| Pressure's on going into
final day of Act 4. |
| By Extreme Sailing
Series 2011 Media. |
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Photos by Lloyd Images,
edited By Peter Andrews. |
| July 3, 2011. |
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| Skipper Terry Hutchinson of Artemis Racing, aka ‘Mr Consistency’, did it again on the penultimate day of the Extreme Sailing Series Act 4 in Boston. Ensuring that his team finished no lower than 5th place in any of the 8 races staged today, sees Artemis Racing go into the final day tomorrow with a 14 point lead. Up until this point, the Swedish team has only conceded their dominance once during the Boston event. |
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Artemis Racing flying high on day 4, during the Extreme Sailing
Series 2011, Boston, USA.
Photo © Lloyd Images.
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| "The most important day to be leading is the last day!" said Hutchinson. "I don’t take anything for granted because I know how good the people around us are and how tricky the conditions can be here, so we have to keep on fighting the fight. Tomorrow is Independence Day and it’s a great day to be in the US." |
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Terry Hutchinson leader after four days of racing during Act 4, during
the Extreme Sailing Series 2011, Boston, USA.
Photo © Lloyd Images.
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| The final day often throws up surprises and at every Act this season, victory has only been secured in the final double points race. Right now, seven teams are still in the hunt for a podium place, so there is still some intense competition to be played out. But sailors are renowned for being a superstitious bunch and no one is counting their chickens just yet. |
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The fleet lining up for a start on day 4 of Act 4, during the Extreme Sailing
Series 2011, Boston, USA.
Photo © Lloyd Images.
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| An overcast day set the scene over Boston Harbor, but that didn’t seem to deter the US crowds from celebrating the 4th July holiday weekend. Also at Fan Pier to experience the Extreme 40 action was US sailing legend and commentator Gary Jobson, who went for a ride on Artemis Racing. Dawn Riley, a former round the world and America’s Cup sailor was also down at the pier today to take in the action. |
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Team Extreme flying a hull on day 4, during the Extreme Sailing Series
2011, Boston, USA.
Photo © Lloyd Images.
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| A good gradiant breeze ensured the action was close and intense today. Even when the threat of lightning suspended racing, the teams came back out fighting after the passing storm had dissipated. Emirates Team New Zealand reveled in the competition, posting two race wins to knock The Wave-Muscat off 2nd place on the overall leaderboard. But Dean Barker’s team only has the slenderest of margins of just 3 points. For Leigh McMillan who was recently recruited as skipper of The Wave-Muscat, he feels the team have exceeded their expectations. |
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Dean Barker skipper of Emirates Team New Zealand at the helm, during the
Extreme Sailing Series 2011, Boston, USA.
Photo © Lloyd Images.
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"It wasn’t our goal here to get on the podium, for me it was a bit unrealistic," said McMillan. "But we are still in the hunt for a podium place. We’ll go out and fight for every point."
Max Sirena’s Luna Rossa team continued to improve today and like the Kiwis where they had achieved two race wins, it helped them to overhaul Pierre Pennec’s all-French team on board Groupe Edmond de Rothschild to claim 4th overall by the end of today’s competition. |
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Leigh McMillan skipper of The Wave-Muscat on day 4, during the
Extreme Sailing Series 2011, Boston, USA.
Photo © Lloyd Images.
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"We had an okay day," said Luna Rossa’s helsman, Paul Cambell-James. "We had our ups and downs but generally we are getting better and moving up. Anything can happen at the Extreme Sailing Series and tomorrow we will go out there and sail our own race. We might look at the last double points race and the scores and try to make a plan, but we’ll try any race."
Pierre Pennec’s team was not able to find their form today however, although a win in the final race will hopefully, be a good omen for them ahead of tomorrow. |
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Luna Rossa flying a hull during racing on day 4, during the Extreme Sailing
Series 2011, Boston, USA.
Photo © Lloyd Images.
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| Other overall place changes saw the Swiss team Alinghi claim 6th, ahead of Roman Hagara’s Red Bull Extreme Sailing. Despite scoring three third places, things just didn’t go Hagara’s way in the other races. |
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Roman Hagara skipper of Red Bull Extreme Sailing holding up a protest flag
while controlling the tiller, during day 4 of the Extreme Sailing Series
2011, Boston, USA.
Photo © Lloyd Images.
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| As normal, racing
in stadium mode kept the on-water referees busy with each race
lasting just 10 to 15 minutes. Some of the legs were so short,
the teams only had time to unfurl the gennaker, gybe, then furl
again before piling into the mark. It is exhausting work physically
and the 11 teams will need to rest up tonight ahead of the final
day tomorrow, when the pressure will be fully on if they want to
secure a podium place. |
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Crew action onboard Alinghi, during day 4 of the Extreme Sailing Series
2011, Boston, USA.
Photo © Lloyd Images.
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Extreme Sailing Series Act 4 at Fan Pier Boston, USA
Current overall standings after 30 races, Day 4
Position / Team / Skipper and crew / Points
| 1st |
Artemis Racing (SWE), Terry Hutchinson, Sean Clarkson, Morgan Trubovich and Julien Cressant on 239 points. |
| 2nd |
Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL), Dean Barker, Adam Beashel, James Dagg and Jeremy Lomas on 225 points. |
| 3rd |
The Wave-Muscat (OMA), Leigh McMillan, Kyle Langford, Nick Hutton and Khamis Al Anbouri on 222 points. |
| 4th |
Luna Rossa (ITA), Max Sirena, Paul Campbell-James, Alister Richardson and Manuel Modena on 210 points. |
| 5th |
Groupe Edmond de Rothschild (FRA), Pierre Pennec, Christophe Espagnon, Thierry Fouchier and Hervé Cunningham on 200 points. |
| 6th |
Alinghi (SUI), Tanguy Cariou, Yann Guichard, Nils Frei and Yves Detrey on 199 points. |
| 7th |
Red Bull Extreme Sailing (AUT), Roman Hagara, Hans Peter Steinacher, Will Howden and Craig Monk on 195.2 points after redress. |
| 8th |
Oman Air (OMA), Sidney Gavignet, Kinley Fowler, David Carr and Nasser Al Mashari on 149 points. |
| 9th |
Niceforyou (ITA), Alberto Barovier, Mark Bulkeley, Daniele de Luca and Simone de Mari on 133 points. |
| 10th |
Team GAC Pindar (GBR), Ian Williams, Mark Ivey, Andrew Walsh and Jono Macbeth on 116 points. |
| 11th |
Team Extreme (EUR), Roland Gaebler, Bruno Dubois, Sebbe Godefroid and Bob Merrick on 94 points. |
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Skipper Ian Williams flying a hull on Team GAC Pindar for the crowds over
the finish line, during day 4 of the Extreme Sailing Series 2011, Boston,
USA.
Photo © Lloyd Images.
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| For more information about the Extreme Series, go to the official website at: www.extremesailingseries.com. Video can also be found on the Extreme Sailing Series YouTube channel can be found at: http://www.youtube.com/extremesailingseries. |
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| Outimage and the
Extreme Sailing Series © 2011 |
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