The ARMIN STROM Sailing Team's new state-of-the-art GC32 catamaran appears to defy gravity as it soars airborne across the water. Flavio Marazzi, one of Switzerland's most successful sailing competitors, leads the team as skipper and helmsman.

Like ARMIN STROM, the Sailing Team relies on the ingenuous, flawless design of its craft. The GC32 catamaran harnesses power from its innovative L-shaped lifting foils and a T-shaped rudder that elevate the foils so the craft speeds above the water.

Innovative Design

ARMIN STROM designs skeletonized watches featuring open-worked mechanisms that have been pared down with perfect symmetry, allowing the movement to function flawlessly. Similarly, the high-tech GC32 catamaran is streamlined to its essence with a carefully balanced hull of strong, but lightweight carbon fiber.

To enhance the spectator experience, the catamaran has an advanced media system with sensors recording speed and distance and two cameras capturing up-close the action of the team for broadcast to spectators. Because ARMIN STROM always reveals the inner mechanics of their timepieces, the company similarly engages wearers with the process and activity of the watch's movement.

Shared Passion

Flavio Marazzi is an admirer of ARMIN STROM watches and has known the company owner Serge Michel for many years. Their shared passion for competitive excellence led to the team sponsorship.

"The speed and agility of these catamarans is truly amazing," says Michel. "And the hard work, athleticism and teamwork of the ARMIN STROM Sailing Team's four-man crew is inspiring. Everything comes together, just as all the components of one of our movements integrate to precisely measure time."

ARMIN STROM's logo and "AS" insignia will be featured on the catamaran's sails and the hull.

"We're very proud to sport the ARMIN STROM name and logo, as it stands for bold innovation and a tradition of excellence," says Marazzi. "We share a pride in something bigger. For us, it's not just about the boat, but really comes down to the team and our performance."

ARMIN STROM Sailing Team's first competition will be the Long Distance Regatta Zurich-Rapperswil on May 18 in Zurich, followed by the GC32 Traunsee Week Cup on Lake Traunsee in Austria on May 28-June 1.

Independent watch manufacturer ARMIN STROM is based in Biel/Bienne, Switzerland. Its mission is to produce watches that embody the finest watchmaking practices, using the most innovative technology available. The company was founded in 1967 by master skeletonizer Armin Strom and purchased in 2006 and converted into a completely vertical manufacture, with its first in-house movement debuting in November 2009.