Youth Foiling Gold Cup: Team DutchSail – Janssen de Jong dominate on Lake Garda, but other teams close the gap with tight racing.
2 September 2021 – Winners of Act 1 of the Youth Foiling Gold Cup in Gaeta, Team DutchSail- Janssen de Jong put together another dominant performance in Act 2. Winning all but one race in five days of the qualifiers and winning eighty percent of the finals, the Dutch team accumulated a lead of more than 40 points over second-placed Team France. Young Azzurra, who lead the parallel Persico 69F Cup championship, finished third, a single point behind the newcomer French team after several days of tight racing.
Lake Garda is home to some of the world’s most reliable winds and provided excellent conditions for the foiling Persico 69F fleet during the two weeks of the YFGC. The recipe was perfect, modern foiling boats, perfect wind, young sailors with impressive CVs and a beautiful race village on the beach next to Limone. Emile Amoros from Team France, just back from the Tokyo Olympics, said it was the best regatta he had ever attended.
The new event sponsor, Davide Serra from Algebris Investments, applauded the sailors’ tenacity, sense of fair play and pursuit of excellence on the strict one-design boat. Sailing director, Dede De Luca, continued the theme. “In our one-design class, the boats are all the same and teams swap boats throughout the regatta, so there is no technical advantage to be had. The quality of the crews is directly proportional with the result on the water.”
With such an impressive performance by the Dutch team, how can anyone imagine mounting a credible challenge during the next act of the series, scheduled for 18- 30 October in Cagliari? However, De Luca said he is not worried about one team dominating proceedings because the Dutch are far from invincible. “If you follow our suggestions on how to sail the 69F, you can be very competitive, very quickly. The French are a good example of this.”
Francesco Bruni, helmsman for Luna Rossa during the last America’s Cup, is willing to put this to the test and laid down a challenge to the young sailors during the prizegiving. Working with the class and Algebris Investments, he has created a new regatta at the Circolo Velico Sferracavallo, Palermo in November that will pit overall winner of the YFGC against the likes of himself, 2021 Olympic gold medalist Ruggero Tita, 2016 Olympic gold medalist Santi Lange and current SailGP helmsman, Phil Robertson.
“It will be tough to beat the youth sailors who have so much experience on the platform, but they’re still young sailors, and we hope that experience counts at the end of the day!”
Francesco Bruni
Team DutchSail – Janssen de Jong coach, Pieter-Jan Postma, is excited about the prospect of measuring his team against the world’s top sailing talent.
“It’s a credit to the class that it is attractive to the top professionals in sailing. It would be a dream to race against Bruni and Tita and be in the same class as them.”
An exciting prospect for sure, but first, they have to qualify! Stay tuned so you don’t miss what happens next, or, better yet, put together a team to come challenge champions yourself.
Inspired to try the 69F for yourself? Please contact 69F representative Francesco Rubagotti to sign up for the next round of the YFGC (18-31 October in Cagliari) or to join the Persico 69F Cup info@69fsailing.com Tel: +39 3349048640
TECHNICAL PARTNERS:
Avant Garde, Gottifredi Maffioli, Harken, OneSails, Montura, Vela Mania, Fraglia Vela Malcesine, Sailmon,
Acquaviva WT, ABC Boats
ABOUT 69F:
69F is an integrated One Design Boat, Race and Lifestyle format.
The 69F project is realized by sailors, athletes, managers and men of communication who believe in the future of sailing hydrofoil and its affirmation in the world of professional regattas as well as in the world of lifestyle and amateur sport.The 69F team is currently working on developing an innovative and sustainable one design foiling monohull racing boats’ circuit and a sailing academy suitable for sailors at all levels, with the aim of providing the ultimate foiling experience.
