Thierry Foucher about the crash with Emirates Team New Zealand

 Thierry Fouchier, genoa trimmer: “We had a very good first race yesterday. We were ahead in the first cross and managed to stay ahead and that was a nice performance. The second race was a fight between Team New Zealand and us but it didn’t finish in our favor. We need to keep concentrated and improve today and the rest of the regatta.”

Regarding what took place yesterday, Foucher said: “We were ordered by the race committee to stop he race, giving the win to Team New Zealand, because the shore crew was concerned after seeing the damage. I honestly don’t understand the logic of the decision but that’s the way things are.”

“Regarding the new race course, I don’t like very much the gate because it closes the game a little bit too much in my opinion. However, we need to try it more and see how it works. As far as my job is concerned, it doesn’t change anything; my job is always the same, to make the boat go fast. “

Answering the question he is sad that this is the last event with the ACC V5 boats Foucher told: “I’m a multihull sailor so I will not miss the ACC yachts but for match racing they are very good yachts. The multihulls will change the nature of the game. It will still be match racing but of a different sort. The shapes of the sails are different; on these boats you need a lot of power to move the weight of the yacht while on multihulls you need less power since they are lighter and faster. Trimming is always the same; it’s just the shape of the sails that change.”