Young Azzurra back in Porto Cervo for Persico 69F Cup
by Yacht Club Costa Smeralda 5 Jul 2021 22:17 PDT
5-10 & 12-17 July 2021
Young Azzurra racing © Marta Rovatti Studihrad / 69F Media
Young Azzurra, the sporting project launched by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (YCCS) in 2020, is back in her home waters of Porto Cervo to take part in the Grand Prix 2.1 and the Grand Prix 2.2 of the Persico 69F Cup circuit, taking place from 5 to 10 July and 12 to 17 July respectively.
The team composed of skipper Ettore Botticini, flight controller Federico Colaninno and the two mainsail trimmers who alternate on board, Erica Ratti and Francesca Bergamo, returned to Porto Cervo last week to resume training under the guidance of coach Gabriele Bruni. The last time the team foiled together on the waters off Porto Cervo was during training in November 2020.
Young Azzurra claimed victory in the Grand Prix 1.1, the first event in the circuit, in Malcesine (Lake Garda), and from 8 July the team will begin two intense weeks of competition in the two Persico 69F Cup events alongside eight other participating teams.
Gabriele Bruni, coach of Young Azzurra: "Finally we are back sailing with the Persico 69F in our home waters! We've done some training on Lake Garda, but sailing in the sea will be different: different waves, more unstable breeze, more challenging conditions for foiling. The training days before the regattas will be important to get back into the rhythm on salt water. I'd like to try some different formations with the crew and it's important to do that now in order to be competitive in the Youth Foiling Gold Cup leg in Limone, on Lake Garda. The Young Azzurra guys are very professional and determined!"
Ettore Botticini, skipper of Young Azzurra: "We are happy to be back sailing in the waters of Porto Cervo, it's a place where we have raced a lot, but on different sized boats with different dynamics (displacement yachts). Sailing on foiling boats in the waters of the Costa Smeralda is a privilege, but it certainly presents some difficulties, given the wave motion and the frequent variations in the breeze along the coast. With the guys in the Young Azzurra team we have perfected our routine manoeuvres, such as tacks and gybes. We are still working hard on the lay lines along the course, which could play a key role in the races on our home waters."