Team ROCKWOOL Racing

Team ROCKWOOL Racing to continue in 2021

Jonathan Turner
Jonathan Turner
October 8, 2020

Team ROCKWOOL Racing has announced that it will compete in the GC32 Racing Tour in 2021.

Team ROCKWOOL Racing near Storebælt Bridge

The tour will consist a five-event circuit and will see the team further develop its foiling experience in racing conditions, with up to 10 international teams set to compete in events taking place in France, Italy, Portugal and one more, as-yet-unconfirmed venue between April and October 2021. 

Mirella Vitale, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Communications and Public Affairs at ROCKWOOL Group, explains: “We’re delighted to confirm that Team ROCKWOOL Racing will expand its activities in 2021, and will participate in the GC32 Racing Tour, an event that visits many of ROCKWOOL’s key markets across Europe.” 

She adds: “Team ROCKWOOL Racing is a valuable platform for us and an important foundation for everything we do in our partnership with the Denmark SailGP Team in SailGP.”  

It gives the Team ROCKWOOL Racing athletes a boost between the SailGP eventswhilst providing ROCKWOOL opportunities to activate and engage customers both in Denmark and beyond, and inspiring the next generation of Danish sailing talent.”  

Fast, foiling boats 

Created to support Denmark’s participation in SailGP, Team ROCKWOOL Racing delivered a range of activities in the summer of 2020, including training camps, guest sailing, record attempts and a series of #ROCKTheBoat Youth Academies across Europe. 

The initiative sits alongside ROCKWOOL’s partnership with the Denmark SailGP Team, which will see the Danish athletes compete against the world’s best sailors in supercharged F50 boats in Season 2.  

Despite some key speed and technical differences, the F50 raced in SailGP and GC32 catamarans used in the GC32 Racing Tour are both based around similar design principles, allowing them to foil above the water and achieve more speed when racing.

An excellent platform for development 

Nicolai Sehested, helmsman of Denmark SailGP Team, adds: “We’re all delighted to be able to expand this Team ROCKWOOL Racing initiative, and we thank ROCKWOOL for their support in making this happen.” 

He continues: “The GC32 Racing Tour is a fantastic event and an excellent platform for us to continue developing as a team alongside our racing in SailGP.” 

“We’ve enjoyed sailing the GC32 this year and it has helped us to develop as a team. It’s easy to forget that we still have less than 30 hours sailing onboard the F50s in SailGP, so more time spent foiling on the water in racing conditions will be extremely beneficial to us. We’re looking forward to competing against the other teams next season. 

Christian Scherrer, GC32 Class Manager, says: “We’re delighted that Team ROCKWOOL Racing has become the first team to officially announce its participation for the 2021 GC32 Racing Tour. The Danish sailors can look forward to outstanding racing in some iconic venues, and I am sure it will provide a stern test of their foiling skills.” 

Following the rescheduling of SailGP Season 2 to 2021 due to the global pandemic, Team ROCKWOOL Racing provided Sehested and his crew an opportunity to spend some valuable time engaging with fans and young sailors in Denmark – and Sehested explains that it has created a real sense of anticipation for 2021. 

“For us, 2020 has been about developing our skills and experience in foiling boats, growing as a teamand connecting with our fans to give something back to Danish sailing. We’re all very excited to get back to racing next year,” adds Sehested 

Your chance to design the GC32 boat for 2021 

With the team’s GC32 boat is currently in the shed for the winter and set to relaunch in early 2021 with a series of training camps in Southern Europe, Team ROCKWOOL Racing fans have a unique opportunity to contribute to the team’s 2021 campaign as part of a new GC32 design competition launched by ROCKWOOL.  

The contest, which will run from Wednesday 16 December 2020 to Monday 4 January 2021, requires fans to design and submit their own ideas for Team ROCKWOOL Racing’s GC32 branding – with the winning design inspiring the final look of the boat for the 2021 season.  

Full schedule: 2021 GC32 Racing Tour

  • 21-25 April 2021  GC32 Occitanie Cup / Port Camargue, France
  • 26-30 May 2021 GC32 Riva Cup / Riva del Garda, Italy
  • 30 June-4 July 2021 GC32 Lagos Cup / Lagos, Portugal
  • 15-19 September 2021 GC32 World Championship / Villasimius, Italy
  • 27-31 October 2021 or 3-7 November 2021 GC32 Season Finale  / Venue TBC