ETNZ had five match points against INEOS Britannia. But in the end, a single race last Sunday was enough for them to win the 37th America’s Cup. And all match racing fans and challengers are already looking forward to the sequel. On Lake Thun, the Swiss Sailing League concluded its season with the introduction of a new, highly original format: 2K Club Team Racing.
The 37th edition of the America’s Cup was a complete success: ETNZ deserved to win for the third time in a row, with a score of 7:2. In terms of spectacle, match racing fans were able to see that the action became more and more exciting as the competition progressed, leading to increasingly close duels. It is already certain that, as agreed by the teams in the run-up to the competition, the sophisticated AC75s will once again play the leading role in the 38th edition of the competition. It is also certain that INEOS Britannia will remain Challenger of Record, as agreed with ETNZ a few weeks ago. However, where and when the next edition will take place remains to be seen, as do the inevitable changes to the rules and size requirements.
Alinghi Red Bull Racing, for its part, has already started training again after dropping out of the race. The announcement by Team SailGP Switzerland that Arnaud Psarofaghis and Bryan Mettraux will be sailing on the F50 steered by Sébastien Schneiter shows that the sailors of Alinghi Red Bull Racing are likely to diversify their preparation for the next challenge. New synergies are therefore emerging between the two largest Swiss inshore regatta projects.
The Swiss Sailing League breaks new ground
An interesting innovation took place last week in Oberhofen, where the Swiss Sailing League introduced a new regatta format that met unanimous approval from the participants. It was an original team match race: there were two teams on the starting line, divided into four boats. The team whose boat came fourth lost the match. A novel format that paves the way for new tactics. Club Nautique Morgien won this first edition. To be continued in 2025…
