Series 4 - Ep12 - Alinghi Red Bull Racing Part 2
04/26/23 • 64 min
This month, another two part podcast sees Shirley Robertson visits Swiss America's Cup powerhouse Alinghi Red Bull Racing at their base in Barcelona as they prepare to Challenge for the 37th America's Cup.
As the only team to have ever launched a successful challenge to the America's Cup at first attempt, they're also the only European team to have ever won it, but for over a decade Swiss America's Cup syndicate Alinghi have been waiting, watching, following developments. And now, they are back, relaunched as Alinghi Red Bull Racing, and already well established in the host city of Barcelona. In this month's podcast, double Olympic gold medallist Shirley Robertson visits the Swiss team and talks to several key players, to hear just what it is about AC37 that has rekindled interest, and to look at how one of the most successful Cup teams of the modern era is launching a bid to reclaim the illusive silver ware.
In Part One Robertson chats to principal helm, Arnaud Psarofaghis and to Sailing team manager Pierre Yves Jorand, then in this, the second part of the podcast, she kicks things off with Yves Detrey, Alinghi team veteran and winner of the Cup with the Swiss syndicate in 2003 and 2007. The pair share memories of the Cup wins, in a conversation that takes in the immensity of those Cup victories at home in Switzerland, as well as the challenges to overcome in the new Cup arena.
Robertson also talks AC75 design with America's Cup naval architect Adolfo Carrau from Botin Partners, the design house of choice for Alinghi Red Bull Racing. Driving the design team for American Magic in the last Cup, Carrau's discussion on the evolution of the second generation AC75s will leave the listeners impatient for a glimpse of the new boats. This edition is then wrapped up with team board member Brad Butterworth, a key component of the Swiss syndicate since the earliest days of campaigning. Butterworth, as ever, has interesting views on key aspects of this Cup cycle, including the nationality rule, the other Challengers, and collaboration with Formula One teams.
This edition of the podcast is in two parts and is available to listen to via the podcast page of Shirley’s own website - www.shirleyrobertson.com/podcast or via most popular podcast outlets, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcast and aCast. The podcast is produced and written by Tim Butt - for further enquires, please contact [email protected]
This month, another two part podcast sees Shirley Robertson visits Swiss America's Cup powerhouse Alinghi Red Bull Racing at their base in Barcelona as they prepare to Challenge for the 37th America's Cup.
As the only team to have ever launched a successful challenge to the America's Cup at first attempt, they're also the only European team to have ever won it, but for over a decade Swiss America's Cup syndicate Alinghi have been waiting, watching, following developments. And now, they are back, relaunched as Alinghi Red Bull Racing, and already well established in the host city of Barcelona. In this month's podcast, double Olympic gold medallist Shirley Robertson visits the Swiss team and talks to several key players, to hear just what it is about AC37 that has rekindled interest, and to look at how one of the most successful Cup teams of the modern era is launching a bid to reclaim the illusive silver ware.
In Part One Robertson chats to principal helm, Arnaud Psarofaghis and to Sailing team manager Pierre Yves Jorand, then in this, the second part of the podcast, she kicks things off with Yves Detrey, Alinghi team veteran and winner of the Cup with the Swiss syndicate in 2003 and 2007. The pair share memories of the Cup wins, in a conversation that takes in the immensity of those Cup victories at home in Switzerland, as well as the challenges to overcome in the new Cup arena.
Robertson also talks AC75 design with America's Cup naval architect Adolfo Carrau from Botin Partners, the design house of choice for Alinghi Red Bull Racing. Driving the design team for American Magic in the last Cup, Carrau's discussion on the evolution of the second generation AC75s will leave the listeners impatient for a glimpse of the new boats. This edition is then wrapped up with team board member Brad Butterworth, a key component of the Swiss syndicate since the earliest days of campaigning. Butterworth, as ever, has interesting views on key aspects of this Cup cycle, including the nationality rule, the other Challengers, and collaboration with Formula One teams.
This edition of the podcast is in two parts and is available to listen to via the podcast page of Shirley’s own website - www.shirleyrobertson.com/podcast or via most popular podcast outlets, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcast and aCast. The podcast is produced and written by Tim Butt - for further enquires, please contact [email protected]
Previous Episode
Series 4 - Ep10 - Dean Barker Part 2
Part 2 of this month's podcast that sees Shirley Robertson talk to one of the sport's most recognisable talents, as New Zealand's Dean Barker reflects on a career spent chasing the illusive America's Cup.
