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First training with Örn
10-12-2001
“It was a fantastic feeling”, said the project leader Mats Johansson at the return after nightfall. Mats Johansson was the skipper and Jesper Bank, twice Olympic Games gold medallist for Denmark, was navigator at this premier. Onboard during this premier of Örn (SWE 63) included the boat designer German Frers jr. and the boat constructor Chris Mellow. German Frers Jr. was one of Prada’s head designers for America’s Cup 2000 when the Italian syndicate reached the final against Team New Zealand. Chris Mellow took part of the construction of the victorious New Zealander Black Magic-boats which took the country to victory 1995 and 2000 in the world’s oldest and established sailing competition. “They were both really pleased with what they saw of Swedish Örn tonight”, says Mats Johansson. Just like the launch the night to Thursday 6 December, the first training was at twilight, in order to conceal all secrets on the boat for as long as possible. According to the plan the premier outing was limited to one hour of sailing. “The 17 persons onboard were the persons that have worked the most with the new boat” Mats Johansson tells us, he continues: “We focused entirely on structural tests. Therefore we couldn’t sheet home the sails completely. The tests so far show, however, that Örn has become the boat that everybody in the project has wished for. Now follows 24 hours of minor adjustments before it’s time for the second training, this time with another key person onboard; Magnus Holmberg, who is currently ranked number one in the world of match racing.” The Swedish America’s Cup-boat Örn was built in Gothenburg and christened on the 27th of October. According to the America’s Cup rules the hull, rudder and keel must be constructed in the same country that the challenging boat comes from. Mast and sail can be produced in another country. All challengers of America’s Cup make their sails in the same factory in the USA. The mast of Victory Challenge has been created in New Zealand. Since the arrival a month go in Auckland by an Antonov, a gigantic Russian transportation plane, the rudder, keel and mast have been assembled together, among other things. Now comes one week’s training and tests with Örn, before the Victory Challenge-syndicate breaks up for the Christmas holiday. Strenuous training with the Swedish America’s Cup Boat begins directly after New Year. The Challenger series for America’s Cup 2003 starts 1 October 2002 in the Hauraki Gulf outside Auckland. Bert Willborg/Victory Challenge
Length: 25 m Beam: 4.5 m Weight: approximately 24 ton Bulb: 20 ton Mast: 0.8 ton Fin: 1.0 ton Hull: 2.4 ton Mast height: 34 m Dept: 4 m Main sail: 250-260 square metre Spinnaker: 500 square metre Genua: 120-130 square metre Construction material: carbon fibre composite Design: German Frers Jr. Boat constructor: Chris Mellow/Victory Challenge Crew: 16 man |
