America's Cup: Alinghi Red Bull Racing capsizes after first sail in Barcelona - Updated
by Richard Gladwell/Sail-World.com 2 Sep 2022 07:45 AEST
1 September 2022
Alinghi Red Bull Racing - capsized after their first sail Barcelona - August 31, 2022 © Alinghi RBR media
America's Cup: Alinghi Red Bull Racing has capsized their AC75 Boat Zero after first sail in Barcelona.
This story is now updated with video of weather bomb which hit Barcelona while Alinghi RBR was under tow.
In a statement issued only on social media by the team, they disclosed that after what was described as "a successful day of sailing, Alinghi Red Bull Racing's BoatZero was hit by the violent rain squall, which developed over the city of Barcelona on Wednesday afternoon."
"While towing back with sails down, the boat bounced into the wind and was pushed on to her side.
"Some of the crew members were knocked overboard but were promptly recovered by the support team.
"Everyone returned safe and sound to the team base.
"Alinghi Red Bull Racing's BoatZero suffered minor damage to the port foil arm and to the hull. We will be back on the water soon, carrying on with our preparation for the 37th America's Cup." says Silvio Arrivabene, Co-General Manager of Alinghi Red Bull Racing."
Wind recordings from a nearby land based station show a relatively light breeze changing rapidly in direction, and increasing to an average of 25kts, and likely gusts well into the mid-30's accompanied by driving rain. These readings could have been higher on the sailing area.
It is not known if Boat Zero, or Emirates former first generation AC75, was able to get foiling on her first sail. From the land based wind observations the breeze may have been too light for the AC75 to have got foiling without the assistance of a tow from the chase boat. The lazy, but nevertheless significant cross-swell in Barcelona, could also have been a factor.
Specifics of the damage or when Alinghi Red Bull Racing's "Boat Zero" will sail again, are not known.
Capsizes, where the AC75 is knocked onto its beam ends, are relatively commonplace.
The former Te Aihe, now Boat Zero, capsized at least twice when sailed by Emirates Team New Zealand, and their race boat Te Rehutai also capsized during practice ahead of the 2021 America's Cup. No significant damage was incurred on any occasion, and in the first instance, off Auckland's North Head, Te Aihe was righted and continued sailing.