The Extreme Sailing Series is a new concept of inshore sailing, bringing close combat racing to city centre Stadiums around the world: the Series brings world-class competition to the public, setting the pulses racing. I covered the 2015 Cardiff event for Red Bull Media House, here’s the report!
It was a case of survival of the fittest for the Extreme Sailing Series Act 4, in Cardiff UK, that demanded all of the teams strength and skill to avoid collisions and capsizes. Just under 60,000 spectators lined the shore over three days, to watch first hand as the teams were battered with a solid 22-knot breeze and gusts of up to 30-knots for the fourth exhausting day of racing, as Leigh McMillan, with double Olympic gold medallist tactician Sarah Ayton and the team on The Wave, Muscat, stormed to an impressive win, putting the Omani team back in the lead at the half way stage of the eight-Act 2015 Series.
Topping the leaderboard after 32 gruelling races The Wave, Muscat, took control in the wild conditions, posting five podium finishes on the final day and more podiums over the event then any other team. With an eye always on the 2015 Series leaderboard, the final double points race of the day became a tactical game from start to finish, the team using their experience to sail SAP Extreme Sailing Team down the pack.
The battle for second place was intense between the Austrian Red Bull Sailing Team and the Danish SAP Extreme Sailing Team, who went into the final race tied on points – a simple case of who wins, wins. Red Bull Sailing Team, were on fire all day, and barely put a foot wrong – an impressive four race wins and third in the final race of the day earning the Austrians a well deserved second place. With regular skipper Roman Hagara coaching the team from the support RIB throughout the week due to a shoulder injury, helm Jason Waterhouse and skipper Hans Peter Steinacher clearly relished the conditions that were, at times, on the edge of control. The team even managed to pull back from the brink of a near capsize, to claim an incredible race win.
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