Extreme Sailing Series update, day 1 of Qingdao event presents light conditions and tactical racing

From the following press release on the Extreme Sailing Series website:

http://www.extremesailingseries.com/news/view/testing-light-winds-on-day-one-as-the-home-team-make-best-ever-debut-by-an#.U2KD0q-KDrc

- Start line collision between Oman Air and GAC Pindar see the Omani team knocked out before racing even begun and with a long night of repairs in the pitlane ahead.
- Team Extreme Qingdao has best ever start for a home nation invitational team, challenging the more experienced crews to finish day one in third place.
- Alinghi dominate in the testing conditions, staking an early 14-point lead over second placed The Wave, Muscat.
- Series Main Partner Land Rover strengthens its commitment to the Extreme Sailing Series™ with the new Above and Beyond Award. Read more here.

Racing began in China’s Olympic sailing city today at the Land Rover, Extreme Sailing Series™ Act 3 Qingdao, for the ‘Double Star Mingren’ Cup, where five different race winners emerged from the eight races sailed, in a day that saw the fleet struggle for consistency and the leaderboard reshuffle after every race. On the open water racecourse, the Swiss team Alinghi dominated in testing light winds and strong tide, to edge ahead on the leaderboard at the end of day. But it was the local boat, Team Extreme Qingdao, who will be grabbing the headlines tonight after an outstanding debut performance sees the team in third place at the end of day one - the best ever performance by a home nation invitational team.

Unfortunately for Oman Air, their day was over before it had a chance to begin, after a collision with GAC Pindar in the start line tussle of the first race left the team with severe damage to their port hull, forcing them back to the pit lane. Rob Greenhalgh, skipper of Oman Air - who has welcomed the talents of America’s Cup winner Kyle Langford to the team this week - explained what happened: “Just after the start of the first race, GAC Pindar tacked onto port and misjudged the dip on us and T-boned us pretty hard – we have a pretty big hole in the side of the boat. These things happen unfortunately. The shore guys will work hard tonight and get the boat ready for racing tomorrow. We will lick our wounds and be back. It’s a disappointment – we were pumped to race.”  The team will be given a redress and will likely be awarded average points from their races over the next two days by the international jury.

read more here

Extreme Sailing Series update, First event of the 2014 season Singapore event to kick off on the 20th of February

From the following press release from the Extreme Sailing Series website:

http://www.extremesailingseries.com/news/view/what-does-it-take-to-win-on-the-singapore-racecourse#.UwR5o6_Nvrc

The Marina Bay racecourse in the heart of Singapore is notoriously tricky. Nestled under the gaze of the towering downtown city skyline, in 2013 big wind shifts made the racing unpredictable, resulting in big gains – but also big loses – on the racecourse.

Understanding what happens out on the water isn't always easy. To help solve this challenge and bring the excitement of sailing to the fans, SAP has developed a leaderboard based on SAP analytics. Through analysing GPS data together with integrated wind measurements from sensors on the racecourse, the leaderboard displays information such as in-race ranking, average speeds, distance travelled, ETA (estimated time of arrival at the next mark rounding), gaps to leader, gains and losses per leg.

Using the analytics, we take a look back at the 2013 results from Singapore, to discover what the right formula is for winning on Marina Bay.

read more here

Extreme Sailing Series update, first act of 2014 season to kick off in one week in Singapore

Extreme Sailing Series update, Leigh McMillan on the new season and new team on the Wave/Muscat

From the following press release/interview with Leigh McMillan of the Wave Muscat team
http://www.extremesailingseries.com/news/view/new-season-new-crew-and-new-horizons-for-mcmillan-in-2014#.UvlxT6_Nvrd

As the opening Act of the 2014 Extreme Sailing Series™ draws near in the vibrant city of Singapore, defending champions The Wave, Muscat from Oman, have taken the opportunity to embark on some pre-season training at the Host Venue - which is set to come alive on 20 February when the fleet begin battle. Skipper Leigh McMillan will inevitably be the man in the spotlight, as he prepares for what he says will be his toughest title fight yet, and the British Olympian has ‘a lot on’ if he wants to secure the Series hatrick in 2014.

We spoke to Leigh ahead of Act 1, Singapore as the 12-boat fleet prepare to enter the stadium in just over one weeks’ time.

Singapore was the only venue you didn’t finish on the podium in 2013, finishing fifth place. Does Singapore concern you more than the other venues?
"No, throughout the season there are some venues that are likely to be more difficult or challenging than others and you have to lower your expectations at these. Singapore is one of these, so we go into the event trying to be as consistent as possible and hoping to be in the fight for a podium finish."

