Andoo Team Australia Supporter Update
by Andoo Team Australia 13 Sep 08:34 BST
We have been back on the water with our Andoo Australia youth squad with two more official training days and welcoming the women's squad looking on for preparation, thanks to great support from the Ferguson's to get on the water and watch.
The lack of wind on day two, September 11, was not on the side of the six invited teams. There was a lot of foiling initiated by towing the boats to get onto the foils, to allow the sailors to complete manoeuvres and practise their control of the incredibly technological AC40's.
The weather then threw another curve ball today, September 12, with wild seas and high winds forcing the drenched fleet off the water before they could achieve much. It is all part of the learning in Barcelona.
"It went from being manageable to really on the edge, on the limit straight away. So we only got about 15 minutes of sailing in, which fortunately was more than most teams," said Max Paul.
Helm Jack Ferguson said they made the most of the three days of totally varying conditions tackling today with knowledge they had gained in the simulator training. "The wave state for these foiling boats just makes it super challenging so we we just set the boat up as forgiving as possible and you know we we learned how to do that through the sim and and what controls we we need to put where to make it possible to actually get around, so I think we we did that pretty well."
With a lay day tomorrow and one more training day before racing, the team have plenty to review and prepare.
The UniCredit Youth America's Cup Racing begins on 17 September and will be broadcast on Fox Sports/Kayo in Australia. Our Australian racing with invited teams starts on 18 September.
Tuesday's first day of racing for Andoo Team Australia will be the first time an Australian team has been represented in the Youth America's Cup since San Francisco in 2013. So get ready to cheer them on.
Thank you to all who helped us get here!