UniCredit Youth America’s Cup Kicks Off: Orient Express Racing Team Concentrates on Now & Later
by Orient Express Racing Team 16 Sep 06:05 PDT
17-26 September 2024
Orient Express Racing Team © Alexander Champy-McLean / Orient Express Racing Team
The skilled young French sailors are making last-minute preparations for the upcoming UniCredit Youth America’s Cup, fully aware that they can influence the overall 37th Louis Vuitton America’s Cup, with potential implications for the 38th edition as well.
With AC75s from the Challenger fleet featuring sailors from the first two Youth America’s Cup competitions, the third edition in Barcelona clearly presents a similar opportunity.
This is particularly true for the Orient Express Racing Team, whose Youth and Women’s teams have been integral to the journey since the team’s formation.
The Youth squad, numbering six and aged between 18 and 25, was selected after nearly a year of evaluation, a collaboration between Orient Express Racing Team, the French Sailing Federation, the Ecole Nationale de Voile et des Sports Nautiques in Quiberon, and Team France.
Initially, 39 sailors were shortlisted for both the Youth and Women’s team, with the Women’s team set to embark on their journey in the inaugural Women’s America’s Cup on 10 October.
Enzo Balanger, a highly respected skipper, leads the Youth team. Enzo started his racing career in his hometown of Guadeloupe, achieving four national Optimist Championship titles, before moving to France and winning the Optimist European Championship. He has since thrived in the 420 and Moth international classes.
“We worked diligently over the summer in Barcelona, and now we’re definitely ready to race—we’re excited for tomorrow!” stated Enzo.
Alongside him is a pool of skilled sailors, with three joining him on the foiling AC40 yacht for each race day. Ange Delerce distinguished himself by winning the Under-17 420 European Championship in 2019 and the Junior 420 European Championship in 2021, and most recently, clinching the 2023 Youth Match Racing World Championship title in December.
Lou Mourniac, the 2022 Nacra 15 World Champion, is among France’s emerging talents, bringing ‘flying’ experience as a flight controller on an all-female ETF26 team, in addition to other qualifications.
Matisse Pacaud is a three-time 470 Junior World Champion and a two-time 470 European Junior Champion; he was recognized as France’s ‘best hope of the year’ in 2022.
Théo Revil, who won the 2017 29er World Youth Championship and the 29er European Championship title the following year, later transitioned to the 49er class, finishing fourth in the Youth World Championship.
Last but not least, trimmer Gaultier Tallieu, a Match Racing European Champion, has also enjoyed successful racing with Enzo Balanger in a 420.
The Orient Express – L’Oréal Racing Team is set to compete in the UniCredit Youth America’s Cup starting Tuesday, 17 September, with their first of eight fleet races in the Qualification Series.
The fleet of 12 is divided into two groups. Pool A includes Orient Express – L’Oréal Racing Team and five other America’s Cup teams—New Zealand, Great Britain, Switzerland, Italy, and the USA. Pool B consists of invited teams from Spain, the Netherlands, Canada, Germany, Sweden, and Australia.
At the conclusion of the Qualification Series, the top three teams from each pool will advance to the Semi-Finals, where four fleet races will determine which two teams will compete in the final, winner-takes-all Match Race for the prestigious UniCredit Youth America’s Cup Trophy, scheduled for 26 September.
This date is firmly on the radar for Orient Express – L’Oréal Racing Team.
The crew lineup for the Orient Express – L’Oréal Racing Team includes:
Port:
Matisse Pacaud – pilot
Gaultier Tallieu – trimmer
Starboard:
Enzo Balanger – pilot and skipper
Théo Revil – trimmer
