12 minute read
GODINA VELIKIH REGATA / YEAR OF GREAT REGATTAS
Fotografija / Photo: ACE | Studio Borlenghi
GODINA VELIKIH REGATA
YEAR OF GREAT REGATTAS
America's Cup i Vendée Globe, dvije su regate koje privlače milijune obožavatelja diljem svijeta, a njihovi završeci napeti poput trilera od jedriličara stvaraju sportske heroje.
The America's Cup and the Vendée Globe are regattas that attract millions of fans around the world, and their finales, as tense as thrillers, turn sailors into sporting heroes.
America's Cup i Vendée Globe, toliko slični, a opet toliko različiti. Regate koje slave veličinu jedrenja, najmoderniju tehnologiju, ali isto i veličinu sportaša i suživot s prirodom. The America's Cup and the Vendée Globe – so similar yet so different. These are the races that celebrate the greatness of sailing, the state-ofthe-art technology, as well as the greatness of athletes and coexistence with nature.
America's Cup jednostavno traži izvrsnost na svim poljima. Budžet, tehnologija i ljudi moraju biti u savršenom balansu kako bi stigli do legendarnog pehara Auld Mug.
Fotografija / Photo: ACE | Studio Borlenghi
Priča o America's Cupu započinje još 1851. godine, punih 45 godina prije prvih održanih modernih Olimpijskih igara u Ateni 1896., kada je tadašnja kraljica Viktorija uživala u popodnevnom čaju i pratila regatu oko otoka Wrighta u kojoj je sudjelovala moćna britanska flota poražena od američke škune nazvane 'America'. Tijekom ulaska u cilj kraljica je upitala jednog od svojih ađutanata tko je osvojio drugo mjesto. ‘Vaše Veličanstvo, nema drugog mjesta’, glasio je kratak odgovor. I tako je počela legenda o najvažnijem i najspektakularnijem jedriličarskom natjecanju. Tijekom povijesti ova je regata privlačila ugledne poslovne ljude poput Sir Thomasa Liptona, Alana Bonda, Age Khana, Teda Turnera i najbolje jedriličare poput Dennisa Connera, Russella Couttsa, Petera Burlinga… Svi su dolazili samo s jednim ciljem. Osvojiti jedriličarski Sveti gral! Koliko je to teško pokazuje i podatak da su samo četiri zemlje u povijesti natjecanja uspjele podignuti kultni pehar Auld Mug. To su SAD, Australija, Novi Zeland i Švicarska. America's Cup jednostavno traži izvrsnost na svim poljima. Budžet, tehnologija i ljudi moraju biti u savršenom balansu za pobjedu u najstarijem sportskom natjecanju na svijetu. The story of the America's Cup began back in 1851, a full 45 years before the first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens in 1896, with Queen Victoria enjoying her afternoon tea and watching a regatta around the Isle of Wight, where the powerful British fleet was defeated by the American schooner called America. At the finish line, the Queen asked one of her aides who was second. ‘Your Majesty, there is no second,’ was the short answer. And the legend of the most important and spectacular sailing competition was born. Throughout its history, this regatta has attracted prominent businessmen such as Sir Thomas Lipton, Alan Bond, Age Khan, Ted Turner, and the best sailors such as Dennis Conner, Russell Coutts, Peter Burling etc. They all came with only one goal – to conquer the Holy Grail of sailing. The fact that only four countries in the history of the competition have managed to win the iconic Auld Mug trophy shows how difficult this is. These are the USA, Australia, New Zealand and Switzerland. The America's Cup simply requires excellence in all fields. The budget, the technology, the people, all must be in perfect balance to win the world's oldest sporting competition.