How has the training been in Singapore? How is the dynamic with the new team line-up?
"The training was really good in Singapore. The NSC were hugely hospitable and helpful to our team. We had excellent conditions with a full range of wind strengths. We are really lucky to be able to make the changes and recruit such talented sailors. As a result we have trained hard and gelled very nicely together. I am certain we will have fun racing together again this season."

read more here

Extreme Sailing Series update, top female sailors to join the series in 2014

From the following press release on the Extreme Sailing Series website:

http://www.extremesailingseries.com/news/view/here-come-the-girls-top-female-sailors-on-board-for-2014-series#.UvNWe6_Nvrc

In 2014, the Extreme Sailing Series™ will, for the eighth consecutive year, bring a wealth of sailing talent from America’s Cup superstars, Olympic medallists and offshore legends to the shores of eight iconic venues around the globe – and amongst them are some of the world’s most talented female sailors. The ‘fifth sailor’ rule, introduced by Series organisers OC Sport in 2012, stipulates that one member of the crew must either be female, under 23, or classified as an amateur by ISAF. As a result, year on year the number of female sailors competing in the Series has grown, and has historically included the likes of double Olympic gold medallist Shirley Robertson, the only women to skipper a boat for a full season in 2008 with J.P. Morgan Asset Management - and the only female skipper to win an Act in Lake Lugano, Switzerland. 2014 will see the biggest influx of ‘girl power’ since the Series began – find out more about the women taking on the challenge below.

Sarah Ayton (GBR)
Team: The Wave, Muscat
Role: Tactician
Top three sailing achievements:
- Olympic gold medal – Beijing 2008 – Yngling with Pippa Wilson and Sarah Webb
- Olympic gold medal – Athens 2004 – Yngling with Shirley Robertson and Sarah Webb
- Yngling World Champion in 2008 and 2007

Britain’s double Olympic gold medallist Sarah Ayton will be making a welcome return to top level competitive sailing after a three-year break, joining the defending champions The Wave, Muscat. And she is more than ready for the challenge of what she describes as the ‘most high-performance’ sailing she has ever done. “I'm honoured to be sailing with The Wave, Muscat and I am really looking forward to getting started. I'm sure the boys will agree with me that going into 2014 as defending champions doesn't add to the pressure, we'll be focusing on our own performance and taking one race at a time.”

read more here

Extreme Sailing Series update, Sarah Ayton return to competitive sailing with The Wave, Muscat

From the following press release linked by the Sail Racing Magazine website:

http://www.sailracingmagazine.com/editors-blog/sarah-ayton-returns-to-competitive-sailing-with-the-wave-muscat

January 27, 2014   

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE - British Olympic gold medallist Sarah Ayton will make her debut in the Extreme Sailing Series in Singapore next month after she joined The Wave, Muscat team for the 2014 season, marking a welcome return to top level competitive sailing after a three year break.

The 33 year-old sailing professional who won her first gold medal in the Yngling class at Athens in 2004 and a second at Beijing four years later, is currently in training in Singapore with Leigh McMillan’s new look crew in preparation for the 2014 curtain raiser which starts on February 20.

Her last competitive outing was in 2010 as a member of the British Olympic squad for London 2012 but joining The Wave, Muscat’s championship winning crew after a break and with little experience of Extreme 40 racing represents an extreme and exciting challenge for Ayton.

“It has been a while since I last raced competitively and my only experience of Extreme 40 sailing was when we did a fly by for Princess Anne in Basilica in Weymouth so it’s all new,” she said.

“It will be the most high-performing sailing I have ever done. Olympic sailing is one thing but racing alongside and against America’s Cup teams with a crew who are going all out to defend their title is a really big deal.

read more here

Extreme Sailing Series update, Gazprom team rumoured to be fielding a team in the 2014 season

From the following article on vsail.info

http://www.vsail.info/2014/01/23/gazprom-set-to-enter-the-extreme-sailing-series-led-by-paul-campbell-james/

If one is to believe our well-informed sources from Australia, the Extreme Sailing Series is set to become in 2014 the undisputed, premiere sailing circuit that will gather the who-is-who of the sport in the world. Two weeks ago, organizers unveiled a lineup of nine teams that included two of the world’s most renowned skippers, Sir Ben Ainslie and Franck Cammas. Then, two days ago, Emirates

Team New Zealand was confirmed as the tenth team. America’s Cup veteran Dean Barker and young gun Peter Burling will alternate at the helm of the kiwi Extreme 40.

