| Act 5, A big Finish to
the week. |
| By Extreme Sailing
Series 2011 Media. |
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Photos by Lloyd Images,
edited By Peter Andrews. |
| August 12, 2011. |
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| A week of big winds and high adrenalin action, Act 5 of the Extreme Sailing Series at the Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week delivered some of the closest and intense ‘Stadium Racing’ the circuit has ever seen; and in front of the biggest crowds ever recorded for the event. The ultimate winner was The Wave-Muscat, skippered by local Isle of Wight born and Britain’s Olympic Tornado representative in Beijing 2008, Leigh McMillan. For last year’s overall winners, this was the Omani team’s first Act win this year. |
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The Wave-Muscat in the final race in Cowes, during the Extreme Sailing
Series 2011, Cowes, United Kingdom.
Photo © Lloyd Images.
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| A drama-filled six days of racing saw a major collision between Artemis Racing and Groupe Edmond de Rothschild on the second day, sadly ending all racing for the remainder of Act 5 for the Swedish team. Olympic 49er sailor John Pink’s Aberdeen Asset Management cart-wheeled spectacularly on the third day in testing conditions, but all were lucky to be able to repair the boat overnight to continue to complete Act 5. |
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Groupe Edmond de Rothschild collides with Artemis Racing at Cowes on Day
2, during the Extreme Sailing Series 2011, Cowes, United Kingdom.
Photo © Lloyd Images.
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On the brighter side was the 49er skiff action from ‘Team EC’ of Benji Borg and Seb Ripard from Malta, and Britain’s Simon Marks and Nick Murray. Then there was the Extreme 40 head to heads against champion windsurfer Guy Cribb, and for the first time ever in the circuit’s five year history, a day of racing was cancelled entirely due to excessive wind and sea conditions on day four.
For the 48 sailors from 15 nations, Act 5 concluded today in a more manageable 10 to 15 knots for the 11 Extreme 40s’, but with a powerful three to four knot tide testing each team’s tactical prowess. Incredibly when considering the giant race schedule, the outcome once again came down to the last race with The Wave-Muscat team having to finish within six places of second placed Luna Rossa, if they were to hold onto the Act 5 title. |
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Luna Rossa crew keeping an eye on their competition on the last day of
the Extreme Sailing Series 2011, Cowes, United Kingdom.
Photo © Lloyd Images.
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| While Luna Rossa soared away from the start into an unassailable lead, so it appeared that they might take the win as Leigh McMillan’s The Wave-Muscat lumbered out of the blocks in eighth. It was high tension for the fans watching as well, but the former Tornado ace punched his way up the fleet and although Luna Rossa was a leg ahead by the time she took the gun, The Wave-Muscat’s fourth place was enough to secure her victory. |
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Leigh McMillan and crew onboard The Wave-Muscat celebrating after winning
Act 5 of the Extreme Sailing Series 2011, Cowes, United Kingdom.
Photo © Lloyd Images.
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"It’s our first actual victory on the world tour, so an awesome result for us," said the delighted Skipper, Leigh McMillan. "It was really tight. Luna Rossa was going at us all day and towards the end, they were trying to shut us out at every start. But I didn’t really want to get too involved in that kind of game because we can always come back after making a bad start."
"It’s awesome to be on the top of the podium, that was our dream goal," continued McMillan. "It always comes down to the last race, it is impossible to get far enough in front to get that buffer, so that the last double points doesn’t really count. That was the whole mission, but we couldn’t do it here and it came down to the last race and it was nearly game over for us." |
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Cowes Prizegiving - 1st The Wave-Muscat, 2nd Luna
Rossa, 3rd Alinghi, during Act 5 of
the Extreme Sailing Series 2011, Cowes, United Kingdom.
Photo © Lloyd Images.
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Despite a 6th in the final race, Alinghi, skippered by Tanguy Cariou and helmed by Yann Guichard, managed to take their first podium position of the 2011 series.
The flood tide getting up to 3 knots and the wind lighter than it had been for most of this regatta, proved highly challenging for the competitors; as they attempted to stay out of the tide, short tacking up the shore at Egypt Point within metres of the huge mass of spectators.
On one occasion, Luna Rossa tacked on to starboard and in an on-the-water ballet, four boats to leeward of her were forced simultaneously to do the same. Some boats rapidly ran out of water coming into the shore as they were unable to find a lane out as they attempted to tack for safety. |
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The Wave-Muscat crew celebrate their win at Act 5
in Cowes, during the Extreme Sailing Series 2011, Cowes, United
Kingdom.
Photo © Lloyd Images.
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But the worst incident of the day occurred at the start of race five when Groupe Edmond de Rothschild managed to collide with Luna Rossa, breaking the French team’s bowsprit in the process. Until this moment Pierre Pennec’s team had been on a charge, winning today’s second race. Instead they had to stand down for the final four races.