Fotografija / Photo: ACE | Studio Borlenghi
Fotografija / Photo: ACE | Studio Borlenghi Fotografija / Photo: ACE | Studio Borlenghi
36. izdanje Cupa koje je održano u vodama ispred Aucklanda na inovativnim foiling jednotrupcima AC75 koji su sposobni razviti brzine veće od 50 čvorova po mnogim je parametrima bilo jedrenje iz budućnosti. Nova tehnologija koja će idućih godina mijenjati svijet čitave nautičke industrije u kombinaciji s najboljim svjetskim skiperima pružila je pravi spektakl. Naslov je obranio Emirates Team New Zealand pobijedivši u finalu talijansku Luna Rossu 7-3, a novozelandski čarobnjak za kormilom Peter Burling ušao je u uski krug ljudi koji su dva puta osvajali Cup. Špalir od nekoliko stotina brodova koji su novozelandsku jedrilicu dopratili u luku najbolji je pokazatelj koliko ljudi vole jedrenje. 'Imao sam osjećaj da je Novi Zeland eruptirao nakon naše pobjede. Sada je vrijeme za uživanje. Osvajanje America's Cupa pred domaćim navijačima nevjerojatna je stvar. Velika je čast bila jedriti za pet milijuna Kiwija', rekao je Peter Burling nakon trijumfa. I dok se tek spuštao zastor na jednu sjajnu jedriličarsku predstavu, već su počele pripreme za 37. izdanje America's Cup. Službeni izazivač braniteljima naslova iz Novog Zelanda postao je britanski Ineos, a glavne glumce poput Burlinga, Ainslieja, Spithilla i ostalih velikih imena svjetskog jedrenja gledat ćemo ponovno u inovativnom AC75. Dok je America's Cup, po svojoj filozofiji, kombinacija tehnologije, financijske moći i sporta, offshore jurnjava po svjetskim morima sasvim je drugačija biljka. Koncept Vendée Globea je bazično jednoThe 36th edition of the Cup, which was held in the waters off Auckland on the innovative AC75 foiling monohulls, capable of developing speeds of more than 50 knots, represented, in many aspects, the future of sailing. The new technology that will change the world of the entire nautical industry in the coming years, combined with the world's best skippers, provided a real spectacle. The title was defended by the Emirates Team New Zealand, beating Italy's Luna Rossa 7-3 in the final, with the New Zealand wizard helmsman Peter Burling making the narrow circle of people who have won the Cup twice. A convoy of a few hundred boats that escorted the New Zealand sailing boat to port is the best indicator of how much people love sailing. 'I had a feeling that New Zealand erupted following our victory. Now it's time to enjoy. Winning the America's Cup in front of the home fans is an amazing thing. It has been a great honour to sail for five million Kiwis,' Peter Burling said after the triumph. And while the curtain was coming down on this great sailing show, preparations were already being made for the 37th edition of the America's Cup. The British Ineos has been confirmed as Challenger of Record against the defending champions from New Zealand, and we will see the leading actors such as Burling, Ainslie, Spithill and other big names in the world sailing again on the innovative AC75.
stavan od prve regate 1989. godine koja je pokrenuta na inicijativu Philippea Jeantota. Svaki natjecatelj mora jedriti sam i kontinuirano oko planeta ili kako to jedriličari zovu do 'kraja svijeta i natrag'. Na tom ih putu čekaju ledeni uvjeti, visoki valovi i orkanski vjetrovi. Vendée Globe jedno je od najtežih ispita izdržljivosti koji se mogu zamisliti zbog čega se i nosi nadimak Everest jedrenja, a već i sam završetak regate predstavlja pravu pobjedu u tom izazovu s prirodom. Jer samo onaj tko jako obožava jedrenje može nekoliko mjeseci provesti sam na brodu duljine 60 stopa gdje je životan prostor ograničen na nekoliko kvadrata. Deveto izdanje Vendéea imalo je rasplet holivudskog filma, a od 33 skipera i skiperica, čak 25 njih je završilo ovu jedriličarsku odiseju. Premda ovaj podatak predstavlja jako visok postotak za regatu, činjenica je kako je Vendée dosad završilo manje ljudi nego što ih je otišlo na Mjesec. Iako nije prvi na povratku u Les Sables d’Olonne čuo 'Bienvenue’ (dobro došli o.p.a.), iskusni offshore jedriličar Yannick Bestaven u prvom je nastupu na regati ostao je najstariji pobjednik Vendéea jer su mu organizatori za sudjelovanje u akciji spašavanja Kevina Escoffiera uračunali vremensku kompenzaciju. 48-godišnji francuski skiper je rutu oko svijeta odjedrio za 80 dana, 3 sata, 44 minute i 46 sekunda. Drugi je bio Charlie Dahlin, a Louis Burton treći. 