Artemis Racing and Red Bull in Muscat. Image copyright Carlo Borlenghi/www.carloborlenghi.net
by Carolyn Lashmar
For the first time, every minute of the racing action from Act 4 of the Extreme Sailing Series in Boston will be available live on the internet. Sailing Anarchy’s innovative “On-The-Water Anarchy” team will produce and stream coverage of all five days of racing, and their coverage will include the Extreme 40 and 49er racing action, the opening press conference, daily prizegivings, numerous interviews, and a daily live talk show with the sailors. Racing commentary will be by two-time US Multihull Champion John Casey. The streaming video feed will also be available to iPhone, iPad. Android users via the dedicated Justin.TV app [download fee applies].
The Extreme Sailing Series Race Village at Fan Pier, the 21-acre site on Boston’s waterfront spanning nine city blocks, owned by the Fallon Company, the official host venue partner to the Boston Act, is rapidly under construction for the public and VIPs. Every day of the Boston five-day event – the first time the circuit has held an official event in the USA – from Thursday, 30th June until Monday, 4th July is open to the public and is part of the Boston Harborfest – the nation’s largest 4th July celebrations.
And the public will have plenty to cheer about with leading US sailor Terry Hutchinson at the helm of Artemis Racing: “I am really looking forward to racing in my home country over the July 4th holiday weekend which is going to be a big celebration,” said Terry. “The Boston Red Sox’s will be midway into their summer season at Fenway Park which is a nostalgic place with so much history. Then to have the Extreme Sailing Series racing over one of the biggest celebrations of our countries history, I suspect it is going to be outstanding.” Watch video of Terry:
Two other American sailors Bob Merrick and Mark Ivey will be competing alongside the 11-boat Extreme 40 crew in the Boston Act. Merrick, who won a silver medal in the 470 dinghy class at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, will be joining the crew of Roland Gaebler’s Team Extreme; whilst Mark Ivey, ISAF Team Race World Champion in 2005 and US Sailing Coach of the Year 2009, will be racing with Britain’s Ian Williams on Team GAC Pindar. And Red Bull Extreme Sailing, headed up by two-time Olympic gold medalist Roman Hagara, carries the mantle of ‘home’ team as Red Bull come on board as the main local event partner to the US event, heavily promoting the team and the event in and around Boston. And if visitors cannot make it to Fan Pier they can catch up on all the latest action via Fox TV 25 who will be broadcasting live from the Race Village on Thursday and Friday (see schedule below) including coverage of the Red Bull Air Force skydivers.
The weather outlook from official weather provider, WetterWelt, forecast that Saturday, 2nd July could see the most breeze of 13-15 knots with stronger gusts with the breeze light to moderate for the remainder of the event: “I think we are going to have tricky conditions like we have had at previous events,” said Terry. “Hopefully, we will get in as many races as we have at the previous events.”
Other crew changes of note are Leigh McMillan taking over as skipper of The Wave, Muscat, Adam Beashel tactician for Emirates Team New Zealand at the 2007 America’s Cup sitting alongside Dean Barker, and Andrew Walsh joining Team GAC Pindar as tactician bringing with him some valuable experience from his days racing the BT Extreme 40 in previous years.
Emirates Team New Zealand in Muscat. Image copyright Carlo Borlenghi/www.carloborlenghi.net
The official charity for Act 4 at Fan Pier is Courageous Sailing, a center of sailing excellence committed to removing barriers to access for all Boston youth, the public and people with physical and intellectual challenges. www.courageoussailing.org
Extreme Sailing Series™ Act 4 at Fan Pier, Boston Programme
Daily, 30th June to 4th July
11:00 – 23:00 – Race Village opening times
13:00 – 14:00 – Courageous Sailing (official venue charity). Laser racing (from 1st – 4th)
13:00 – 14:00 – 49ers racing (from 2nd to 4th)
14:00 – 17:00 – Extreme 40s racing in Boston Harbor at Fan Pier
17:00 – 18:00 – 49ers racing (from 2nd to 4th)
17:30 – Prizegiving
16:00 – 19:00- Street performers
19:00 – 23:00 Live music entertainment in Race Village
Thursday 30th June (media day)
11:00 – 12:00 – Official press conference at VIP marquee
13:30 -14:00 – Red Bull Air Force skydivers in Race Village
18:30 -19:00 – Red Bull Air Force skydivers in Race Village
18:00, 22:00 & 23:00 – FOX 25 live broadcast from the Race Village
19:00 – Opening Ceremony
21:45 – Fireworks at Boston Harbor at Fan Pier
Extreme 40 action in Istanbul. Image copyright Mark Lloyd/Lloyd Images/OC ThirdPole.
Friday 1st July
06:00 -10:00 – FOX 25 Morning news live broadcast
07:00 – Red Bull Air Force live jump on FOX 25
13:30 -14:00 – Red Bull Air Force skydivers in Race Village
49er Sailors Provisional Entry List Boston
Trevor Parekh/Matt Dubreucq – CAN
Zach Brown/ Thomas Barrows – USA
Rob Frost/Tom Arbuckle – CAN
Mike Brodeur/Tom Carlton – CAN
Jon Goldsberry/Charlie Smythe – USA
Max Fraser/Dan Morris – USA
www.49er.org
Fan Pier, Boston sailing venue. Image copyright Fan Pier Boston.
About Fan Pier:
Fan Pier is a 21-acre site on Boston’s waterfront spanning nine city blocks with over three million square feet of planned mixed-use development. Currently, the luxury waterfront property is home to the internationally acclaimed Institute of Contemporary Art, famed Boston retailer LOUIS, Salon Mario Russo and restaurants including Sam’s and Strega Waterfront. Fan Pier’s first office building at ONE Marina Park is already occupied, and the destination includes a new public park, a Harbor Walk, and a state-of-the-art marina. When complete, Fan Pier will have a five-star hotel, luxury condominiums, additional offices, retail and restaurants. The Fallon Company is owner and developer.
About Boston Harborfest:
Boston Harborfest 2011 is a six-day long Fourth of July festival that showcases the colonial and maritime heritage of the cradle of the American Revolution: the historic City of Boston. The award-winning festival strives to honor and remember the past, celebrate the present, and educate the future with reenactments, concerts, historical tours and much, much more. Now in its 30th year, Boston Harborfest is considered to be the largest patriotic celebration in the nation with visitors enjoying more than 200 activities during the festival.