When we thought that the circuit had reached its peak, our well-informed sources from Australia surprised us with the news that the 11th team that will complete this year’s lineup will be no other than a strong Russian entry, funded by energy giant Gazprom and skippered by two-time winner of the circuit, Great Britain’s Paul Campbell-James.

read more here

Extreme Sailing Series update, Emirates Team New Zealand return to contest 2014 season

From the following press release by the Extreme Sailing Series:

http://www.extremesailingseries.com/news/view/emirates-team-new-zealand-go-extreme#.Ut70cK99LFd

Emirates Team New Zealand have today been confirmed as the tenth team on the Extreme Sailing
Series™ starting blocks for 2014, with legendary America’s Cup skipper Dean Barker. With a further Series team announcement in the coming weeks, a full grid of 11 teams will embark on the eight stop global tour, which starts in Singapore in just over four weeks, with the first starting gun on the 20th February.

London 2012 silver medal winning 49er duo Peter Burling and Blair Tuke, who last week were announced as part of the Kiwi development squad for the 35th America’s Cup, will join Barker. While the pair are currently campaigning for the Rio 2016 Olympics, Barker and Burling will share skipper duties, as Barker explained: “I will skipper five. We will rotate sailing squad members through the other crew positions. Between the two of us we will be able to field competitive crews through the year.”

read more here

Emirates Team New Zealand back to contest 2014 series, photo courtesy Extreme Sailing Series

Extreme Sailing Series update, Oman Air team to return to contest 2014 season

From the following article in the Times of Oman:

http://www.timesofoman.com/News/Article-28252.aspx

Muscat: Oman Air announced return to action in the upcoming international inshore sailing circuit, the 2014 Extreme Sailing Series, according to a press release issued by Oman Sail on 15 January, 2014.

Celebrating its eighth edition, the world tour will be hosted in nine iconic venues spanning three continents, and will see a competition between nine elite teams representing seven nations to win the series coveted title. The fleet will start the curtain raiser in Singapore on the February 20, continue in Muscat for Act II from March 19 to 22, before heading to Qingdao, Saint Petersburg, Cardiff, Istanbul, the Mediterranean and Sydney. After an acclaimed staging of the Laser World Championships in the past few months, Oman Sail is proud to be hosting yet another act from the series, and field two teams this year, Oman Air and defending champions, The Wave Muscat. 

Wayne Pearce, CEO Oman Air, said:  "We are excited to be returning back to the Extreme Sailing Series this year and linking our name to this successful event. We would like to wish fair winds to Rob Greenhalgh and the whole Oman Air team.

read more here

Extreme 40's racing, photo courtesy Extreme Sailing Series

Extreme Sailing Series 2014, what the skippers have to say about the upcoming season

Extreme Sailing Series update, JP Morgan/Ben Ainslie Racing to compete in the 2014 series

 From the following article on the JP Morgan/Ben Ainslie Racing website

http://bar.americascup.com/news/615/sir-ben-ainslies-j-p-morgan-bar-to-enter-extreme-sailing-series-2014-2

Sir Ben Ainslie’s J.P. Morgan BAR to enter Extreme Sailing Series 2014

Sir Ben Ainslie has announced the continued partnership with long term sponsors J.P. Morgan who will support Ben Ainslie Racing’s (BAR) entry into the Extreme Sailing Series 2014 (ESS). In addition to this, J.P. Morgan also announced that their title sponsorship of the iconic Round the Island Race will continue to reside with J.P. Morgan Asset Management for a further two-year period up to and including 2016. These announcements came at the annual London Boat Show on the stand, exhibiting BAR’s AC45 that broke the Round the Island Race Multihull record last year.

Also revealed were three of the four sailors who will compete with Ainslie in the Extreme Sailing Series 2014: Team GB teammates and Beijing Olympic Gold Medallist’s, Paul Goodison and Pippa Wilson, alongside bowman Matt Cornwell, a previous Match Racing World Champion with Ainslie. The final crew member will be revealed before the first event of the season in Singapore.

read more here

Extreme Sailing Series update, venues and teams announced for the 2014 season

From the following press release on the Extreme Sailing Series website:

http://www.extremesailingseries.com/news/view/ambitious-series-confirmed-for-2014-full-starting-grid-3-continent-world-to#.Us2kkWyIrFd

- An eight Act globetrotting circuit spanning Asia, the Middle East and Europe confirmed for an eighth year of Stadium Racing including two brand new Host Venues – Russia and Australia.
- Nine elite level teams representing seven nations – all 2013 teams return plus Olympic legend Sir Ben Ainslie and Volvo Ocean Race winner Franck Cammas.
- Maintaining the highest level of sporting integrity, in the same award-winning format, across a mix of iconic cities, established sailing venues, and new markets of strong commercial value to stakeholders.
- Win a Land Rover driving experience for two thanks to Series Main Partners Land Rover. There is no better way to go off-road! Enter here.
- Watch the official Series launch promo video here. 

