Racing cancelled today for GC32 Racing Tour

Palma de Mallorca, Spain (August 5, 2016) – An unseasonal northeasterly offshore breeze on the Bay of Palma was forecast to abate in the afternoon allowing competition to continue on day three of the GC32 Racing Tour at 35 Copa del Rey. Sadly this did not come to pass.

As Principal Race Officer Anne Malledant explained, “A very strong synoptic wind established itself early this morning. The forecast showed that the thermal wind would lower the synoptic wind, but this didn’t happen and the synoptic wind remained very strong. There were gusts of 32 knots and waves of 1m and it wasn’t possible to race safety.”

The GC32s were not alone in staying tied up at the dock off the Real Club Nautico de Palma as there was no racing today across any of the multiple fleets competing at Copa del Rey MAPFRE.

Malledant continued, “The local race officials here are very surprised about what happened today because northeast is not a common wind direction for the summer.”

Sadly such instances do occur in a sport in which Mother Nature has the final say.

Skipper of Realteam, Jérôme Clerc, was resigned to today’s lack of racing, “As a new team we need to race against the other boats to improve, so I am disappointed.”

Even a man who has a strong background offshore racing, Sébastien Rogues, skipper of Team ENGIE, agreed that competing today would have been difficult. “It was very windy and very gusty so I think it is a good decision. I hope tomorrow we can do some good races in, and a lot of them, because we need to gain one or two places.” Team ENGIE is currently lying in ninth place.

Tomorrow is the last day of racing at 35 Copa del Rey MAPFRE and conditions are looking more promising. As Anne Malledant commented, “I am quite confident about tomorrow because we will have some medium wind from around 215°. So it should be like the first day, and the sea state should be good.”

To get a full day of racing in, the plan is to start an hour earlier at midday.

Results after day 3:

GC32 Tour – Results – Facebook – Twitter

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