New ZealandRegattaUSA

Red Bull Foiling Worlds: New Zealand made sailing history in Newport

The New Zealand pair were crowned the first-ever World Champions in the worldโ€™s largest youth sailing program, Red Bull Foiling Generation, on Sunday.

In the climax of a two-year search for talented young sailors, the pair that included one of only two women in the field beat out 14 other national champion teams, with sailors from Switzerland and Italy claiming second and third.
When the organizers, double Olympic gold medalists Roman Hagara and Hans Peter Steinacher, were forced to cancel the final round on Sunday due to winds gusting to 35 knots (40mph/65kmh), earlier results in the regattaโ€™s high-level racing were used to determine the outcome.

In a high emotion celebration at Newport, USA on October 23, Mackay and Wilkinson were crowned the World Champions in the first-ever Red Bull Foiling Generation World Final. Joining the Kiwis on the podium were Sรฉbastien Schneiter and Siegwart Grรฉgoire of Switzerland in second and Francesco Rubagotti and Matteo Pilati of Italy at third.

Gameface Media (Marty McCrory) / Red Bull Content Pool
Gameface Media (Marty McCrory) / Red Bull Content Pool

Hagara and Steinacher launched Red Bull Foiling Generation in 2015 to find sailors aged 16-20 and give them the opportunity to advance their careers through top-notch hydrofoil racing. Over two seasons, 15 national champion teams emerged from Japan, the United Kingdom, Italy, Sweden, Denmark, Russia, France, New Zealand, Turkey, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Spain, Belgium and the United States to compete in the World Final at Newport, which has historically been home to prestigious sailing events including the Americaโ€™s Cup and the Volvo Ocean Race.

โ€œFoiling is the future of sailing, and we wanted to provide an opportunity that didnโ€™t exist for young sailors, not only though racing these boats, but by providing coaching and mentorship,โ€ said Steinacher. โ€œThe athletes in this World Final battled winds to 25 knots, with several capsizes and near misses, and their impressive performances have us convinced that Red Bull Foiling Generation is the perfect start on the pathway into professional sailing.โ€

Gameface Media (Marty McCrory) / Red Bull Content Pool
Gameface Media (Marty McCrory) / Red Bull Content Pool

The champions from New Zealand had won all their World Final heats with style, and as one of only two women in the field, skipper Mackay confirmed that female sailors have a place right along with the men in the high-stamina, high-speed world of foiling. โ€œIโ€™m so excited right now,โ€ she smiled. โ€œThis was the biggest opportunity of my life, and I want to thank my teammate Micah as well as Roman and Hans Peter, who have taught me more than ever before. I canโ€™t believe weโ€™re taking this trophy back to New Zealand!โ€

โ€œNewport was such an exciting place for these passionate, talented young athletes to take the spotlight,โ€ stated Hagara. โ€œWe hope the skills theyโ€™ve learned will help them throughout their sailing careers, and especially that weโ€™ll be seeing some of them in the Red Bull Youth Americaโ€™s Cup, and, eventually, the Americaโ€™s Cup.โ€

Technical data for Flying Phantom

The Flying Phantom earns raves as the future of sailing because unlike other small boats, it uses hydrofoil technology to lift completely out of the water. The system allows it to hit blistering speeds of up to 35 knots โ€“ almost 40 mph โ€“ making it by far the quickest sailing boat of its size in the world. Length: 5,52m (18ft), width: 3,00m, weight: 155kg, mast height: 9,6m, mainsail: 18sqm, Jib: 5,5sqm, Gennaker: 24sqm, crew: 2.

About Red Bull Foiling Generation

Now in its second season, Red Bull Foiling Generation sees Flying Phantom catamarans lift over the water at up to 35 knots in a novel new format. Sailors aged 16-20 compete in a series of heats on four identical boats of distinct colors until the final race determines the team that will represent its country in the World Final. The biggest youth sailing program on the planet, Red Bull Foiling Generation held regattas in 15 countries leading up to the World Final in Newport, USA.

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