8 January – London: Extreme Sailing Series™ organisers OC Sport, alongside Land Rover, one of two Series Main Partners, have today confirmed details of their most ambitious Series to date at the London Boat Show. The award-winning and 'ISAF Special Event' world tour will celebrate its eighth year on the international sailing calendar with eight iconic Host Venues spanning three continents, over eleven months and nine elite level teams representing seven nations, who will compete to win the coveted Extreme Sailing Series trophy.

Executive Chairman of OC Sport, Mark Turner, commented: “2014 is the eighth year of this the original Stadium Racing circuit, and significantly our fourth as a world tour. We’ve added two commercially important markets for our stakeholders, and retained six existing venues as well as all the teams from 2013 – we continue on an upward curve with this event which is delivering elite level top class sporting action, as well as strong commercial return on investment for all its stakeholders. That combination remains number one priority for us with this event.”

read more here

And a promotional video for the 2014 season:

Extreme Sailing Series, 2013 highlights video

Extreme Sailing Series, highlights reel from the 2013 series

Eighth Extreme Sailing Series update, first event of the 2013 series to be held in Singapore 20th-23rd February 2014

from the following press release on the Extreme Sailing Series website:

http://www.extremesailingseries.com/news/view/eighth-extreme-sailing-series-world-tour-to-kick-off-in-singapore-february#.UpcV85WIrFd

- In partnership with Host Venue Singapore, Global asset management company Aberdeen Asset Management boost event as local Main Partner alongside Series Main Partner Land Rover.
- Singaporean sailors rejoin Team Aberdeen Singapore following successful first outing in 2013 as an Act 1 Wildcard entry.
- The Singapore Act will be the curtain raiser to the most ambitious world tour since the event was launched in 2007 -  a full starting grid of elite level teams, and worldwide venues, will be announced 8 January 2014, in London (UK).
- 2013 delivered a world-class sporting contest with the Series champion decided in the final seconds of the final race after 190 races sailed. Watch the highlights video from an extraordinary seventh year of international competition here.

Following the successful conclusion of the 2013 Series in Brazil less than two weeks ago, Extreme Sailing Series™ organisers OC Sport can confirm that Singapore has been chosen to kick off the eighth season of the elite level Stadium Racing series. The annual world tour of the Extreme Sailing Series will return to the heart of Singapore’s financial hub from the 20-23 February 2014 with racing at the Promontory@Marina Bay, one of the most iconic and internationally recognised stadium racecourses of the 2013 Series.

read more here

Extreme Sailing Series, Leigh McMillan and The Wave-Muscat team take out the 2013 series

From the following article on the Extreme Sailing Series website:

http://www.extremesailingseries.com/news/view/alinghi-win-in-brazil-the-wave-muscat-clinch-2013-extreme-sailing-series-cr#.Uone_ch9J8Q

- It doesn’t get closer than this! The Wave, Muscat win the Series in the final race with just four points making the difference after 190 races this year as McMillan becomes first skipper to win the Series twice.
- Morgan Larson snatches Act victory from McMillan’s grasp making Alinghi the only team to have finished on the podium at every Act in 2013.
- Red Bull Sailing Team take third in Brazil and in the Series.
- Replay today’s final Act and Series deciding races here.
- Series organisers OC Sport confirm an eight Act, four continent tour of the globe in 2014 including and a full starting grid of top international teams.

Thousands of onlookers were on tender hooks as The Wave, Muscat clinched victory in the 2013 Extreme Sailing Series™ in Florianopolis presented by Land Rover, in one of the closest ever-final races in the seven-year history of the Series.  Under a brilliant Brazilian sunshine with a perfect 10 knots of breeze, Leigh McMillan, Ed Smyth, Pete Greenhalgh, Hashim Al Rashidi and Musab Al Hadi were leading the fleet as they went into the final all important double points race, but out to upset the order were the Swiss America’s Cup winners on Alinghi – and they almost managed it! A second in the final race was enough for Morgan Larson and the team to snatch the Act victory from McMillan’s grasp, and the Swiss came tantalizingly close to adding the Series to their winning haul – within four points in fact in the final race – but McMillan’s men proved unstoppable. It is a fitting finish for the long term Series rivals who wrap up an incredible 2013 Series tied on points – the first time in the history of the elite level Stadium Racing series that two teams have been tied at the end of the year - with The Wave, Muscat coming out on top after Act win countback.“This is exactly how I thought the end result would go! We haven't been able to shake Alinghi all year, they haven't really put a foot wrong!” said McMillan. “We knew they were going to do everything possible, the last few days they've been absolutely hammering us around the racecourse. They did an exceptional job in that last race getting in front and we were just lucky we just got the right corner of the course and the shift was big enough that we were able to keep in the game! It's a massive relief for what has been a couple of emotional days!”