'Osjećam se kao da živim san, haluciniram. Imam osjećaj da sam još uvijek u regati. Ove jedrilice su stresne i bučne, a život na palubi je jako težak. Ponekad se osjećate usamljeno, umorno, ljuto… Morate posegnuti duboko u psihu i pronaći najbolju verziju sebe While the America's Cup, according its philosophy, is a combination of technology, financial power and sports, the offshore racing across the world's seas is a completely different thing. The concept of the Vendée Globe has been very simple since the first regatta, which was launched at the initiative of Philippe Jeantot in 1989. Each competitor must sail alone and non-stop around the world, or as sailors call it ‘to the end of the world and back'. Icy conditions, high waves and hurricane-force winds await them along the way. The Vendée Globe is one of the toughest endurance tests imaginable, which is why it is known as the Everest of the Seas, and just finishing the race itself is a real victory in this challenge with nature. Because it is only those who love sailing very much that can spend a few months alone on a 60-foot boat, where the living space is limited to just a few square metres. The ninth edition of Vendée played like a Hollywood film, and of the 33 male and female skippers, as many as 25 completed this sailing odyssey. Although this percentage is very high for a regatta, the fact is that, so far, fewer people have finished the Vendée than have been to the moon. Although he was not the first to hear 'Bienvenue' (meaning ‘welcome’) on his return to Les Sables d'Olonne, the experienced offshore sailor Yannick Bestaven became Vendée's oldest winner in his first appearance in the regatta because the organisers had factored in time compensation for his involvement in Kevin Escoffier's rescue operation. The 48-year-old French skipper sailed the round-the-world route in 80 days, 3 hours, 44 minutes and 46 sec-
Fotografija / Photo: Yvann Zedda / Alea Fotografija / Photo: Jean-Louis Carli / Alea
kako biste to sve izdržali. Ovakve regate osnaže čovjeka i obogate život, ispričao je Bestaven. Osim okrutne borbe s prirodom i ostalih jedriličarima, Vendée Globe je borba sa samim sobom, kako je to pojasnio pobjednik regate. 'Iako nisam bio fan psihologije, počeo sam se mentalno pripremati za ovu regatu sa svojim trenerima koji su mi otvorili neke nove vidike. Ovakva plovidba je psihički jako naporna jer na dva i pol mjeseca prekidate sve veze sa svojim bližnjima. To je užasan emotivni stres u kojem morate pronaći neke pozitivne strane. Važno je znati kako mozak funkcionira. U Formuli 1 svi imaju mentalnog trenera. Ni offshore jedrenje nije drugačije. Takve stvari pomažu vam da shvatite zašto radite sve ove situacije u ekstremnom jedrenju. Ja još uvijek nemam odgovor, pojasnio je pobjednik Vendée Globea. Epske priče kojima je obilovalo deveto izdanje regate ili ako hoćete jedriličarskog devetog kruga pakla ući će u povijest jedrenja. A što ljudi proživljavaju na ovakvim iskušenjima najbolje je opisao Charlie Dahlin. 'To je jedinstveno iskustvo koje proživljavate potpuno sami. U tome postoji nešto čisto i lijepo. To je čarobna regata koja uđe u svaku stanicu vašeg tijela. Promijenila me kao čovjeka, još nisam siguran kako, ali jest. Takve snažne emocije još nisam nikada osjetio', poručio je Dahlin. Upravo u tome i leži ljepota jedrenja. U borbi s prirodom i pomicanju vlastitih granica. America's Cup i Vendée Globe najbolji su dokaz toga. onds. The second was Charlie Dalin, with Louis Burton coming in third. ‘I feel like I’m living a dream, hallucinating. I feel as if I was still in the race. These boats are stressful and noisy, and life on board is very hard. There are times you feel lonely, tired, angry... You have to look deep down inside yourself and find the best version of yourself in order to endure it all. Such races make a man stronger and enrich his life, Bestaven said. In addition to the cruel battle with nature and other sailors, the Vendée Globe is a battle with your own self, as the winner of the regatta explained. ‘Although I was not a fan of psychology, I started to prepare mentally for this regatta with my coaches, who opened new vistas for me. This kind of sailing is mentally very demanding because for two and a half months you cut off all ties with your loved ones. It's a terrible emotional stress, in which you have to find some positives. It's important to know how the brain works. In Formula One, they all have a mental coach. Offshore sailing is no different. Such things help you understand why you are doing all these things in extreme sailing. I still don't have the answer,’ the winner of the Vendée Globe explained. The epic stories that the ninth edition of the regatta – or, if you will, the sailing ninth circle of hell –abounded in will go down in sailing history. What people experience at trials like this was best described by Charlie Dalin. 'It's a unique experience that you undergo all by yourself. There's something pure and beautiful in that. It’s a magical race that finds its way into every cell of your body. It has changed me as a man; I’m still not sure how, but it has. I have never felt such strong emotions before,' Dalin said. That's exactly where the beauty of sailing is. In the battle with nature and in pushing your own limits. The America's Cup and the Vendée Globe are the best evidence of this.
Fotografija / Photo: Bernard Le Bars / Alea Fotografija / Photo: Jean-Louis Carli / Alea
