| Multiple Winners on Opening Day of Act 3 |
| By Extreme Sailing
Series 2011 Media. |
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Photos by Lloyd Images,
edited By Peter Andrews. |
| May 25, 2011. |
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| The first day of the Extreme Sailing Series™ Act 3 in Istanbul, Turkey saw an action packed seven races for the 11 international teams. Artemis Racing took the top spot today with 52 points, only a single point ahead of Act 2 winners Luna Rossa and Alinghi on 47. |
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Emirates Team New Zealand racing on Day 1 of Act 3,
during the Extreme Sailing Series 2011, Istanbul, Turkey.
Photo © Lloyd Images.
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The racing conditions tested the teams as the 44 sailors manhandled their Extreme 40 racing machines around short, sharp courses. There were plenty of gusts to potentially trip the up boats, shifts in wind direction and the race legs were so short it was a full-on physical work.
"It’s beautiful to sail here, the conditions are good with a tricky wind which is good for us," said Maxi Sirena, skipper of Luna Rossa. |
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Emirates Team New Zealand, Artemis
Racing and Groupe Edmond de Rothschild racing on Day 1 of Act 3, during the Extreme Sailing Series 2011, Istanbul,
Turkey.
Photo © Lloyd Images.
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For six out of seven races today a different team crossed the finish line first, only Luna Rossa scored two bullets. Alinghi, Emirates Team New Zealand, The Wave-Muscat, Groupe Edmond de Rothschild and Team GAC Pindar all secured a win apiece, which kept everyone guessing right up to the last race as to which team would finish the day on top.
Terry Hutchinson’s Artemis Racing proved that securing steady results in the top half of the leaderboard throughout the day gave them the edge over the less inconsistent teams. |
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NiceForYou flying high on Day 1 of Act 3, during the Extreme Sailing Series
2011, Istanbul, Turkey.
Photo © Lloyd Images.
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| "I think one of the best things that we did was not get too flustered by some of the bad cards that were dealt to us," explained Hutchinson. "The last race was a perfect example of hanging in during the race and waiting until there was an opportunity presented to us to make our move, When a nice little shift came down the course we went for it with an early gybe, I think we passed three boats in the one move which was really, really good." |
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Groupe Edmond de Rothschild on an upwind leg, during the Extreme Sailing
Series 2011, Istanbul, Turkey.
Photo © Lloyd Images.
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Team GAC Pindar had their first race win of the 2011 Extreme Sailing Series. Skipper Ian Williams was jubilant to get their first race win under their belts in such challenging conditions.
"It was challenging today," said Williams. "Really shifty puffy conditions, quite strong winds at times and quite light winds at times which made it really tricky. Our first win was great today, it was a really close race with Team Extreme, but in the end we just snuck it on the line with Team Extreme, finishing in second." |
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Red Bull Extreme Sailing flying towards a mark on day 1, during the Extreme
Sailing Series 2011, Istanbul, Turkey.
Photo © Lloyd Images.
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| The race management maximized the length of the upwind-downwind leg using the widest part of the Halic estuary, but the downwind leg was still short; with the Extreme 40s’ covering the 400 metre stretch in 90 seconds. Two laps round and each race was over in just 10 to 12 minutes. |
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Team GAC Pindar in action on day 1 of Act 3, during the Extreme Sailing
Series 2011, Istanbul, Turkey.
Photo © Lloyd Images.
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| With only 11 points separating the top eight teams there will be some tough competition tomorrow as the front runners try to establish a firm lead, and the race course will become narrower as it moves in front of the VIP set-up for the media day, ahead of the Extreme Sailing Series Race Village opening to the public on Friday, 28th. |
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The fleet racing on day 1 in front of the historic Istanbul skyline, during
the Extreme Sailing Series 2011, Istanbul, Turkey.
Photo © Lloyd Images.
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Extreme Sailing
Series - Act 3, Istanbul
Current overall standings after Day 1
Position / Team / Skipper & crew / Points
| 1st |
Artemis Racing (SWE), Terry Hutchinson, Rodney Ardern, Morgan Trubovich and Julien Cressant on 52 points |
| 2nd |
Luna Rossa (ITA), Max Sirena, Paul Campbell-James, Alister Richardson and Manuel Modena on 51 points |
| 3rd |
Alinghi (SUI), Tanguy Cariou, Yann Guichard, Nils Frei and Yves Detrey on 47 points |
| 4th |
Oman Air (OMA), Sidney Gavignet, Kinley Fowler, David Carr and Nasser Al Mashari on 46 points |
| 5th |
Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL), Dean Barker, Glenn Ashby, James Dagg and Jeremy Lomas on 45 points |
| 6th |
The Wave-Muscat (OMA), Torvar Mirsky, Kyle Langford, Nick Hutton and Khamis Al Anbouri on 44 points |
| 7th |
Groupe Edmond de Rothschild (FRA), Pierre Pennec, Christophe Espagnon, Thierry Fouchier and Hervé Cunningham on 44 points |
| 8th |
Team Extreme (EUR), Roland Gaebler, Bruno Dubois, Sebbe Godefroid and Nicholas Heintz on 41 points |
| 9th |
Red Bull Extreme Sailing (AUT), Roman Hagara, Hans Peter Steinacher, Will Howden and Craig Monk on 34 points |
| 10th |
Team GAC Pindar (GBR), Ian Williams, Mark Ivey, Mischa Heemskerk and Jono Macbeth on 29 points |
| 11th |
Niceforyou (ITA), Alberto Barovier, Mark Bulkeley, Daniele de Luca and Simone de Mari on 29 points |
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Oman Air racing on day 1 of Act 3, during the Extreme Sailing Series
2011, Istanbul, Turkey.
Photo © Lloyd Images.
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| For more information: www.extremesailingseries.com.
To see skipper Ian Williams of Team GAC Pindar discuss his form and that of the
fleet with Seb Destremau, go to the youtube
video. |
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| Outimage and the
Extreme Sailing Series™ © 2011 |
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