The Foiling Week goes transatlantic

Gathering of the foiling clans to take place in Malcesine and Newport this summer

The Foiling Week returns to Lake Garda, Italy week with this third edition of the gathering of the foiling clans once again taking place out of Malcesine on Lake Garda from 7-10 July. The event is unique in being dedicated purely to foiling boats, their sailors, designers and builders.

After two successful events in 2014 and 2015 held out of the Fraglia Vela Malcesine, The Foiling Week is also to hold an additional event in the USA. Sail Newport, in Newport R.I. will co-organise a US version of The Foiling Week over 8-11 September.

The program at both will include the Forums to be held in the morning followed by on water activities in the afternoon with a Foiling Expo and Foiling Boat Trials available throughout the week. There will be races for one-design classes, long distance races also including the one-offs, a speed contest and a permanent training area for those not racing.

Off Malcesine, the Moth class will have an excellent opportunity to test the waters of the venue that will host the 2017 International Moth World Championship.

The European leg of The Foiling Week is also part of the 2016 Flying Phantom Series and the GC32 Racing Tour. The Waszp, S9, kitefoils and prototypes will also race over two race courses on Lake Garda.

Nicolas Felix from Phantom International commented: “For the second year in a row, the Flying Phantom Series will join The Foiling Week event in early July. Lake Garda is one of the favourite sailing venues for European sailors and a perfect place to organize Flying Phantom races. With its unique dedication to foiling boats with new foiling classes this year, The Foiling Week is definitely one of the key events of the season and also a great opportunity to enjoy this fantastic area.”

Of their participation at The Foiling Week 2016, Christian Scherrer, GC32 Class Manager, said: “The GC32 Racing Tour is looking forward to coming to Malcesine on Lake Garda for the second event in our season. Having the GC32 Malcesine Cup as part of The Foiling Week gives this event a very special status. The Fraglia Vela Malcesine will become the hot spot for the foiling community for the first week of July. We are counting on a great event and interesting meetings ashore.”

President of Fraglia Vela Malcesine, Gianni Testa, added: “We’re enthusiastic to be part of such a successful project that this year will also expand to Newport, USA. The Foiling Week has gained a very special status within the foiling community and in the 2016 we welcome as new member of our foiling family the GC32 catamarans with their Racing Tour. Lake Garda is one of the best spot for sailing and we’re happy to organize for the third year in a row this exciting event together with the The Foiling Week Association. We look forward to the first week of July and to lots of exciting days with foiling boats!”

The Foiling Week in Newport R.I. will included the Moth North American Championship and the A Class Catamaran Pre-Nationals. C Class multihulls and other prototypes are expect to join the event.

Brad Read, who heads Sail Newport, which was behind the Rhode Island stopover of the Volvo Ocean Race, said: “We are very excited to bring this international event to Newport. High-performance sailing has a home here and has for generations. Sail Newport Sailing Centre is the home of one of the nations largest foiling Moth classes. Narragansett Bay is popular for kite boarders which are now equipped with lifting foils as well as the foiling A Class catamaran fleet in Bristol.

"Boats that literally fly out of the water are not a new development. The technology is becoming more ‘mainstream’. We look forward to the sharing of technology and showcasing ideas among sailors from around the world in Newport Rhode Island in September.”

During past editions the flying boats attending The Foiling Week have included foiling monohulls, multihulls, kite-surfboards, windsurfers, and a wide variety of one-offs, with sailors attending including professionals such as Sebastian Col, Francois Gabart, Josh McKnight, Stefano Rizzi, Flavio Marazzi, Keith Swinton, etc.

At both event venues Forums will take place in the morning before racing. Around 40 speakers will participate in the most relevant Foiling Forum subjects over the three days. In previous editions, designers, sailors and builders including Tom Speer, Martin Fischer, Kevin Hall, Davide Tagliapietra, Doug Schickler, Guillaume Verdier and Andrew ‘Amac’ McDougal have provided detailed analysis, explained projects and shared informative discussion on the art of foiling and ideas for future developments.

Forum Workshops will be scheduled during the mornings and at the end of racing in the afternoons from Thursday 7th to Saturday 9th July in Malcesine and from Thursday 8th to Saturday 10th in Newport. Special forum sessions are open to those who have innovative ideas and projects to propose.

An Exhibition of foiling crafts and test trials on board some of the boats, provides a rare opportunity to try the ‘third mode of sailing’.

Nominations are now open for Boat Show exhibitors and sponsors who would like to support the events.