Alinghi won the GC32 Oman Cup and the 2019 GC32 Racing Tour.
Ernesto Bertarelli’s Swiss team adds to their GC32 World Championship title and victory in their own domestic D35 catamaran circuit.
Coming into the 2019 GC32 Racing Tour’s final event, Alinghi was tied on points with the Adam Minoprio-skippered Oman Air.
This made for a simple battle: Whichever team won here in Oman would claim the 2019 GC32 Racing Tour.
Ultimately Alinghi never missed a beat, leading from the outset, although surprisingly her main competition here was Erik Maris’ Zoulou.
Sadly coming up the first beat in the first race Adam Minoprio misjudged ducking Zoulou and his boat’s port bow impaled itself in Zoulou’s port topside. It took some minutes and a gybe before the two boats unlocked.
Zoulou just stayed afloat long enough to get back into the Al Mouj Marina and be craned out.
Meanwhile Minoprio’s team missed one race but was back on the water for today’s third. Bouncing back, they won this, then with the wind and sea state rapidly building, the day’s final two races were cancelled and everyone was sent ashore.
In fact after today’s second race Alinghi had already won.
Oman Air finished the 2019 GC32 Racing Tour in second overall and Minoprio hopes to return to do better in 2020.
Zoulou was awarded average points for today’s races leaving them second overall 9.1 points astern of Alinghi and 7.9 ahead Red Bull Sailing Team.
There is some consolation in Zoulou winning the top prize in the 2019 GC32 Racing Tour owner-driver championship.
Final Results – GC32 Oman Cup:
1st Alinghi – – 37 pts
2nd Zoulou – – 46.1 pts
3rd Red Bull Sailing Team – – 54 pts
4th Oman Air – – 60 pts
5th Black Star Sailing Team – – 68 pts
6th Argo – – 107 pts
Final Results 2019 GC32 Racing Tour
1st Alinghi – – 7 pts
2nd Oman Air – – 10 pts
3rd Red Bull Sailing Team – – 16 pts
4th Zoulou – – 19 pts
5th Argo – – 26 pts
6th Black Star Sailing Team – – 28 pts
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