Thanks to Suzanne and Alan for this latest update on Isle of Wight sailor, Leigh McMillan. Ed
After the disappointment at the finals of the Extreme 40 Sailing Series at the end of 2014 when local sailor Leigh McMillan and his team on ‘The Wave, Muscat’, failed to take the championship for a third year we wondered if Leigh would be able to undertake the challenges of the 2015 season.
However, Leigh and his team were up and ready to go for Act 1 held in Singapore in February. Following four days of exciting racing and with Leigh and his team winning seven races there was more disappointment for the team on The Wave, Muscat when they were placed third in this Act and Red Bull took the podium first place.
There are several new teams for the 2015 series and racing is scheduled for venues around the world including Sydney and new for 2015 Hamburg. Cardiff hosts the UK Act in June.
All change for Act 2
Act 2 and Leigh’s hopes were up as racing was taking place in the home of The Wave, Muscat in Oman. Opening day at Muscat, delivered an afternoon of perfect racing conditions, as the eight-strong Extreme 40 fleet flew around the coastal racecourse in the waters off the Oman coast, relishing the North Easterly breeze that filled in from eight to 16 knots.
With six races completed, the stand out team for day one was undoubtedly home boat The Wave, Muscat, with British Olympian Leigh on the helm. Joined by two-time British Olympic gold medallist Sarah Ayton, her concise tactics onboard saw the team sail a smart course, with the fastest boat speed downwind which led them to the podium in five out of six races.
The only blemish on an otherwise near-perfect score line came in the second race where after a tight rounding at the first windward mark with Red Bull Sailing Team a penalty resulted and therefore a last place finish.
“I love the intensity of the racing”
After racing Leigh said,
“I didn’t realize how well we had done. We had a few good races – but then that last place, so that was frustrating. I love the intensity of the racing, it doesn’t give you time to sit around and contemplate a bad result, you have to smash into the next race and I like that. It was really nice work by the team, and great to be sailing in these fantastic conditions.”
However, the team on The Wave, Muscat knew it was not going to be easy to stay at the top, with Leigh admitting,
“We often have our highs and lows in these events. We have to push all the way and not let our grip go.”
With an anticipated 20 races coming up, the Omani team’s four point lead over second placed SAP Extreme Sailing Team, co-skippered by Jes Gram-Hansen and Rasmus Kostner, could have quickly disappeared.
Day Two
SAP Extreme Sailing Team showcased a winning formula on day two taking four bullets out of eight races in the shifty 15 knot north-easterly breeze and lumpy two-metre swell.
Consequently, The Wave, Muscat lost their lead and the top three boats at the finish of day two were: 1st SAP Extreme Sailing Team (DEN) 113 points, 2nd The Wave, Muscat (OMA) 106 points with the second Oman team, Oman Air, third on 103 points.
Day Three
The Wave, Muscat gave their home fans something to cheer about on day three finishing on the podium in seven out of eight races, to reclaim their place at the top of the leaderboard. Ahead of the final day there were just 16 points separating the top four boats.
A consistent score line by the Austrian Red Bull Sailing Team, including three race wins adding an important 66 points to their tally, saw the team jumping ahead of Oman Air and taking third place but with one of the UK’s top 49er sailors Stevie Morrison in the driving seat, Oman Air were poised to battle on for the final day of racing.
Day Four
Day four, and after six races, just two points separated the Omani and Danish teams – with the advantage in the hands of Rasmus Kostner and Jes Gram Hansen on SAP Extreme Sailing Team, after winning the first two races of the day.
These two teams went head-to-head in the final and 29th race of the Act, and it was The Wave, Muscat who took control from the start, playing the light seven-knot wind shifts expertly, to take the race win and overall Act victory.
Leigh explained,
“It was a tough day, it didn’t go to plan, we had some really difficult starts and SAP really put the pressure on, so it was pretty evenly matched.
“We had to dig deep and we knew it would come down to the last race, all we had to do was beat them or they beat us. Everyone on the boat kept pushing hard to make the best of the situation and in the end we got the result, but it wasn’t easy.”
Result for Act 2:
1st The Wave, Muscat (OMA) 239 points.
2nd SAP Extreme Sailing Team (DEN) 237 points.
3rd Red Bull Sailing Team (AUT) 220 points.
4th Oman Air (OMA) 211 points.
5th Team Turx powered by Kaya Ropes (TUR) 189 points.
6th GAC Pindar (GBR) 167 points.
7th Lino Sonego Team Italia (ITA) 157 points.
8th Gazprom Team Russia (RUS) 152 points.
This means that after Act 2 three teams; Red Bull, The Wave, Muscat, and SAP have 18 points on the Series Leaderboard.
Next up, the Series moves to Qingdao, China, 30 April – 3 May.
