New Zealand victorious at Red Bull Foiling Generation World Final in Miami
by Dan Palumbo 11 Nov 2018 16:08 PST
9-11 November 2018
Isaac McHardie and William McKenzie of New Zealand win the Red Bull Foiling Generation World Finals in Miami, USA © Predrag Vuckovic
After a year of qualifying races held all over the world, Isaac McHardie and William McKenzie from New Zealand emerged as the victors of the Red Bull Foiling Generation World Final. They've put themselves on the map as future stars in the sport after defeating the top teams from countries like Austria, Belgium, Sweden, the US, and France.
Isaac McHardie and William McKenzie have known each other since they were both just nine-years-old, and have been sailing on and off together since. They started sailing in the optimist class, but over the last two years they have been sailing full-time in the 49er class together.
"It's an amazing feeling. Sailing these fast boats has been an exciting time and coming away with the win is a great feeling, I'm ecstatic," quoted William Mckenzie. "Everyone here had a lot of skill. Every race we had was very competitive and you can never rule at any sailor because everyone here was the best of their country."
For them, Red Bull Foiling Generation was one step closer to reaching their dream, to win an Olympic Gold Medal.
"The Dream is a Gold Medal at the Olympics. This event is really cool because it opens different pathways to different events like the Extreme Sailing Series," William McKenzie said.
Designed to find sailing's next wave of talent, Red Bull Foiling Generation gives wings to talented young men and women aged 16-20 by introducing them to the type of cutting-edge foiling technology used in the America's Cup.
They are coached throughout the process by two-time Olympic Gold Medalists, event co-founders and Sports Directors Roman Hagara and Hans Peter Steinacher, to pilot the Flying Phantoms – the fastest boats of their size in the world (reaching speeds up to 35 knots, or 40 mph).
Red Bull Foiling Generation is the world's largest youth sailing program, launched by Hagara and Steinacher in 2015. The goal of the program is to help participants advance toward professional careers and Olympic-class programs for the 2020 Games.
No other sailing event helps develop young talent to be better prepared to succeed in the future, by providing access to the cutting-edge foiling tech and the knowledge of sailing legends like Hagara and Steinacher.
"It's been gratifying to see the interest in Red Bull Foiling Generation around the world, as well as the progress sailors from the program are making in the sport," Hagara stated. "Olivia Mackay and Micah Wilkinson, who won the 2016 World Final, went on to win the Flying Phantom Series of the Extreme Sailing Series together in 2017, and since then both of them have raced on GC32s in the Extreme Sailing Series, in addition to pursuing Olympic campaigns. The future of sailing is looking very strong and very exciting."
The coast of Miami provided a beautiful backdrop for the Red Bull Foiling Generation World Final. Throughout the three-day competition, the ocean breeze held strong and produced fourteen heats of fast, highly competitive sailing.
After a full weekend of intense racing on the Southern Florida waters, McHardie and McKenzie now get to enjoy their win against some of the world's best young sailors and will enjoy the boost a Red Bull Foiling Generation World Championship gives to their young careers. The next steps for many sailors who made the World Finals could include Olympic-class campaign or the Extreme Sailing Series.
www.redbull.com/int-en/events/foiling-generation
Results:
1st – New Zealand - Isaac McHardie and William McKenzie
2nd – Belgium - Morgan Wirtz and Henri Demesmaeker
3rd – Sweden - Emil Järudd and Hugo Christensson
Technical data for Flying Phantom
The Flying Phantom earns raves as the future of sailing because unlike other small boats, it uses hydrofoil technology to lift completely out of the water. The cutting-edge system allows it to hit blistering speeds of up to 35 knots – almost 40 mph – making it by far the quickest sailing boat of its size in the world. Length: 5,52m (18ft), width: 3,00m, weight: 155kg, mast height: 9,6m, mainsail: 18sqm, Jib: 5,5sqm, Gennaker: 24sqm, crew: 2
About Red Bull Foiling Generation
After previous seasons in 2015 and 2016, Red Bull Foiling Generation is back, with Flying Phantom catamarans lifting over the water at up to 35 knots in a novel format. Sailors aged 16-20 compete in a series of heats on four identical boats of distinct colors until the final race determines the winning team. The biggest youth sailing program on the planet, in 2017-18 Red Bull Foiling Generation features top teams from 16 countries and five continents in a World Final to be held in the USA on 9-11 November 2018.