M32 Gold Cup: Showdown in Miami for fast growing class

M32 Gold Cup is the first ”unofficial World Championship” where 4 US boats and 4 European boats will see four days of intense racing in Miami February 28-March 3.

The class has attracted some of the best sailors from different parts of the sport. Olympic champions, Volvo Ocean Race winners and America’s Cup sailors battle it out in boat that they love to sail. It’s also a great stepping stone for young sailors who want to move on to Extreme Sailing Series and America’s Cup.

“After playing around on a M32 catamaran in Sweden last year, I had found my next boat,” noted Ken Read, CEO North Sails and VOR skipper. M32 is a 32’ full carbon catamaran with focus on simplicity and speed. Low weight makes it fun and exciting to sail, both for pros and experienced amateurs. With active fleets on two continents, fifteen boats sailing and seven more in build – M32 is the only established multihull class in this size.

This weekend the three favorites are from Sweden: Fredrik Lööf (Star Class Olympic Champion and three time olympic medallist), Mattias Rahm (match-racing star and America’s Cup strategist) and Hans Wallén (Olympic Silver Medalist and 8 times World Champion) all have a full season in the class and are steadily improving.

Rahm won M32 Cup in Scandinavia 2013 as well as the warm-up race in Miami in November with very consistent sailing. The others are just points behind.

The US teams don’t have as much time in the boat, especially in close racing, but they have the speed to give the Swedes a match. Consistent starts and tactics for the first reach leg will be critical if they want to be in the game.

Schedule
February 28th – Friday
10:00 Skippers meeting
12:00-16:00 Racing (typically 6-8 races)
16:00-18:00 Welcome party

March 1st – Saturday
10:00 Skippers meeting
12:00-16:00 Racing
16:00-18:00 After Sail
19:30 M32 get together

March 2nd – Sunday
10:00 Skippers meeting
11:00-11:30 Drag Race for Charity
12:00-16:00 Racing
16:00-18:00 After Sail

March 3rd – Monday
09:00 Skippers meeting
11:00-15:00 Racing
16:00 Prize Giving

Crew lists
Team Rahm (SWE)
Mattias Rahm
Johan Barne
Mikkel Rössberg
Fredrik Aurell

Team Lööf (SWE)
Fredrik Lööf
Martin Krite
Daniel Wallberg
Andreas Axelsson

WAR – Wallén racing (SWE)
Hans Wallén
Jonas von Geijer
Anders Dahlsjö
Tomas Persson
Philip Carlsson

Sail Racing (SWE)
Klabbe Nylöf
Jonte Häggbom
Jonathan Ameln
Tom Gross

Liftoff (USA)
Malcolm Gefter
Lars Guck
Jonathan Farrrar
Dave Douchett
Katherine Gefter

Ultimate Pressure (USA)
Peter Denton
Jerry Kirby
Luke Lawrence
TBD

Gradient V (USA)
Randy Miller
Ian Andrewes
Alex Van Brunt
Colin Dunphy
Daniel Roberts

Report provided by Peter Gustafsson