Liberty Bitcoin Youth Foiling World Cup: All set for Gaeta in February

69F Gargnano © Stefano Gattini

Inaugural grand prix all set for Gaeta February, 8 teams confirmed with more spaces available. Conrad Colman joins media team to help reach international audiences.

Starting in Gaeta in February, followed by races on Lake Garda in August and Hong Kong in 2022, the Liberty Bitcoin Youth Foiling World Cup will provide action packed racing for international teams in a new format that will bring high performance foiling to youth sailors at the highest level.

Building upon the successes of the Persico 69F Cup in 2020, a year that held uncertainties for many, the 69F class is excited to announce that its first event in the Youth Foiling World Cup (YFWC) is confirmed for Gaeta, Italy.

The new, high performance foiling boats, designed by Wilson/ Marquinez and built out of pre-preg carbon fibre by Persico Marine in Italy, provides up and coming sailors a world-class instrument to race at the highest level. Top sailors have been involved in its development, including Santiago Lange and Francesco Bruni. Reached for comment just before stepping onto Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli in New Zealand, Francesco said.

"I'm looking forward to see the action in Gaeta of this fantastic new class. The boats are amazing and I have been very lucky to be one of the first sailors testing them in Lake Garda. I know is going to be a lot of fun and some great racing in Gaeta!"

As the world's eyes turn to the impressive spectacle of the America's Cup in New Zealand this spring, we need to remember that there was meant to be a parallel Youth America's Cup regatta for sailors from 18 to 25 years old. The event was sadly cancelled due to COVID restrictions.

Following this cancellation, the 69F class becomes the de facto world championships for youth sailors looking to test their capacities in one-design foiling monohulls and the class has developed a series of races, and signed up international talent, worthy of this status.

Act 1 of the Liberty Bitcoin Youth Foiling World Cup has confirmed 8 international entries, including teams from France, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Norway, Italy, Hong Kong and the United States. The 69F class is set up with a "six-pack" of identical boats that are provided by the class and the fleet will rotate through the boats during the course of the regatta.

Given this, the event hopes to still attract more teams to act 1 in February. Decoupling the number of teams from the number of boats in the regatta is a key innovation by 69F to reduce the environmental footprint of our sport.

Finally, Conrad Colman, has joined the 69F communications team for the YFWC series to help expand the international audience for the class. The French based ocean racing New Zealander is known for his fun and quirky, but always educational, way of communicating his passion for all things sailing. An ocean racing purist who won the 2012 Global Ocean Race, and successfully completed both the Barcelona World Race and Vendée Globe amongst other solo sailing monuments, Conrad is excited to join the team.

"I am completely inspired by the 69F Class's energy, willingness to enthusiastically break from the old way of doing things and, most importantly, their environmental ethos. Sailing is due for a shake up and I am excited to help share their stories with the world."

If you are interested in joining the circuit, or have other specific requests please contact 69F representative Francesco Rubagotti at: Tel: +39 3349048640.

Conrad Colman joins 69F - photo © B. Stichelbaut / Sea&Co