Black Book On the Water
Black Book On the Water Racing Lines A pair of renowned yachtsmen share their perspectives from two of the year’s most thrilling races, the Vendée Globe and the America’s Cup. By Cornelia Marioglou The Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli team flies over the water on the remarkable AC75’s hydrofoil in Auckland Asolitary life at sea has extra poignancy at the moment, so it’s no surprise that the Vendée Globe – the non-stop round-the-world race for IMOCA 60 class yachts crewed by only one person – captured the world’s imagination from its start in November to Frenchman Yannick Bestaven’s thrilling triumph on 27 January. It was a much-appreciated sense of escapism and one that transferred easily to the drama unfolding from January onwards in Auckland, New Zealand, at sailing’s most venerable event. The America’s Cup (AC) may be drawn out over a similar period of time as the Vendée Globe, but the actual action on the water is shorter, sharper, though for the competitors, equally brutal. “It is one of the races, where you can go from hero to zero and vice-versa,” says Max Sirena, the team director of Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, a twotime winner of the cup and a veteran of seven challenges. The Italian is back with the team where he started his AC career in 2000 and is well placed to comment on the vagaries of the race. “This is the highest competition, the oldest trophy in international sport. You invest more than three years of your life, a lot of money, a lot of resources. It’s a goal for so many of us to be involved in the America’s Cup” PHOTO CARLO BORLENGHI 30 CENTURION-MAGAZINE.COM
Max Sirena, left, and Boris Herrmann, right, may race in very different events but share the same exhilarating spirit of adventure PHOTOS CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: CARLO BORLENGHI, ANDREAS LINDLAHR, YVAN ZEDDA Yet, in a knockout competition, all this effort can come undone in a trice, as the US challengers New York Yacht Club American Magic discovered when they capsized in one of the early races of the Prada Cup – the challenger series that decides which team will take on Emirates Team New Zealand, the defending champions, for the 170-yearold trophy. Sirena’s Luna Rossa team had its own problems but bounced back to beat Ineos Team UK comprehensively to make the final match. After that tough start, Luna Rossa is rising to a challenge that truly excites Sirena. With each team adjusting to the new 23m AC75 monohull designs specifically created for the AC, teething problems were predictable, but it simply made things more interesting for the veteran sailor. “I think these are the most exciting yachts that I have ever sailed in my career. Two of the key points at the AC are innovation and technology. It is in the DNA of the AC to push to the limit in terms of technology and performance,” he says. “The development of different materials, from wood to aluminium to composite, it is simply part of the game.” The innovation is something that attracts so many to the event, yet others are quick to point out that the AC is not everything in the sailing world. Boris Herrmann, whose brave effort to reach the podium of the Vendée Globe floundered after a collision with a fishing trawler less than 150km from the finish, is one. The German finds the AC “technologically super interesting”, but compares it to Formula 1 racing, while his interest is in yachting’s equivalent to rally driving. “My sport has the adventure side; a race is not over after 45 minutes or so. The America’s Cup has its fascination, for sure. But that’s just not my cup of tea so far.” What is undeniable is that both Herrmann’s and Sirena’s efforts are winning the hearts and minds of fans around the world. Sirena is acutely aware that the exploits of his team are being followed with great interest back home: “It is a huge motivation to try to help and give a little relief by watching the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team racing,” he says. “At the moment we are living in a kind of bubble, but we know how hard it is in Italy and Europe in general. It is an extra motivation for all of us to do well.” Regardless of the results, the quality of sailing and sheer bravado have done well to showcase the breadth of human endeavour at a time when it has never seemed more important. • Herrmann’s Seaexplorer eventually finished fifth at the Vendée Globe CENTURION-MAGAZINE.COM 31