In Part 1 the pair discuss his formative years growing up in Takapuna, Auckland, and coming to the attention of Russell Coutts, the helm of a New Zealand team that would go on to successfully challenge and then successfully defend the America's Cup.
Part two of the podcast kicks off with chat about the marathon Challenger Series in 2007 which saw Barker helm Team New Zealand to twenty seven wins from thirty two matches, to reach another America's Cup match. Barker and Robertson then go on to reflect on the remarkable events of San Francisco 2013, a Cup that saw Emirates Team New Zealand concede eight losses in a row against eventual winners Oracle Team USA. The build up to the 2013 Cup was a remarkable period of development that had seen Barker's Team New Zealand innovate in the extreme, the end result, the fast, powerful fully foiling AC72 that stunned sailing fans across the globe...:
"To say the boats were under control would be a massive over statement, they were so hard to manage on that reach across from the start to the turning mark off St Francis Yacht Club...the speeds and the power and everything, and how out of control you felt at times...you're thinking if it goes wrong here, we're going to be picking up pieces off the waterfront here in San Francisco!"
The result of the 35th America's Cup is well documented, and is much talked about from many of the protagonists here on Robertson's podcast, but the effect of the very public loss on Dean Barker has been profound, a fact that he discusses with Robertson as he looks back on what was a difficult time.
Bringing his career up to the present day, Barker also discusses the campaign with American Magic, at home in Auckland, along with a cautionary tale of his fight with colon cancer throughout the build up to that Cup. This edition of the podcast is another fascinating look into the life of one of the sport of sailing's biggest names, Barker's honesty and sincerity adding significantly to stories from a long and remarkable career.
This edition of the podcast is in two parts and is available to listen to via the podcast page of Shirley’s own website - www.shirleyrobertson.com/podcast or via most popular podcast outlets, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcast and aCast. The podcast is produced and written by Tim Butt - for further enquires, please contact [email protected].
Next Episode
Series 4 - Ep13 - American Magic Part 1
This month, Shirley Robertson heads to Barcelona to interview some of the key personnel from American Magic, the New York Yacht Club's challenger to the 37th America's Cup.
Embarking on their second America's Cup challenge, American Magic are a team rich in sailing talent, with a roster boasting a mix of some of the most experienced campaigners and some of the sport's brightest rising stars.
Robertson starts the two part podcast with one of the sailing team's newest signings, co-helm Tom Slingsby. A previous winner of the Cup in 2013, Slingsby joins the team as co-helm with Paul Goodison, creating a mouth watering combination that sees two of Olympic Laser sailing's fiercest of rivals come together in the Cup's new "dual helm" configuration. As Slingsby admits, it's a setup the pair are still figuring out...:
"Goody and I for sure, we have different ways of racing, I might be a bit more aggressive probably and a bit more into boat on boat sailing and Goody, his way is to go fast and make sure that we're sailing the boat at optimum, and we'll sail away from them that way. It's just going to be a blend...who knows how that's going to work, we're still working on it honestly!"
Robertson also talks to sailing super coach Tom Burnham, the man tasked with getting the most out of American Magic's talent pool, before spending time sailing the AC40 simulator with rising star Harry Melges.
In Part two of this edition Robertson gets things underway with Slingsby's co-helm, Paul Goodison. One time Olympic team mates, Goodison and Robertson reflect on the legacy of the team's AC36 campaign in Auckland, a challenge cruelly cut short by dramatic capsize, before discussing the intricacies of the twin helm setup, in a chat that reflects the rising confidence of the team.
"I think we've got a real chance. I think...there is a belief that we are good enough on our day to do this and to get over the final line and I think if we get a boat that we think we're going to receive... and we race to the level we know we're able to then I think on our day we're going to be right there."
Part two continues with a discussion on AC75 design, as Robertson talks to American Magic design team member David Oliver, before moving on to Riley Gibbs, another of the team's rising young stars. Robertson's final guest is the mastermind behind American Magic, Terry Hutchinson, himself embarking on his sixth America's Cup campaign. Robertson and Hutchinson discuss what kind of racing we're likely to see in next year's Cup, as well as the make up of the new look American Magic sailing team.
This edition of the podcast is in two parts and is available to listen to via the podcast page of Shirley’s own website - www.shirleyrobertson.com/podcast or via most popular podcast outlets, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcast and aCast. The podcast is produced and written by Tim Butt - for further enquires, please contact [email protected].
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