this morning and here in Riva that means you can normally expect to get a good southerly in the afternoon. When we went out it was still like that, but quickly it became cloudy and killed the breeze. We know in Riva we can get champagne conditions. Hopefully tomorrow will be better and we should get a good southerly.”

Jérôme Clerc, skipper of Realteam commented: “Yesterday there was too much wind and today not enough. Everyone wants to race here - I hope we will get some in tomorrow.”

Coming all the way from an island in the middle of the Atlantic, Mackenzie Cooper, skipper of Bermuda’s Red Bull Youth America’s Cup crew on Team BDA was finding the conditions on and the terrain around Lake Garda perplexing. “It is very different scenery compared to what we’re used to. We haven’t seen mountains this big, some of us, ever. And the weather is really confusing. It boggles the mind… There is a lot going on with the clouds and all sorts of different weather. We are hopeful for some better breeze tomorrow.”

Tomorrow racing will get going earlier. Stuart Childerley says: “We are seeing a southerly first thing in the morning and then it getting showery, so we are looking to start at 1200 CET.”