10 years on since the RC44’s first season, it is appropriate that the first regatta in 2016 for the Russell Coutts-conceived one design monohull should take place in Bermuda, where the Kiwi yacht racing legend is masterminding next year’s 35th America’s Cup.
Eight teams are competing in the RC44 Bermuda Cup, which starts tomorrow, Wednesday March 2nd, with a day of match racing. As usual this will count towards the class’ unique Match Racing Championship, that rolls from event to event throughout the season. The regatta then continues with four days of fleet racing on Bermuda’s Great Sound, where America’s Cup racing will take place next summer.
Meanwhile the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup will bring the best national youth teams to Bermuda for racing in 2017 during the 35th America’s Cup.
Six youth crews will compete in Bermuda through their affiliation with current America’s Cup teams. Up to 10 additional teams will be selected by Red Bull Youth America’s Cup Sport Directors Roman Hagara and Hans-Peter Steinacher before the end of the November 2016.
On the start line tomorrow will be the RC44’s longest serving crew: Chris Bake’s Team Aqua has been part of the circuit since 2006.
“It is a great class and there are great teams out here,” observes Cameron Appleton, tactician on Team Aqua from the outset.
While two teams – Team Nika and Bronenosec Sailing Team – dominated in 2015, Appleton advises that any of five or six top teams could prevail this season, including Team Aqua. “There is a new level of excitement and new motivation on board - Chris is really excited to have a bit more of a permanent role.” (Work commitments kept Bake from competing in all regattas in 2015.)
With her golden wheels glistening in the Bermuda sun, the 2015 RC44 Fleet Racing Champion, Team Nika, is in Bermuda ready to begin the defence of her title. However her owner Vladimir Prosikhin is talking down their position: “Honestly, we are starting a bit slow and I am slow. We have two newcomers who are very good sailors and very strong, but it takes time for them to become accustomed to the boat. Our result will depend on how quickly we can pick it up.” The ‘newcomers’ are both highly experienced, in bowman Greg Gendall and pitman Ryan Godfrey.
On the plus side, having sailed with three different tacticians in 2015, including Dean Barker and Terry Hutchinson, Prosikhin has finally settled on former America’s Cup-winning helm, Ed Baird.
After Chris Bake, Slovenia’s Igor Lah is the second longest serving RC44 competitor, having joined the class in 2008, his Team CEEREF winning the RC44 World Championship in 2013. Fourth overall last year, this season Team CEEREF is gunning for the podium. “We try to start from where we finished in the BVI [the last event in 2015], to make the best out of it,” says Lah. “We just need to not make mistakes and not be afraid of anything.”
Lah says he is enjoying his first visit to Bermuda and is looking forward especially to the third event this season in Portsmouth, UK, when Team CEEREF will be joined by his son, who is studying in Plymouth.
