Accident Halts GC32 Malcesine Cup

Malcesine, Italy (July 10, 2016) – After two very successful opening days of competition on Lake Garda, no racing was held on the final day of the GC32 Malcesine Cup. Following the collision of Malizia – Yacht Club de Monaco and a press RIB on Friday, the Fraglia Vela Malcesine and the GC32 International Class Association did not reach an agreement over the liability for the final day of racing.

In the four years that the GC32 Racing Tour has existed, safety has always been of paramount importance. Steps the GC32 Racing Tour has taken this year include employing its own Safety Officer in Henrik Norberg – a former America’s Cup and multihull sailor, whose regular job for the last 25 years has also been as a fireman and paramedic in his native Sweden. At the GC32 Malcesine Cup additional steps have been taken to increase the exclusion zone around the race area.

Christian Scherrer, GC32 Racing Tour Manager, said: “Fortunately there was no injury during Friday’s incident. We are continually taking steps to improve safety and have made considerable progress and will continue to do so this season.”

A safety group within the GC32 Class Association has been set up to improve safety procedures for future GC32 regattas. This group will include Norberg and some of the GC32’s most experienced and prominent sailors.

President of the Fraglia Vela Malcesine, Gianni Testa, commented: “As event organiser, the FVM fully shares and agrees in the decision of the class: Safety First! Foiling is a new game and it requires new safety procedures to guarantee the safety on the race course for everyone involved.”

The final results show Switzerland’s Team Tilt finishing just one point ahead of the Franck Cammas-steered NORAUTO. These results are the opposite of those scored at May’s GC32 Riva Cup. With the two teams now tied on points at the top of the overall leaderboard, Team Tilt is nominally overall leader of the 2016 GC32 Racing Tour due to her winning the latest regatta.

Helmsman Arnaud Psarofaghis said: “It is a great to win here in Malcesine and it is a good end for the boys at the end of the week we have done. We improved every race so it is good to have won here. It was pretty sad we didn’t complete any scoring races over the last two days. We wanted to fight more on the water so that is a shame, but it is life and we did the work at the right time.”

Jason Carroll’s Argo won the owner-driver trophy at the GC32 Malcesine Cup to consolidate her position at the top of 2016 owner-driver results table.

The GC32 Racing Tour now moves on to the 35th Copa del Rey MAPFRE, to be held August 3-6 in Palma de Mallorca.

Looking ahead Psarofaghis said: “I think everyone will improve. I think will have some more people in the fight for the podium and we will have to push harder and harder and not rest on our laurels. Take the win now but work harder for the next race.”

Photos by Max Ranchi.

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Team competing at the GC32 Malcesine Cup
1. Norauto (FRA) – Franck Cammas
2. Team Tilt (SUI) – Sébastien Schneiter
3. Armin Strom (SUI) – Flavio Marazzi
4. Gunvor Sailing (SWE) – Gustav Petterson
5. Team Engie (FRA) – Sébastien Rogues
6. Argo (USA) – Jason Carroll
7. Malizia (MON) – Pierre Casiraghi
8. Orange Racing (NED) – Laurent Lenne
9. Mamma Aiuto! (JPN) – Naofumi Kamei
10. Realteam (SUI) – Jérôme Clerc

About the GC32 Racing Tour:
2016 is the fourth year of the GC32 Racing Tour and its third since the GC32 was transformed into a foiler over the winter of 2013-4.

The GC32 Racing Tour seeks to attract both private owner-driven boats and commercially-backed teams with a circuit aimed at providing the best foiling catamaran experience for participants. This remit includes choosing venues known to provide optimum wind conditions for foiling and race courses large enough to enable the boats to hit maximum speeds.

2016 GC32 Racing Tour schedule:
26-29 May: GC32 Riva Cup – Riva del Garda, Italy
7-10 July: GC32 Malcesine Cup at The Foiling Week – Malcesine, Italy
3-6 August: 35 Copa del Rey MAPFRE – Palma de Mallorca, Spain
22-25 September: TBA
13-16 October: Marseille One Design – Marseille, France

About the GC32
The GC32 is a 10m long (12m including bowsprit) by 6m wide foiling catamaran conceived by Laurent Lenne and designed by Dr Martin Fischer, now part of the Groupama Team France design team. It is built in carbon fibre by Premier Composite Technologies in Dubai.

The GC32 is fitted with T-foil rudders and J-shaped daggerboards/foils, conceptually similar to those used on the America’s Cup catamarans, with adjustable rake on all appendages. However relative to the boat’s size, the foils are substantially larger, allowing the GC32 to foil even in low wind speeds and with much great stability and ease. Despite having big foils, GC32s are fast! Alinghi holds the record with a peak speed of 39.21 knots.

Unlike the AC catamarans, the GC32 features a more manageable soft-sail rig and has one design sails. It is demountable with a two piece mast for easy transportation.

Source: GC32 Racing Tour