ORIENT EXPRESS L’OREAL RACING TEAM ARE THE CHAMPIONS OF THE 69F YOUTH FOILING GOLD CUP 2023
The French team won the 2023 YFGC Grand Final in Barcelona and clinched the title of best Under 25 team of the season
Barcelona, Spain – November 5th, 2023 – The final day of the 69F Youth Foiling Gold Cup Grand Final 2023, a highly anticipated competition among the best eight Under 25 teams of the 2023 season, proved to be an exciting culmination of a brilliant season. Hosted by Marina Vela Barcelona and organized by 69F and Club Nàutic Vilassar de Mar, this event showcased the skills and determination of young sailors who demonstrated their talent throughout the season on the state-of-the-art one-design foiling monohulls for crews.
The weather on the final day, with strong winds of over 25 knots, presented a significant challenge for the organization, making racing unsafe and leading to the cancellation of all scheduled races. Despite these conditions, the competition had already seen the best three teams emerge as the top performers of the 69F Youth Foiling Gold Cup Grand Final 2023, in the two flights finished in the previous days:
Champions: Orient Express L’Oreal Racing Team
Representing the French Challenger for the 37th America’s Cup, the Orient Express L’Oreal Racing Team, with Enzo Balanger, Lou Maurniac, Theo Revil, Gauthier Tailleu, and their coach Michel Philippe, clinched the championship and the biggest 69F voucher for the 2024 season.
Silver medal: Clean Sailors Youth Racing Team
The trio of CJ Perez, Jann Schupbach, and Lukas Hesse demonstrated exceptional sailing ability, securing the second spot.
Bronze Medal: Enzedder Racing from New Zealand
Comprising Sam Street, Leo Takahashi, and Serena Woodall, the kiwi team showed remarkable skill and tenacity throughout the competition.
All of the young athletes have showcased their incredible talent, determination, and adaptability throughout the competition. The challenging conditions of the Grand Final added an extra layer of complexity, testing their skills and making for an unbelievable event.
The 69F Youth Foiling Gold Cup Grand Final is not just a testament to the sailing abilities of the next generation but also a celebration of their dedication to the sport and another step closer to their professional career in sailing.
The organizers, sponsors, and supporters of the event are proud to have been a part of this competition. The Orient Express L’Oreal Racing Team and their competitors have further established the 69F Youth Foiling Gold Cup as a premier circuit for young sailors, setting the stage for the future of sailing excellence. The dates of the 2024 season are online on the official website, and it will start in Miami, USA, with Act 1 from January 22nd to the 26th. Before that teams can train at the 69F Club Super Series USA on December 8-10 (2023) and January 19-21, always in Miami.
