Marwin Lines Up In Bay Of Islands Sailing Week

Marwin Lines Up In Bay Of Islands Sailing Week

Bay of Islands, New Zealand – 28 JANUARY 2016

Bay of Islands Sailing Week signals the first regatta for the crew on board GC32 MARWIN Racing who have completed the first two days of racing after a month of team trials and training in Russell.

The three-day regatta is the first competition in the southern hemisphere for both skipper and owner Flavio Marazzi and the GC32 foiling catamaran.

The first two days have seen a variety of conditions with light winds and a big swell yesterday followed by flat water and steady breezes today.

“Day one was a matter of changing modes and adjusting for the conditions. The team is working well. There is still improvement to be made but it’s a very good start,” he says.

The format for both days has seen two windward leeward courses followed by an island course.

The crew on-board MARWIN have worked hard to take five races off their biggest opponent GC32 Team Vodafone Sailing with the final race today seeing Vodafone edge ahead to get the win.

Team MARWIN is racing in the Multihull division that consists of two GC32s and two tornado catamarans.

Team manager and mainsheet trimmer Sharon Ferris-Choat says it’s great to have another boat to line up against and test the crew work.

“It’s a really good measure and a test for us, we have been trialing different modes and they keep us on our game,” she says.

Teamwork is important on these yachts as everything happens so quickly, and Sharon says there’s still a little way to go.

“For our first regatta I’m pleased. Every manoeuvre we analyse and do what we can to change and improve it,” she says.
With the island races having the most amount of reaching conditions the crew have been tested on their ability to keep on the foils.

“Being on a reach is the most critical point of sail for the boat as that's when it's the most powered up and on the edge” Sharon says.

Team MARWIN would like to thank the race committee and Bay of Islands Sailing Week organisers for hosting the races so far and look forward to getting back out there tomorrow.

SPONSORS: Pacific Motor Group, Armin Strom, Marinepool, Forward.

About the GC32

The GC32 foiling catamaran is a strict one-design class meaning all the boats in the fleet are identical. It weighs 950 kilograms and is able to reach speeds of up to 40 knots. Thanks to modern construction and technology the so-called foils of the boat means they can generate enough lift for the hulls to fly over the water. Sailed with a crew of five (maximum weight 437.5 kilograms) and one guest.

ENDS

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