Qualifying continues at Youth Foiling Gold Cup

Gaeta, Italy (March 4, 2021) – The second day of qualifying at the inaugural Liberty Bitcoin Youth Foiling Gold Cup offered a click more wind for the eight teams. However, the wind was patchy and rewarded those who were sufficiently at ease piloting their Persico 69F to keep it on its foils.

Once again, the top-ranking teams at the end of day two were the ones that had clocked in the most training days before the start of the Youth Foiling Gold Cup. However, Team DutchSail- Janssen de Jong, Young Azzura, and RHKYC Team Agiplast didn’t have it all their way as the American Southern Challenge were finally able to bring the fight to the top teams.

In race 3, USA broke away from the fleet just after the start and still led going into the final upwind leg. They were overhauled by RHKYC Team Agiplast and the Dutch Kingdom Team at the finish line but put together an impressive performance for the new team of Langston Goldenburg, Riley Gibbs, and Anna Weis.

Young Azzura were best able to threaten the Dutch domination today, crossing the finish line first in race 2 after leading the whole race. However, they were judged to be over the start line early and received a penalty that meant they tied with second-placed Team DutchSail- Janssen de Jong before falling behind the orange helmets on the countback.

Team DutchSail- Janssen de Jong dominated the day. They won all of the five races they sailed and got stronger as the day went on, winning race 5 by an incredible two minutes. But it was race 4 that revealed the true mastery of their foiling stead.

Falling off the foils early in the run in a rare unforced error, they found themselves in the unfamiliar position of being at the back of the pack. At the end of the run, they dropped their gennaker and two-sail reached past their competitors, swerving to windward and leeward of the other boats until only the Americans remained ahead. On the upwind leg, the Americans split left, the Dutch to the right, found better pressure and completed their dramatic come-from-behind win.

While USA slipped from fourth to fifth, Goldenburg finds progress in their performance. “I think the best thing we’re doing now is that we have improved our starts, how to have pace downwind and how to go fast on the second reach. The last piece of the puzzle is going back upwind. Once we figure that out, I think we can hold first (place) all the way through. We’re now figuring out weight movement, board and rudder rake. Anna Weis is going a great job on the trim. We’re all coming together as a team.”

Qualifying continues to March 8 after which the top six teams advance to the Finals on March 10-12.

Day Two Qualifying Results:
1. Team Dutch Sail – NED, 33 points
2. Young Azzurra – ITA, 28.5
3. Team Agiplast – HKG, 27.5
4. Kingdom Team- EUR, 21
5. Southern Challenge – USA, 18.5
6. One Switzerland – SUI, 12.5
6. Youth Bravo España – ESP, 12
8. Xela Racing – NOR, 11

Event schedule:
Training Days: February 24-26
Warm Up Event: February 27-March 1
Qualification Series: March 3-8
Finals: March 10-12

Event updates on the regatta’s social media pages:
• instagram.com/69fsailing
• facebook.com/69Fsailing

Following this event, the circuit continue for another round of the Youth Foiling Gold Cup in Limone, Lake Garda during the middle of August.

Source: Conrad Colman, Scuttlebutt