The focus of Alinghi Red Bull Racing’s sailing operations shifted to Saudi Arabia for the coming month as the team prepares for the next Preliminary Regatta with two-boat training on the AC40s over the next few weeks.
Jeddah– The sailors of Alinghi Red Bull Racing arrived this past weekend into Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, host city for the second America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta scheduled for November 29-December 2. With the shore team having already landed a week earlier to set up the temporary team base and ready the AC40 boats, a major portion of Alinghi Red Bull Racing’s sailing program are now based in Jeddah.
“It’s great to be back in the AC40s,” said skipper Arnaud Psarofaghis. “We are restarting our test program on the two boats from both a sporting and technical perspective. We’ll be trying a few different configurations following the debrief from the first Preliminary Regatta with the goal to progress further and raise our performance level all around.”
Initial conditions were picture-perfect for the team with the first sessions out on the water taking place in 8-14 knots of wind and clear skies providing an ideal opportunity to train and test out of Jeddah’s scenic Corniche, perhaps most famous for being the venue of Formula 1’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Midweek weather featured more shifty winds and some sea state.
Alinghi Red Bull Racing were the first of the six America’s Cup entries to arrive in Jeddah with three weeks still to go until the opening ceremony for the Preliminary Regatta. “It wasn’t a full move here, we have individuals from the shore crew, performance analysis, sail makers, logistics and support team here with the sailing crew”, said Pietro Sibello, performance coach. “Being a smaller set-up here in Jeddah offers a possibility to work in a more flexible way, which can be very interesting and useful for the team. The main challenge has been to create a set-up to stay in touch with Barcelona. The operations and shore team did a great job as we’re not missing anything we have in Barcelona so far.”
For the team, the learnings from the first preliminary races in Vilanova i la Geltrú were clear – any boat has a chance to win the regatta. With a different body of water, a temporary base and a new atmosphere to grow accustomed to, the month away from Barcelona provides yet another training opportunity for Alinghi Red Bull Racing in the development of the campaign.