First sail tests of ITA-85 prove positive

[Source: +39 Challenge] First miles and first tests for ITA-85.

"The first navigationa hours of ITA-85 were the most emotional for me since the beginning of this America's Cup campaign with the +39 team", commented Giovanni Ceccarelli, principal designer of the Italian challenger. " - The boat's hull line were immediately embraced by Valencia's waters. Everything went as well as it could go. I had drawn a program of tests to be carried out on sea that was completed with a positive outcome, in fact we even pushed ourselves just a little bit with a small regatta. The program now calls for the continuation of testing and then we will move on to true training, probably against another America's Cup team. The smile on Iain Percy's face as well as the rest of the crew aboard during the first mile, was for me the congfirmation and gratification for the job done so far."

Structural tests will continue during next week. The team's crew lead by Iain Percy, coach Stig Westerggard and crew leader Luca Devoti will alternatively sail aboard ITA-85 and the two V1-Lutra 30, the team's 9-meter carbon fiber yachts built in Dubai and used to finetune their match racing skills. This training combination of ITA-85 and the Lutra 30 boats will be the main feature of +39 Challenge's autumn schedule in Valencia.

First test sail of ITA-85. Valencia, 26 October 2006. Photo copyright +39 Challenge

First test sail of ITA-85. Valencia, 26 October 2006. Photo copyright +39 Challenge