– April 16th 2024
For Alinghi Red Bull Racing today was a day marked by collective pride and teamwork, a moment to celebrate the introduction of BoatOne with her formal Christening.
The special honors were performed by Chiara Bertarelli, who cracked the bottle of Champagne across the bow. Ernesto Bertarelli, Founder of Alinghi and a member of Alinghi Red Bull Racing’s Board of Directors was also on-hand for the occasion.
The AC75 was then craned into the sea for her first contact with water and some initial systems checks. Principal boat designer Marcelino Botin, who has built numerous world class racing yachts in his career, emphasized the comprehensive support it took to get to this point.
“Designing a boat like this… is the result of a lot of hard work from many different people,” he said. “You think about how many people had to put in all the effort to get something like this out of the shed on time. It’s so complex, and the fact that you work with a group of individuals, who are the absolute best in the industry with the top-class tools and everything you need to succeed. We had everything we could ask for during this boat build.”
Team members recognized the ceremony’s significance. “Having BoatOne in the water is the celebration of an achievement, it’s a special moment that triggers a new phase” said Adolfo Carrau, Design Coordinator. “Today crystalized the contribution of so many different people into our race yacht. It is the first boat the group has designed and built together. It is now time for commissioning and testing.”
After these celebrations, it is now time to focus on the next step: her maiden sail in the 37th America’s Cup waters.
