Prepare for High Energy Promotion

We like the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup. We really do. It is a tremendous opportunity for young people to gain exposure and experience for even higher levels of sailing. But that education doesn’t come cheap. We hear it will cost at least half million dollars to prepare for what will be two days of racing if you get eliminated, or four days if you make it to the finals.

With racing three months away, we are finding the Red Bull event promotion to be pretty much like everything Red Bull does. A bit over the top. The savior to sailing? The pathway to ripping Jimmy Spithill’s grip off the wheel? Here’s a taste of their high energy content:

The America’s Cup is hands down the pièce de résistance of the international sailing calendar but one of few events in the mainstream conscious, because somewhere along the line competitive sailing lost touch with its roots to become a sport purely for the elite — making a career in Formula 1 somehow seem more attainable.

But that’s all about to change.

Competitive sailing in the USA
Since its heyday of the 1980s when more than 12.5 million Americans sailed for recreation or sport, sailing’s popularity has declined enormously. In fact, just 2.5 million Americans participate in sailing today.

Enter Red Bull Youth America’s Cup
In an effort to see sailing return to its heyday, the series was created specifically to offer emerging young sailors a clear pathway to the big leagues — not unlike Moto2 or ARCA are feeders to MotoGP and NASCAR respectively. Like the inaugural 2013 series that acted as the curtain-raiser to the main event, the 2017 event will mirror the America’s Cup in Bermuda this summer.

The future of sailing
The contest has got clout. Eight of the inaugural Youth Cup participants will complete their successful rise to the top by competing in the main series — the America’s Cup — this year. That includes New Zealand’s Youth skipper Peter Burling, who will now captain the main Kiwi entry — an opportunity not possible without the 2013 Youth event. Also, American Cooper Dressler moved up to join Oracle Team USA from the 2013 youth series. Many other age-eligible 2013 competitors return to the series in 2017.

The all-powerful hydrofoil
Better yet, there’s a game changer of epic proportions for the 19- to 24-year-old lads contesting the Youth Cup this year. They’ll be aboard the deadly quick hydrofoil boats, competing on the very same 45-footers the major league teams used in last year’s Louis Vuitton series. Of course, the hydrofoil first came to prominence in 2013 when Oracle Team USA finally got a handle of the biggest innovation since the winged keel for the biggest comeback win in America’s Cup history. Kai Lenny’s hydrofoil board won’t be able to keep up with these things.

Making American sailing great again
One of the driving forces behind America’s best emerging sailors is their opportunity to show their mettle with a look to having Oracle Team USA — currently consisting of mostly Australians and New Zealanders — actually helmed by Americans in four years from now. It’ll be no easy feat, but Next Generation USA skipper Carson Crain — an Olympic Games trial sailor and three-time U.S. windsurfing champion — has the winning credentials and an able team to boot.

Made up of six of America’s best young sailors who are yet to share a boat together in competition, team Next Generation USA will be led by Crain. He will be joined by foiling specialist Reed Baldridge, kite foiler Markus Edegran, F18 champion Matthew Whitehead, tru-varsity athlete Preston Farrow and 49er champion Scott Ewing in Bermuda in March. They will come together on the world’s most technologically advanced boats under racing conditions for the very first time, spending three months training together ahead of the series.

The contest
The Red Bull Youth America’s Cup is made up of the world’s best emerging sailors and features teams from 12 countries. The series will be contested over six days between June 12 and 21. And the four-team finals series will be broadcast live on Red Bull TV.

For more info, check out the team Next Generation USA’s website or follow them on Instagram and Facebook.

Source: Red Bull