The Wave, Muscat during training prior to the start of the Extreme Sailing Series Asia: Muscat. Image copyright Mark Lloyd/Lloyd Images/OC Events.
by Lou Newlands
The super-fast and super-colourful Extreme 40s left The Wave, Muscat just after 11am for the first start, a downwind leg all the way to Port Sultan Qaboos. It took these state of the art catamarans just 1 hour and 10 minutes to cover the 18 nautical mile (20 mile) course and Double Olympic Gold Medallist Roman Hagara, the Skipper of Red Bull Extreme Sailing, ended the day with a smile.
"A perfect day I think! The wind was building and nice conditions going downwind with the spinnaker all the way along the coast and then inside to Muscat. We had to concentrate on the racing, but our guests told us that the mountains and the city of Muscat look beautiful from the water. It's a good place and we especially like the temperature!" The Red Bull Extreme Sailing team, currently in joint third overall with The Wave, Muscat, will be looking for a strong performance this week. "Our aspirations for the week? We'll try to finish in the top three. We will see how it goes. For the final leg of the Series we have a new trimmer onboard [Gabi Olivio] and we have to work out our positions and how everything fits together and then we will see what comes."
The Wave, Muscat training prior to the start of the Extreme Sailing Series Asia: Muscat. Image copyright Mark Lloyd/Lloyd Images/OC Events.
There are eight nationalities of sailors racing this week, including the only Frenchman in the Extreme 40 Asia circuit, Thierry Barot, skipper of CHINA TEAM. "Today was very nice sailing, the way out and back. The scenery is impressive, very surprising and dramatic. We didn't have the best day on the water though. For us, it was hard restarting as a team again after the second round in Singapore six weeks ago. The first long race down to the port was good as we finished first, but we found the two shorter races difficult, and so we need to focus on our crew work. We weren't on the same form as Singapore, it was hard work today, so we'll have to concentrate on getting back and finding a good solution for the first start tomorrow.
Oman Sail Masirah racing during the final training day prior to the start of the Extreme Sailing Series Asia: Muscat. Image copyright Mark Lloyd/Lloyd Images/OC Events.
"Overall, we lie second equal with BT and we want to stay in that position by the end on Friday, we want to make sure it is ours," he concluded.
A full race committee team has been flown in for the five-day series including a Principal Race Officer and on-the-water umpires, similar to referees in football. It's the first time Oman has seen a regatta of international standard take place in its waters. Masirah skipper, Pete Cumming, winner of the European Extreme Sailing Series commented, "It's great to have everyone here in Oman and seeing what great race conditions we have to offer. The wind here isn't going to be anywhere near as tricky or shifty as Hong kong or Singapore so it will be more down to boat handling and traditional racing. If the wind stays true, which it normally does, we'll have 10-15 knots and everyone will have a good week, get the hammer down a bit more and put on a spectacular display. It will be like sailing on an open ocean."
BT racing off The Wave, Muscat during prior to the start of the final round of the Extreme Sailing Series Asia. Image copyright Mark Lloyd/Lloyd Images/OC Events.
The first three days of racing will be dedicated to VIP and media sailing - an opportunity for sponsors, business associates and journalists to step onboard the catamarans and join the four-man crew race in the 'fifth-man' position. The weekend (4th and 5th February) will be open to all with an Extreme Beach Party at Al Hail beach including a five-aside football tournament, which 60 teams have currently signed up for, volleyball matches, 'Try-Sailing' sessions and family entertainment. Oman Sail core crew member, Khamis Al Anbourri, who sails onboard The Wave, Muscat, is looking forward to showing the Omani public just what competing on a professional race circuit involves. "It's been a really great day. The final race, the long race back to The Wave, we showed the other teams who we are and came first! We have been training for the past week with just one other team, so to have the rest of the other boats here, it's been great to have them together and a great experience for us.
"For me to sail against these sailors who have won Olympic Gold and Silver medals and World Champions - they are famous sailors - it is a great honour for me to sail against them and also alongside them. I have been waiting for this opportunity to race here in the Omani waters with the Extreme 40s. To show the Omanis what the sport of sailing is and how much fun it is, and trying to encourage them to come to the sailing world. I think they'll see a spectacular show at the weekend. We will do everything we can to win this week for Oman!"
Racing begins at 2.30pm Monday 1st February at The Wave, Muscat and Al Hail Beach.
Red Bull Extreme Sailing and Oman Sail Masirah head down the coast of Muscat during the training day for the final round of the Extreme Sailing Series Asia. Image copyright Mark Lloyd/Lloyd Images/OC Events.
Standings after two events (Hong Kong and Singapore):
1. Oman Sail Masirah
2. China Team
3. BT
4. The Wave, Muscat
5. Red Bull Extreme Sailing
6. Rumbo Almeria
Extreme Sailing Series Asia
No comments:
Post a Comment