iShares Cup – Cowes – Uno spettacolo che i cronisti hanno definito simile alla Formula 1 e che il pubblico, presente in grande numero, ha dimostrato di gradire sin dalle battute iniziali di una Cowes Week che per la classe Extreme 40, impegnata nella terza frazione dell’iShares Cup 2009, si è rivelata ricca di emozioni e di regate.
Nonostante la supremazia dimostrata da Masirah, nuovo leader del circuito ai danni dell’assente BMW Oracle Racing grazie alla seconda vittoria di tappa consecutiva, lo scontro tra i contendenti non ha conosciuto un solo momento di pausa e i protagonisti, tutti per altro molto vicini in classifica generale, hanno infiammato il campo di regata con incroci e manovre al limite del regolamento nel corso di una tre giorni caratterizata da condizioni meteo adeguate all’importanza della manifestazione.
A chiudere alle spalle dell’Extreme 40 di Pete Cumming sono stati gli uomini di Yann Guichard su Gitana Extreme, bravi a contenere il ritorno di Loick Peyron e del suo Renaissance, giunto al match decisivo con uno svantaggio minimo rispetto al diretto avversario, ma nonostante questo incapace di impensierirlo davvero.
iShares Cup, Cowes Week
1. Masirah, P.Cumming, pt. 189
2. Gitana Extreme, Y.Guichard, pt. 158
3. Renaissance, L.Peyron, pt. 153
4 . BT, N.Moloney, pt. 126
5. Team iShares, S.Robertson, pt. 121
seguono 5 scafi
iSahres Cup
1. Oman Sail Masirah, P.Cumming, 27 pt.
2. Gitana Extreme, Y.Guichard, 26 pt.
3. Oman Sail Renaissance, L.Peyron, 24 pt.
4. BMW Oracle Racing, J.Spithill, 18 pt
5. BT, N.Moloney, 17 pt.
[flashvideo filename=video/ishare/iShares_Cowes09_030809.flv /]
Video courtesy iShares Cup.
iSHARES CUP, MASIRAH CLINCH UK ROUND AT SENSATIONAL ISHARES CUP
[iShares Cup Press Release] An ecstatic Oman Sail Masirah have won the UK round of the iShares Cup at Cowes Week and now take the overall lead in the iShares Cup 2009 series at the halfway stage of the six-round European circuit. It was a battle to the end for Yann Guichard and Loick Peyron with Gitana Extreme – Groupe LCF Rothschild clinching the final double points race to take 2nd place on the UK podium.
Celebrities from the world of music, Formula 1 and TV joined the iShares Cup to ride shotgun on an Extreme 40. TV presenter and extreme adventurer, Ben Fogle, captured the mood perfectly: “This is the Formula 1 of sailing – I can’t remember the last time I saw so many people along the shoreline watching – I loved it!” Thousands of spectators have watched this ‘grandstand’ event over the last 3 days that has without doubt been the opening headline act of Cowes Week. Duran Duran lead singer, Simon Le Bon, said: “I’m really not used to sailing in front of a grandstand but it’s been great.”
Oman Sail Masirah had done enough by race 17 to secure the UK round – it was an emphatic performance by skipper Pete Cumming, helmsman Chris Draper, Mark Bulkley and Freddie Carr winning 10 of the 20 races over three days. Going into the final double points race Oman Sail’s stablemate, Renaissance helmed by French multihull legend Loick Peyron was fighting for 2nd on the podium – just 1 point ahead of Yann Guichard’s Gitana Extreme – Groupe LCF Rothschild. Guichard led off the start line of the final race, Peyron hunted him down and got close, then too close – contact resulting in a penalty for Peyron giving Guichard and his crew the coveted 2nd place at the UK round of the iShares Cup.
There was a similar head to head for 4th place between Nick Moloney’s BT and Shirley Robertson on Team iShares. Robertson had been awarded average points for the races Team iShares had to sit out on Day 2 due to a collision and this redress lifted her rapidly up the leaderboard on the final day. Mitch Booth, co-creator of the Extreme 40 class and helming BT in place of Darren Bundock, made the BT crew sweat it out – last place at the start and Robertson a few places ahead, Booth did a great job to ahead of Robertson to secure 4th overall.
With the absence of BMW Oracle Racing at the UK round, Oman Sail Masirah with two consecutive event wins now top the overall iShares Cup Extreme 40 Sailing Series for 2009. Next round of the iShares Cup takes place in Kiel, Germany over the 28th-30th August.
iShares Cup, Cowes Week
1. Masirah, P.Cumming, pt. 189
2. Gitana Extreme, Y.Guichard, pt. 158
3. Renaissance, L.Peyron, pt. 153
4 . BT, N.Moloney, pt. 126
5. Team iShares, S.Robertson, pt. 121
followed 5 teams
iSahres Cup
1. Oman Sail Masirah, P.Cumming, 27 pt.
2. Gitana Extreme, Y.Guichard, 26 pt.
3. Oman Sail Renaissance, L.Peyron, 24 pt.
4. BMW Oracle Racing, J.Spithill, 18 pt
5. BT, N.Moloney, 17 pt.
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