Quinn Wilson and Riley Gibbs have been crowned the first US national champions in Newport to seal their place in the World Final of Red Bull Foiling Generation on October 22-23.
The innovative competition for talented sailors aged 16-20 is the brainchild of double Olympic champions Roman Hagara and Hans Peter Steinacher from Austria.
They will now look on with pride as the 15 teams, comprised of men and women, battle it out in Newport again off America’s east coast using similar cutting-edge foiling technology as the America’s Cup.
The Flying Phantom multihull catamarans can reach speeds of up to 35 knots (40 mph) with the stiff winds and unpredictable conditions of New England in autumn lifting the boats onto their foils for blistering speed.
The American duo join teams from the UK, Japan, Italy, Sweden, Denmark, Russia, France, New Zealand, Turkey, Germany, Switzerland, Holland, Spain and Belgium.
They will set sail from Fort Adams State Park on Newport Harbour, Red Bull working in conjunction with US Sailing and the non-profit Sail Newport – New England’s premiere public sailing center – for the event.
Steinacher explained: “We want to give top young sailors the tools to follow a unique career path, getting their start on foiling catamarans in Red Bull Foiling Generation and potentially moving on to the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup and eventually perhaps America’s Cup itself.”
Hagara, skipper of the Red Bull Sailing Team in the Extreme Sailing Series, added: “Those who want to excel in the Red Bull Foiling Generation World Final must be extremely well prepared, technically and physically, and Quinn and Riley have proved themselves to be great sailors with bright futures.
“The future of sailing definitely belongs to foiling, and we want to give all these ambitious up-and-coming athletes in the World Final a chance to showcase their skills.”
More information on Red Bull Foiling Generation here.
