The weather played a leading role on Sunday at the UniCredit Youth America’s Cup, where the young sailors from the international teams had to face not the waves, but the frustration of a capricious wind that kept the AC40 fleet ashore. A system of light breezes dominated the day, with morning showers followed by a clear sky, but without the necessary winds to be able to compete at the Barcelona racetrack.
The Race Committee was vigilant throughout the afternoon, monitoring the race course from the water, hoping that the easterly wind would remain strong enough to allow racing. However, conditions never reached the 7.5 knots required for the AC40s to sail safely. Finally, at 16:10, Race Director Iain Murray announced the cancellation of the day’s scheduled racing.
The initial plan was to complete the Group B series with two races, followed by four races for Group A, whose teams have completed four races to date. However, bad weather forced the entire schedule to be postponed to today, Monday 23 September.
In the current Group A standings, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, NYYC American Magic and Athena Pathway are in the top spots, while in Group B, Swedish Challenge powered by Artemis Technologies, Andoo Team Australia and Spain’s Sail Team BCN lead the table and are emerging as favourites for the semi-finals.
UniCredit Youth Copa America
With points extremely tight in both groups, the upcoming races are expected to be tense as each race will be decisive in securing a place in the semi-finals. The final format of this phase includes a series of four races between the top three teams in each group, which promises some intense moments on the waters of Barcelona.
The weather forecast for today is more favourable, with a southerly airflow that could increase to 11-15 knots in the afternoon. This has led the Race Committee to schedule the start of Race 7 of Group B at 14:10, followed by two further races before Group A contests its four scheduled races.
Although yesterday did not offer the expected action on the water, the enthusiasm on land is still at its highest. Sailors and fans are still waiting for the highly anticipated day today which promises to bring back the spectacle that has characterized this edition of the UniCredit Youth America’s Cup in Barcelona.
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