Alinghi joins the Bullitt GC32 Racing Tour

Ernesto Bertarelli latest recruit to foiling catamaran class

After winning both the Vulcain Trophy for the D35s on Lake Geneva and the 2014 Extreme Sailing Series, Alinghi will compete in the 2015 Bullitt GC32 Racing Tour. The team will also again race on Lake Geneva on the D35 circuit.

Alinghi is also delighted to announce a number of new official partnerships with some of the very best Swiss companies and brands, including SWISS airlines, HYT Watches, Planzer and MarinePool, while it is similarly delighted to confirm the renewal of its partnership with the Manotel Hotel Group.

Alinghi, created by Ernesto Bertarelli, won the America’s Cup in 2003 in Auckland representing the Société Nautique de Genève. In doing so, it set a double precedent in the history of the world’s oldest sports’ trophy: victory on its first attempt; and the first team to bring the ‘Auld Mug’ back to Europe since the first competition in 1851.

On behalf of the Société Nautique de Genève, Alinghi then organised the 2007 America’s Cup in Valencia in which Alinghi successfully defended its title in an epic battle on the water against Emirates Team New Zealand.

Despite Alinghi’s many successes in monohull racing including the Maxi One Design, Farr 40, 12mJI, Corel 45, ACC, etc Ernesto Bertarelli has also been actively racing multihulls for more than 20 years. So for this year, he is joining the ‘foiling adventure’ signing up for the Bullitt GC32 Racing Tour.

Ernesto Bertarelli comments: “I have been enormously privileged to sail with some of my crew for more than 20 years. During the course of our adventures, our passion for the sport and for cutting-edge technology has been undimmed. It is therefore only natural that we would be eager to be involved with this evolution of our sport. Sailing in three dimensions will of course be a new challenge for all of us, but it is an exciting one and the opportunity to learn and then master a new type of boat is one that we couldn’t miss. The GC32, as with the D35 and the X40, is a strict one-design class. That’s very important to me, because it means that the racing is not about the equipment we use, but about how the crew works together on the water. It is true competition."

The Alinghi 2015 GC32 crew will be: Ernesto Bertarelli (Helm), sharing the duties with Morgan Larson, who led Alinghi to the victory in the Extreme Sailing Series in 2014, Nicolas Charbonnier (Tactician), Pierre-Yves Jorand (Mainsail), Nils Frei (Trim) and Yves Detrey (Bow).

The same crew will compete on the Decision 35 circuit, albeit with the addition of Coraline Jonet (Trim), who will bring her many talents to the team of six that sail the D35.

Alinghi's participation on the circuit is a great endorsement for the new foiling catamaran class. As GC32 Class Association President Flavio Marazzi said: “On behalf of the GC32 ICA, I would like to welcome the only European America’s Cup Winner, Team Alinghi, to the GC32 family. Ernesto Bertarelli and his team have a two decade-long history in catamaran racing on Lake Geneva as well as on the 90ft catamaran they sailed in the 33rd America’s Cup in Valencia. I believe that all other GC32 teams will highly profit from witnessing their skill and level of preparation, pushing the Bullitt GC32 Racing Tour to the next level.

“I always believed that this design has huge potentials to attract teams from right across the yacht racing world. With Alinghi’s arrival we have come closer to our goal of creating a class providing the highest level racing.

“Let’s be prepared for more top teams to enter the GC32 Tour soon.”

Dave Floyd, co-CEO of Bullitt Group commented: "It's great news to see one of the best multihull teams in the world - Alinghi - join the Bullitt GC32 Racing Tour. They are the current Extreme Sailing Series champions and I'm sure will make a formidable team in the GC32 Class.”