"It was a great day, minus two crashes," said Luna Rossa’s helmsman Paul Campbell-James. "Gitana tried to take my head off with their spinnaker pole and consequently they snapped it. We were all trying to start on port and duck the other boats, and there were four people trying to fit through a gap that we couldn’t fit through. And his bow sprit just missed my head and snapped round our rudder, ending their day. The big thing is the overall series, but big respect to The Wave boys because they did a fantastic job at this regatta."
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The skippers competing in Act 5 of the Extreme Sailing Series 2011,
Cowes, United Kingdom.
Photo © Lloyd Images.
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An estimated crowd of over 72,500 visited the Extreme Sailing Series Race Village at Egypt Point, lining the beach and sea wall as far as the eye could see. For the first time this week the Extreme Sailing Series was streamed live online every day to fans around the world, utilising two levels of production, first with a multi-camera LiveTV output with graphics and full commentary for three days. For the remaining days, a basic single-cam WEBcam feed was used, allowing the organisers to deliver an online output within budget.
At the halfway stage of the 2011 circuit, Act 5 has once again, showcased the Extreme Sailing Series as the headline act at Cowes Week. Returning year after year to the grandstands at the Extreme 40 Race Village, spectators tonight will see the end of event Extreme Fireworks Party with BBC Radio One DJ Rob da Bank.
Next stop is Act 6 in Trapani, Sicily which will be open for spectators from the 16 to 18th of September. This will be preceded by two days of ‘open water’ racing on the 14th and 15th of September. |
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A dramatic capsize for Aberdeen Asset Management in Race 6 of Day 3 of
Act 5 of the Extreme Sailing Series 2011, Cowes, United Kingdom.
Photo © Lloyd Images.
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Extreme Sailing Series Act 5 at Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week
Overall standings after 30 races
Position / Team / Points
| 1st |
The Wave-Muscat (OMA), Leigh McMillan, Kyle Langford, Nick Hutton and Khamis Al Anbouri on 236 points. |
| 2nd |
Luna Rossa (ITA), Max Sirena, Paul Campbell-James, Alister Richardson and Manuel Modena on 228.8 points. |
| 3rd |
Alinghi (SUI), Tanguy Cariou, Yann Guichard, Nils Frei and Yves Detrey on 214 points. |
| 4th |
Red Bull Extreme Sailing (AUT), Roman Hagara, Hans Peter Steinacher, Will Howden and Luke Cross on 188 points. |
| 5th |
Oman Air (OMA), Sidney Gavignet, Kinley Fowler, David Carr and Nasser Al Mashari on 179 points. |
| 6th |
Team GAC Pindar (GBR), Ian Williams, Mischa Heemskerk, Andrew Walsh and Jono Macbeth on 160 points. |
| 7th |
Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL), Adam Beashel, Richard Meacham, Andrew McLean and Chris Ward on 139 points. |
| 8th |
Groupe Edmond de Rothschild (FRA), Pierre Pennec, Christophe Espagnon, Thierry Fouchier and Hervé Cunningham on 135 points. |
| 9th |
Niceforyou (ITA), Alberto Barovier, Stefano Rizzi, Daniele de Luca and Simone de Mari on 132 points. |
| 10th |
Aberdeen Asset Management (GBR), John Pink, Rick Peacock, Greg Homann and John Gimson on 126 points. |
| 11th |
Team Extreme (EUR), Roland Gaebler, Nahid Gaebler, Benedikt Wenk and Dan Morris on 71 points. |
| 12th |
Artemis Racing (SWE), Santiago Lange, Andy Fethers, Michele Ivaldi and Phil Jameson on 23 points. |
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Pierre Pennec's Groupe Edmond de Rothschild racing on Day 3 of Act 5, of
the Extreme Sailing Series 2011, Cowes, United Kingdom.
Photo © Lloyd Images.
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Extreme Sailing Series 2011 - Overall standings after 5 Acts
Position / Team / Points
1st Emirates Team New Zealand 44 points.
2nd Luna Rossa 43 points.
3rd Groupe Edmond de Rothschild 40 points.
4th Artemis Racing 38 points.
5th The Wave-Muscat 38 points.
6th Red Bull Extreme Sailing 36 points.
7th Alinghi 33 points.
8th Oman Air 22 points.
9th Team GAC Pindar 13 points.
10th Niceforyou 12 points.
11th Team Extreme 11 points. |
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Leigh McMillan's The Wave-Muscat and Max Sirena's Luna
Rossa racing back on
Day 3 of Act 5, at the Extreme Sailing Series 2011 in Cowes, United
Kingdom.
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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