read more here

Extreme Sailing Series update, Report on Day 3 of racing in Florianopolis, Brazil

From the following news article on the Extreme Sailing Series website:

http://www.extremesailingseries.com/news/view/sap-extreme-sailing-team-capsize-on-penultimate-day-of-2013-extreme-sailing#.UoiZXsh9J8Q

- Biggest gust of the day results in capsize for the Danish team in Florianópolis – watch the full video sequence here.
- Alinghi lock The Wave, Muscat in their sights ahead of tomorrow’s final day, while Red Bull Sailing Team aim for first ever Series podium finish.
- Replay today’s racing here.
- Series and Act podium wide open with the final race and the Act worth double points – watch it live 1630GMT on extremesailingseries.com to see if defending champion Leigh McMillan can hold onto his crown, or if Morgan Larson can upset things on the final day of 2013.

It was another action-packed, full pressure day at the penultimate day’s racing for the Extreme 40 fleet at the Extreme Sailing Series™ 2013 finale in Florianópolis, presented by Land Rover. After yesterday’s full on conditions, today fickle winds and big gusts swept across the stadium racecourse, and it was in the seventh race when the SAP Extreme Sailing Team Extreme 40 were hit by the biggest gust of the day, causing the boat to trip over its bows and capsize. Watch the full sequence captured on camera here.

read more here

SAP were caught out by the strongest gust of the day and capsized, photo courtesy Extreme Sailing Series

Extreme Sailing Series in Florianopolis, tough conditions test Extreme 40 fleet

From the following article on the Extreme Sailing Series website:

http://www.extremesailingseries.com/news/view/on-the-edge-then-over-it-as-biggest-breeze-of-the-year-pushes-extreme-40-fl#.UocpfhV9J8R

- Florianópolis stadium tests the nerves of the Extreme 40 fleet, with 26 knots and gusts of 35 delivering the most extreme racing of the year.
- Austrian Olympic champions form team of the day, expertly steering their vessel to two race wins of the three sailed.
- Man overboard for the Swiss multihull champions on Realteam forces retirement from racing.
- Replay today’s final Stadium race here and join us tomorrow for the penultimate day of the 2013 season, live online from 1600BRST/1800GMT.

Big breeze and blistering speeds called for nerves of steel from the eight Extreme 40s on the first public day in Brazil, as they hurtled round the Florianópolis stadium racecourse in the biggest winds the fleet has raced in all season, which peaked at 35 knot gusts. There was plenty of hull flying action at the final Act of the year presented by Land Rover, as the fleet expertly navigated their missiles around the course, with water spraying off their bows as they used all their physical strength to keep their racing machines upright. The Austrian Red Bull Sailing Team were the undisputed stars of the day, the fastest boat on the water according to the SAP analytics, who relished the conditions and stormed their way to two race wins. Others found the conditions right on the edge, including the local boat Team Brazil Mapfre who were forced to retire from racing after breaking their bowsprit during a difficult bear away and the Swiss Realteam who lost a man overboard in the final race of the day.

read more here

Extreme Sailing Series, videos of Day 2, 3 and 4 in Florianopolis, Brazil

Extreme Sailing Series update, The Wave Muscat team dominate first day of racing in Florianopolis, Brazil

From the following article submitted to Sail-World by the Extreme Sailing Series

http://www.sail-world.com/index.cfm?Nid=116704&refre=y&ntid=0&rid=1

The Wave, Muscat of Oman who top the leader board with a five point overall lead after eight fast and furious races had a good start on the opening day of the Extreme Sailing Series Act 8 Florianopolis in Brazil yesterday (Thursday).

'The wind was tricky and always changing but we had some good races and great battles with Alinghi in lovely, lovely sailing conditions. And with 20 knots by the end of the day the wind just kicked in to provide very exciting racing. It was a happy day for us,' said a jubilant Leigh Macmillan The Wave, Muscat’s champion multihull skipper.

The Wave, Muscat wrapped up the day with 69 points after pulling off two wins, four second places, a third and a fifth to keep ahead of closest rivals Alinghi in the fiercely contested eight boat fleet that saw gennakkers flying and hulls lifting clear out the water during the short and sharp inshore stadium races.

read more here

The Wave Muscat - Extreme Sailing Series Act 8 Florianopolis in Brazil -  Vincent Curutchet - Lloyd images - OC