Extreme Sailing Series, The Wave Muscat vince il circuito
Extreme Sailing SeriesMultiscafiVela 12 Ottobre 2010 Zerogradinord 0
Extreme Sailing Series – Almeria – E’ lo skipper più giovane il vincitore del circuito Extreme Sailing Series 2010. Paul Campbell-James, armatore di The Wave Muscat, si è infatti imposto nell’ambito della manifestazione riservata ai multiscafi Extreme 40 vincendo l’ultima frazione, disputata ad Almeria e conclusasi oggi pomeriggio.
Già vincitore delle frazioni dispuatate a Cowes e a Trapani, The Wave Muscat ha rintuzzato i tentativi di Groupe Edmonde de Rotschild, lo scafo di Yann Guichard che proprio in occasione della serie siciliana aveva lasciato la testa della classifica generale al team dello skipper britannico.
Paul Campbell-James ha ringraziato pubblicamente i suoi compagni di avventura Nick Hutton, Alastair Richardson e Khamis Alanbouri, che è divenuto il primo rappresentante dell’Oman a salire sul gradino più alto del podio di una manifestazione velica internazionale.
A completare il podio della manifestazione, che il prossimo anno tornerà con una entry list ancora più ricca – vista la scelta di BMW Oracle Racing di introdurre il catamarano in Coppa America sono diversi i team che hanno in animo di entrare nel circuito – è stato Ecover Sailing Team, equipaggio guidato dal solitario britannico Mike Golding.
Extreme Sailing Series 2010
1. The Wave Muscat, pt. 36
2. Groupe Edmond de Rotschild, pt. 34
3. Ecover Sailing Team, pt. 31
4. Oman Sail Masirah, pt. 29
5. Groupama 40, pt. 17
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To view the final results click here.
EXTREME SAILING SERIES, THE WAVE, MUSCAT WINS THE CIRCUIT
[Extreme Sailing Series, Press Release] British skipper Paul Campbell-James and his crew on board The Wave, Muscat has won the final event in Almeria of the 2010 Extreme Sailing Series securing overall victory in the 2010 series, beating pre-season favourites Groupe Edmond de Rothschild (Yann Guichard). In winning the overall series, the young Omani team also collected 5.000€ for their nominated charity, Dar Al Att’a. The racing was action-packed – including a near capsize for Dean Barker and the crew of Team Emirates New Zealand – right up until the last double-points race which, ultimately, decided the victor. Breezy conditions saw the eight boats blast round the tight stadium set inside the port of Almeria in front of the public. It was a spectacular finale that attracted over 38,000 spectators over the four days. The five-event circuit began in May touring Sète, Cowes, Kiel, Trapani and, finally, Almeria. Paul Campbell-James, the youngest skipper on the circuit at just 27 years old, won the Cowes and Trapani events, and their win here secured them the 2010 Extreme Sailing Series overall title: “I can’t believe it but we’ve won! It’s fantastic, it hasn’t quite sunk in yet but I couldn’t be happier. I was feeling the nerves but we started well and sailed fast.”
For Yann Guichard and the crew of Groupe Edmond de Rothschild it was disappointment for the second year in a row. The French team finished second place overall in 2009 and started the 2010 season as favourites. Victories in Sète and Kiel confirmed their competence and determination: “Of course the objective was to win so we’re a bit disappointed,” said Guichard back on the dockside. “Yet we had a great season with two event wins. I’m really happy with my team and I’m looking forward to next year, to finally win this Extreme 40 circuit. It was a really difficult day today, I had a tough time on the starts and even though we managed to position the boat favourably, we struggled to make the most of these opportunities. Hats off to The Wave, Muscat, they sailed very well throughout the season, they took a lot of risks and it paid off. Bravo to them!”
Paul Campbell paid tribute to his crew that included Nick Hutton, Alastair Richardson and Khamis Alanbouri who becomes the first Omani sailor in the country’s history to stand on the podium of a top international sailing event: “The lads were all over the boat handling today and it was a hard day boat handling-wise today. We basically dominated the starboard end of the start line all day and they didn’t really have a reply to that. In Sète we were amazed we could get on the podium; in Cowes we won and then it was actually like, we could win this; then in Kiel we crashed a lot and Trapani again we won, so we came here with confidence,” said Campbell-James. But they had to put up a fight to wrest control from the strong performance of Groupe Edmond de Rothschild: “Even two days ago we were 11 points behind and it was looking doubtful that we could have a comeback, so it’s happy days!”
Mike Golding’s Ecover Sailing Team were still in with a shout for the event title at the start of the day, but soon found themselves fighting to keep third place from Loick Peyron’s Oman Sail Masirah. The British team was struggling and a penalty in the fourth race of the day, didn’t help. But a victory in the final double points race was just enough to secure third place in Almeria and third place overall: “We’re ecstatic, really ecstatic,” said Golding. “We were all getting a little bit edgy on the boat but we pulled it back when it really counted on that last double point race so it’s a fantastic feeling. I have always known this team has potential and I knew we could do well in this series and that a podium finish was possible. But, obviously, it’s a big change with a new crew particularly Leigh (MacMillan) who has done a fantastic job. Will (Howden), Boycy (Jonathan Taylor) and Andrew (McLean) have all pulled 100% so I’m absolutely delighted.”
Franck Cammas, skipper Groupama 40, went into the final day with a good points buffer ahead of Roman Hagara’s Red Bull Extreme Sailing and a first, second and third place out of the eight races helped shore up his position to claim 5th place in Almeria and in the overall series. The local team of Rumbo Almeria, skippered by Guillermo Altadill, delighted the home crowd finishing in 6th place; whilst Dean Barker’s Team New Zealand completed the event leaderboard.
The fourth season of the Extreme Sailing Series comes to a close in Almeria after 130 races, across five European venues, ‘stadium’ racing in front of tens of thousands of spectators. The 2011 Extreme Sailing Series, one of just four circuits with ISAF’s Special Event Status, has already been confirmed with an eight event global circuit across Europe, the USA, the Far East and GCC region. Bring it on!
Extreme Sailing Series 2010
1. The Wave Muscat, pt. 36
2. Groupe Edmond de Rotschild, pt. 34
3. Ecover Sailing Team, pt. 31
4. Oman Sail Masirah, pt. 29
5. Groupama 40, pt. 17
…
To view the final results click here.
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