This November, the Youth Foiling Gold Cup 69F, one of the most important nautical sports events on the international calendar, returns to Marina Vela Barcelona.
From the 2nd to the 5th of November, international sailors will compete in state-of-the-art sailing boats on the same regatta field where the 37th America’s Cup will be held.
For four days, Marina Vela Barcelona and Nautical Club of Vilassar de Mar, with the collaboration of Velissima restaurant, De Antonio Yachts, This is Med, Bentley cars, Hotel Almanac and Highfield inflatables, are organising one of the most important regattas on the international calendar, the Youth Foiling Gold Cup 69F. It becomes the prelude to the next America’s Cup to be held next year in Barcelona.
The 8 competing teams are made up of around 30 young international sailors competing in 6,90 metre carbon fibre monohulls, the 69F. A cutting-edge sailing boat at a technological level, which combines the highest levels of performance and spectacle.
For Marina Vela Barcelona, hosting a nautical sporting event of this nature is a response to the commitment “to recreational sailing as an increasingly sustainable activity in social, economic and environmental terms”, in the words of the Director, Alberto García. “Sailing and support for the development of increasingly efficient engines powered by renewable energies is in our DNA. That’s why we are also the first marina in Barcelona with a charger for 100% electric boats“.
The President of Nautical Club Vilassar de Mar, Jesús Majem, highlights the importance of organising this regatta, as “foiling is the present of sailing” and is in line with the events that the club is organising, such as the Catalan Wingfoil Cup. Nautical Club of Vilassar de Mar, founded in 1957, is today one of the most important sailing clubs in Spain, being the driving force behind major events in the sailing world, such as getting the sailing competition of the Olympics in 1992 to be held in Barcelona waters.
Giorgio Benussi, director of 69F, is happy to “come back to race in Barcelona and renew the collaboration with Marina Vela and the Nautical Club of Vilassar de Mar, as well as with the other sponsors. “Thanks to the ability of the young 69F sailors, it will be a high-level spectacle, on the race field where the 37th America’s Cup will take place, with the 69Fs, which are a small version of those foiling monohulls“.
The 69F Grand Final
During the Grand Final, the teams will go through a qualification round and the two best teams will race against each other in a best of 5 series match races on Sunday, November 5th.
Eight teams will compete in Barcelona: the top six of the YFGC 2023 Circuit, consisting of four events, two in Europe and two in the USA, and the last two places, will be contested during the final regatta, 23-29 October in Barcelona.
Rum Runners Antigua & Barbuda (ANT), Groupe Atlantic Sailing Team (FRA), Alps Racing (SUI), Enxedder (NZL), Dutchsaill Jajo (NED) and Oceana Vivo (GBR) are the six teams already confirmed for the finals.
The annual awards ceremony will take place in the main square of Marina Vela at 5 PM, in front of Velissima restaurant.