Barcelona, Spain – 20 September 2024 – Concord Pacific Racing’s Youth Team delivered a standout second place finish in their fleet of six their first  race at the UniCredit Youth America’s Cup in Barcelona today, despite weather conditions disrupting the schedule and limiting the day to just one race.

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After two days of weather delays, the team finally had the chance to get their historic campaign underway and made an immediate impact with a strong showing on the water.

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“It was a super tricky day out on the water, lots of snakes and ladders, and tons of big holes. Everyone was off the foils at one point or another, so it was a pretty stressful day, but it felt really good to put it together,” said Andrew Wood, Youth Captain for Concord Pacific Racing.

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“Honestly, we didn’t know how well we’d done until after the finish. We were just heads down trying to keep the boat flying. We had a nice little pop before the finish line and managed to catch the Swedish boat right at the end, which was really satisfying. To start the regatta with a second is a great start for us, and our goal is to keep getting top-three finishes to make it into the next round.”

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In tricky, puffy conditions, the Canadians were hit with two penalties in the pre-start, followed by a third shortly after the race began for not clearing the penalties quickly enough. These early setbacks dropped them to fifth place, but the team demonstrated remarkable resilience, skilfully managing to stay on their foils while other boats struggled and dropped into displacement mode. With a top speed of 15.36 knots, the fastest recorded in the race, they steadily worked their way through the fleet.

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As the wind continued to fade and the race was shortened to three legs, the Canadians found a crucial patch of breeze, regaining momentum and lifting back onto their foils. Heading into the final leg, they surged past the Germans at the bottom gate, setting up a thrilling finish. With a late pop, they made a last gasp charge to overtake Sweden metres from the line and secure an impressive second-place finish. Spain, taking advantage of their local knowledge, clinched the victory on home waters.

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Coach Kyle Martin reflected on the team’s performance: “It was a big day on the water for the group. After a few days of postponements, we finally got to go racing, so the nerves were definitely there. But I think we did a really nice job going into the day, setting our priorities straight. We knew it was going to be light and patchy, so staying on the foils through the manoeuvres was key. All in all, I’m pretty happy with how the day went, and the team is doing a nice job getting ready for tomorrow.”

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Despite the disruptions, Concord Pacific Racing’s effort in their first race offers plenty of optimism for the remainder of the competition. Their ability to manage challenging conditions while demonstrating speed, communication, and teamwork marks them as strong contenders moving forward.

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With racing abandoned after the first race, Group B teams will return tomorrow for more action, with a forecast showing more wind. Fans can watch the action live on TSN, YouTube, or via the America’s Cup website, where all the races will be streamed.

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Group B Standings after Race 1:

1. Sail Team BCN | 10 points
2. Concord Pacific Racing | 7 points
3. Swedish Challenge | 5 points
4. Youth AC Team Germany | 3 points
5. Andoo Team Australia | 2 points
6. Jajo Team DutchSail | DNS (0 points)