Spectacular yacht racing in the Alps

The RC44 Championship Tour sponsored by AEZ visits lake Traunsee

The winter was long and sailing fans in particular have been wistfully waiting for spring so that they can get their boats back on the water. The same goes for the lads in the RC44 Cup, the younger brother of the America’s Cup. Following the start of the season in the United Arab Emirates in February, the racing championship now comes back to Europe from 29th April to 4th May – to the picturesque Lake Traunsee in Upper Austria. The AEZ RC44 team is training on the water here, which is extremely challenging due to its changing wind, specifically for the Allianz Traunsee week, where the team will be participating for the second time in succession. Over six exciting days the sophisticated Hotel Esplanade in Gmunden will once again form the centrepiece of the event. The so-called “Sailing in the city”, which has been constructed as a major sailing centre on the bank of the lake, allows all interested spectators to take a glance behind the scenes or talk shop with the sailors.

The RC44 Championship tour – the premium class of yacht racing. This is ensured by the presence of countless stars from the America’s Cup such as Russell Coutts, Chris Bake and Igor Lah. For the AEZ RC44 team, René Mangold and Christian Binder will be starting in the obligatory Match Race, Fleet Race and Long Distance Race. The one-design yachts impress with their outstanding performance: with a length of 13.35 metres and the comparatively low weight of 3560 kilograms the carbon boats are very easy to handle. The maximum speed is 25 knots per hours.

Plenty of competitions await racers and spectators alike, with the Match Race Trophy starting on 29th April, and the Fleet Race Trophy on 2nd May. The overall winner will be crowned on 4th May. The special nature of the RC44 tour is evident from the race calendar, which comprises six exclusive regattas. As a manufacturer of high-quality light alloys, AEZ suits this environment perfectly. It is not without reason that the Austrian company has a wheel called “Yacht” in its product portfolio. This and many more modern alloys from AEZ can be admired in the high-tech sailing centre at the Esplanade hotel in Gmunden.

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