When it comes to alternative and sustainable forms of propulsion, competitive sailing has few equals. The new Nacra 17 catamarans are particularly environmentally friendly without compromising on performance. The 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo will see boats of this class in action for the first time in a new Olympic discipline. The design of the catamarans allows not just one but both hulls to be lifted clear of the water. This means that less drag is produced, resulting in higher speeds with less use of energy. With the foils lifted out of the water, the catamaran can fly over parts of its surface at speeds of up to 28 knots (over 50 km/h).
Visitors to the 2018 Kieler Woche Regatta will be able to see the Nacra 17 in action before its Olympics debut. Johannes Polgar and Carolina Werner will be in Kiel competing as the Audi e-tron sailing team. Polgar will actually be there in a dual role – as event and sports marketing representative of AUDI AG and as a sailor who has already competed at the Olympics Games. He and Werner, the bowman of the team, will be on the starting line at Kieler Woche in the “Nacra 17” Olympic discipline. Werner is an Olympian herself, having competed in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. With their foiling Nacra 17 catamaran, the Audi e-tron boat, the pair will use Kieler Woche to set a course for the Olympics in 2020. If they make it to Tokyo, they have their eyes fixed on winning a medal.
Marc Lichte, Head of Audi Design, and Audi designer Marco dos Santos were responsible for the look of the Audi e-tron boat. Using the visual motif of electrification, the design tries to convey the high-voltage drive used in electric cars. The new boat design was modelled on the camouflage appearance of the Audi e-tron all-electric SUV prototype. “We were looking for new and interesting ways to illustrate the underlying technology,” explains Marco dos Santos. “The design sends out a clear message: Audi is ready for the all-electric journey in 2018,” adds Marc Lichte. “We have electrified the well-known Audi e-tron logo and are opening a new chapter in the history of Audi. In line with the motto ‘as little as possible, as much as necessary’, the design strikes a perfect balance between pattern and aesthetics.”
As well as the Nacra 17 catamarans, visitors to Kieler Woche 2018 will be able to watch other Olympic sailing classes in competition and experience a whole host of sporting highlights from the Welcome Race and the European Para Sailing Championship to the Laser Radial World Championship for male competitors.