Standardised boats make for an exciting competition

One of them is Christian Zürrer, owner and helmsman of an RC44 class racing yacht. All the boats competing in the World Championships on Lake Urns are of this type. Zürrer is sailing in the World Championships and is also part of the organising committee. ‘When I was 14, I bought a sailing dinghy instead of a motorbike. I’ve been competing ever since,’ he says.

Legend: The day before the competition, the sailing teams are busy preparing in the Föhnhafen harbour in Brunnen. SRF/DAVID KUNZ

Nine people are on board for the RC44 boat class and a further six help from the shore. RC stands for Russel Coutts, the man who invented the boat a good 20 years ago. It is the same Russel Coutts who won the America’s Cup for Switzerland with Alinghi in 2003. And 44 stands for the length in feet. The boats are standardised so that they fit into a shipping container and are easy to transport.

The battles are tough, they sail close together and fight for centimetres.

‘Because all the boats are the same size, the team that works best together and therefore sails fast wins,’ says Zürrer. The material plays a subordinate role. ‘The battles are tough, you sail close together and fight for centimetres.’ This is why the narrow Lake of Uri is a suitable venue – in addition to the Caribbean, Galicia, Sweden or Lanzarote, where the competitions usually take place.

Sailing is different on fresh water

Nevertheless, there is a difference to the other venues. ‘The wind can shift quickly on the lake, whereas on the sea it blows constantly from one direction and only shifts with the sun over the course of the day,’ explains Christian Zürrer. “You can also catch gusts here that come from the mountain valleys. Then you’re in front and the others are watching.”

Irish competitor Grattan Roberts adds that the fresh water also makes a difference. It has less buoyancy. ‘In contrast to salt water, the boats are a little deeper here and are therefore slower.’

Typically Swiss price

Another challenge: the scheduled boats that also operate during the World Cup. ‘We have to be considerate of them, they have right of way,’ says OC President Zürrer. However, the race course is designed so that the boats sail away from the course boats. ‘So we shouldn’t get in each other’s way.’

All in all, however, Lake Uri is perfect for a sailing competition. Alfredo Gonzales from the Spanish team confirms this. ‘I’m really looking forward to competing with the other sailors here.’ Incidentally, the winning team will receive a very Swiss prize: Trycheln from Muotathal.