Okalys Youth Project wins the Youth Foiling Gold Cup ACT 3 in Newport
by 69F Sailing 19 Jul 2022 04:29 AEST
July 13-16, 2022
A week of great sailing at Race Week at Newport presented by Rolex, in Rhode Island USA, crowned the winners of the Youth Foiling Gold Cup ACT 3, the Swiss of Okalys Youth Project.
They won seven out of 10 races, dominating the fleet of six young and very fierce teams coming from all over the world. Europe was the continent most represented, with a team coming all the way from the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron in Auckland and one from the hosting nation. For them the New York Yacht Club has a special meaning, it is where American yachting has started, the cradle of sailing in the United States, but also for the ones coming from other nations, this week meant sailing for the first time in an iconic venue, among boats that made, and still makes the history of sailing.
They also wrote a page of history, it was the first time the Persico 69F fleet foiled in Narraganset Bay, in front of the prestigious clubhouse, where America's Cup heroes shook hands for decades until 1983.
And now that the America's Cup has turned into the foiling era, the win at Race Week at Newport on the Persico 69F, might represents for the Okalys Youth Project sailors, a first step in that direction. Today though, they're not looking that far ahead, they are just satisfied with their performance this week.
"We are really happy to have won the YFGC in Newport", says Charlotte Lerch, Okalys Youth Project. "Seeing that the team has improved a lot during the season, and that we were sailing in the bay in front of the New York Yacht Club with amazing conditions are a plus. Now, we are already looking forward to the YFGC ACT 4 in Torbole, we know that there are many good things there, but we are ready to fight and bring home some good results".
Helvetia by Normandie Elite Team (FRA) finished second, and the other Swiss team, Katana Sailing Team third.
"It is always beautiful to sail in iconic venues like this one, on a beautiful bay with amazing boats around us, it make the regatta even more fun", told us Jules Ducelier, Helvetia by Normandy Elite Team.
Next step for the YFGC fleet will be Torbole from August 8th to the 14th. They will be all fighting to earn the right to sail among the best six teams of the season in the Youth Foiling Gold Cup Grand Final in Barcelona - the venue of the next America's Cup - from November the 3rd to the 6th, hosted by Port Med Barcelona and co-organized by Club Nàutic Vilassar De Mar and 69F Sailing.