Preparations underway for Alinghi’s busy 2011 season

The racing season is fast approaching for Alinghi as the Swiss team carries on with its preparations for the double multihull programme planned for 2011.

First to kick off will be the Extreme Sailing Series, with a busy calendar of nine regattas in nine different countries around the world and a very competitive field. Alinghi is returning to this championship, sailing with the X40 catamarans, after their victory in 2008. The Swiss team will be facing respected international teams such as Artemis Racing, Emirates Team New Zealand, Groupe Edmond de Rothschild, Luna Rossa, Oman Air Masirah, Red Bull Extreme Sailing Team, Team Extreme, Team GAC Pindar, Team Niceforyou and The Wave.

The other important competition in Alinghi’s schedule for this year will be the D35 series, which will travel abroad for the first time since its inception in 2004. The lightweight and innovatively designed catamarans will sail two regattas in open seas off the Mediterranean coast of France. A three-time winner of the D35 championship, Alinghi will try to regain the crown in 2011 against its traditional Swiss and French rivals which include many of the best multihull specialists in the world.

In total, Alinghi’s calendar for 2011 includes 15 events in 10 countries throughout 11 months.

Boat set-up and crew preparation for Alinghi began at the start of the year and the team will be ready for their first meeting, the debut round of the Extreme Sailing Series in Oman, on February 20-24.
The Alinghi crew for the 2011 season is made of a blend of Swiss and French sailors, with many of them playing a part inthe team’s adventures since its creation more than ten years ago. This year will see the addition of French X40 expert, Yann Guichard who will be teaming up with Ernesto Bertarelli, Tanguy Cariou, Yves Detrey, Nils Frei, Coraline Jonet and Pierre-Yves Jorand.

Extreme Sailing Series

20-24 Feb Muscat, Oman
13-17 April Qingdao, China
25-29 May Istanbul, Turkey
30 June-4 Jul Boston, USA
6-12 Aug Cowes,UK
14-18 Sept Trapani, Italy
28 Sept-2 Oct Nice, France
12-16 Oct Almeria, Spain
7-11 Dec Singapor


D35

5-8 May GP Corum
21-22 May Realstone Cup
11 June Genève-Rolle-Genève
12-13 June Pro-Am Versoix
18 June Bol d’Or
1-4 Sept Beaulieu sur mer
22-25 Sept Antibes


Alinghi crew

Ernesto Bertarelli
Tanguy Cariou
Yves Detrey
Nils Frei
Yann Guichard
Coraline Jonet
Pierre-Yves Jorand