Thanks to Suzanne and Alan for this sailing update. Ed
After winning the 2013 Extreme 40 Sailing Series reigning champion Leigh McMillan from the Isle of Wight will be back at the helm of ‘The Wave, Muscat’ for the 2014 series.
He will not be giving up his crown without a serious fight, in what could be a hat-trick year in 2014 for the British Olympian,
“I love the racing. It’s intense, never the same, always changing. So, I am thrilled and excited to be back in 2014 and the treble would be something I would be very proud to achieve.
“We are expecting 2014 to be quite different with the fleet going to be bigger and more competitive. It’s an exciting prospect, it raises the tempo and we are in a great position to compete and to be competitive. It’s a thrill, a rush, it’s just the best place to be and in 2014 there is no better place to be than in the Extreme 40s.”
‘The Wave, Muscat’ is backed by Oman Sail which will have a second team from the Sultanate, ‘Oman Air’, helmed by Brit Rob Greenhalgh. Winner of the inaugural Series in 2007, Greenhalgh is not only one of the most experienced Extreme 40 sailors in the fleet, his impressive CV also boasts three Volvo Ocean Races, seven Atlantic crossings, three World Championship titles and a host of European titles.
Hat-trick of British skippers
These two British skippers will, this year, be joined by a third British skipper – Sir Ben Ainslie who is back in the Extreme Sailing Series after competing in three Acts in 2011 with Oman Air.
This year Ben will field his own team, JP Morgan BAR. (Ben Ainslie Racing) and counts four Olympic gold medals amongst his trophies as well as his America’s Cup triumph.
Eighth year
Executive Chairman of OC Sport, Mark Turner, who commenced his career on the Isle of Wight, said,
“2014 is the eighth year of this, the original Stadium Racing circuit, and significantly our fourth as a world tour. We’ve retained six existing venues as well as all the teams from 2013 – we continue on an upward curve with this event which is delivering elite level top class sporting action.”
New venues have been added to the series – St. Petersburg and Sydney. Over eleven months, nine elite teams, representing seven nations, will compete to win the coveted Extreme Sailing Series trophy.
Act 1 starts in Singapore
For the first time, Singapore will host the curtain raiser to the 2014 Series, with the first starting gun on 20th February.
From Asia, to the Middle East and the capital of the Sultanate of Oman for Act 2 19-22 March, before the fleet return to China’s Qingdao, in May for Act 3.
Other venues and dates are:
Act 4: Saint Petersburg, Russia 26-29 June
Act 5: Cardiff, UK 22-25 August
Act 6: Istanbul, Turkey 11-14 September
Act 7: Mediterranean 2-5 October
Act 8: Sydney, Australia 11-14 December
As well as the three British skippers and their boats and teams Ernesto Bertarelli’s Alinghi team, which lost in 2013 only on countback to Leigh, will also be back in this Land Rover-backed series. Other named teams and skippers are: GAC Pindar – Seve Jarvin (AUS), Groupama Team France – Franck Cammas (FRA), Realteam – Jérôme Clerc (SUI), Red Bull Sailing Team – Roman Hagara (AUT), and SAP Extreme Sailing Team – Jes Gram-Hansen / Rasmus Køstner (DEN).
Image: © Patrick Eden: Ben and his team on J.P.Morgan BAR celebrate their fabulous record-breaking achievement right after crossing the line in the J.P. Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race.
