The Andoo Team Australia campaign for the UniCredit Youth America’s Cup kicks off this week as six invited nations begin competing in Barcelona, with Australia once again flying its flag on the global America’s Cup stage.
Led by skipper Cole Tapper, the Andoo Australia squad is in fighting form. After two successful practice days, they secured two wins from three races on day one and another victory today in the only practice race, putting the team in a strong position ahead of their regatta, which starts on 18 September.
After hundreds of hours in the simulator in Sydney and just a few on the actual high-speed foiling AC40 yachts in Barcelona, the sailors are eager to start racing. The qualification series will feature six fleet races in their group.
On Wednesday, 18 September, Tapper will co-helm the four-person crew alongside Jack Ferguson on starboard helm, with Max Paul and Tom Needham as trimmers. Youth squad members Annie Wilmot, George Richardson, and Miles Davey will provide additional support.
Tapper acknowledged the complexity of mastering the AC40 but said the Australian team’s year of preparation and their rapid learning curve on the water had readied them for the challenge.
During the UniCredit Youth Competition media conference on 16 August, Tapper shed light on the team’s preparations: “We’ve spent hundreds of hours in the simulator, and the main lesson has been identifying balance issues when the boat is out of sync. These boats rely on just two contact points in the water, and when everything is aligned, you get that locked-in feeling. We’ve learned how to troubleshoot those problems on the sim.”
He also reflected on his first live experience aboard the AC40: “On my first bear away, we popped up in a choppy Barcelona sea state, which I wasn’t thrilled about, but when I peeked out of the cockpit, it was a long way down to the water!”
Andoo Team Australia CEO Peter Wrigley expressed pride in representing Australia on the world’s most prestigious sailing stage: “Thanks to the support and dedication of so many, we’ve made it to Barcelona. The team is ready for competition, and I’m confident they’ll do Australia proud.”
The team has received significant mentorship from Patrons John Bertrand AO, who won the America’s Cup for Australia in 1983, and current sailing champion John Winning.
Australia is competing in Group B, alongside Spain, The Netherlands, Canada, Germany, and Sweden, with eight races scheduled for the qualifying rounds on alternating days with Group A, which includes New Zealand, Great Britain, USA, Italy, Switzerland, and France, who start their competition on 17 September.
The top three teams from each group will advance to the finals, which feature four fleet races beginning on 22 September, culminating in a winner-takes-all Match Race final on 26 September.
Following the Youth America’s Cup, the Puig Women’s America’s Cup will kick off after a training program, with racing starting on 5 October.
The Andoo Team Australia campaign is supported by Title sponsor Andoo, Platinum sponsor Myer and Gold Sponsors, ExpenseMe and Ray White Commercial (RWC). Official suppliers to the campaign are Musto, Bolle, News Corp and SailorGirlHQ | Sunset Media.
The club of record for Australia is the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA).
Racing will be broadcast on Fox Sports and Kayo Freebies in Australia with the two competitions interweaving with the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup.
Content acknowledgements – Official Content Partner @sailorgirlhq
