Pensacola Yacht Club youth races gave glimpse at American Magic foiling sailboats
The Pensacola Yacht Club held two sailing races over the weekend, including a race that featured foiling sailboats the American Magic sail team is using to develop future sailors.
The first race held was the U.S. Championship for the Melges 24 class, a traditional racing sloop that requires five people to operate.
The second race was an international race of six teams in the carbon-fiber filing 69F foiling sailboat. Like the much larger America's Cup boats, the 69F uses hydrofoils to lift the boats off the water while underway. The boats can reach speeds of 35 mph.
Earlier this year, 69F America announced a partnership with American Magic to be the official training platform for its youth and women's training program.
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Sailors from the U.S., Germany, Canada, Norway, Antigua and Barbuda, Denmark, Holland, Venezuela and Australia were a part of the races over the weekend, according to Pensacola Yacht Club Commodore Tom Pace.
The team from Antigua and Barbuda placed first after 15 races, with Norway coming in second and Canada coming in third.
"Far and away the most important aspect is that our own sailors from all three local yacht clubs (Pensacola, Beach, and Navy) once again made our local waters stand out for upper-level competition," Pace said in an email to the News Journal. "And with American Magic cementing their efforts to be a part of our local community for years to come, this was an exciting step in increasing sailing and maritime efforts in Pensacola."
Pace said between both races, more than 240 people participated in the weekend's competition.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola Yacht Club hosts American Magic youth development race
