Extreme Sailing Series 2014 - Singapore. The Resurrection

by ESS Media on 23 Feb 2014

The Extreme Sailing Series 2014. Act 1. Singapore. Day 3. Groupama Team France skippered by Franck Cammas (FRA) make repairs and re-rig their yacht overnight Lloyd Images

UPDATE: Team Aberdeen Singapore WILL be back on the start line with a full starting grid of 12 boats for the final day of the Extreme Sailing Series™ Singapore

- Busy pitlane with four boats on the hard tonight – but all expecting to be back on the racetrack tomorrow for tomorrow’s final showdown in Singapore.
- Four returning teams from 2013 lead the charge heading into the final battle of the bay.

The Extreme Sailing Series 2014. Act 1. Singapore. Day 3. Groupama Team France skippered by Franck Cammas (FRA) make repairs and re-rig their yacht overnight
© Lloyd Images

A full starting grid of 12 Extreme 40s will line-up for today's last day of racing in Singapore following yesterday afternoon's crash between Groupama sailing team and Team Aberdeen Singapore – although it has been a demanding night in the pitlane as the shore crews rallied together to make the repairs needed.

Four boats were out of the water last night – but all will be on the water for the climax of what has so far been an action-packed start to the 2014 season for the 60 elite level sailors competing this week. After colliding with a moored boat during the start of the second race of the day, the Danish SAP Extreme Sailing Team were also out of the water, after sustaining damage to their bow, as co-skipper Rasmus Kostner explained: 'We took a bit of an impact, but we are working on it now. It’s going to be a standard repair with lamination of carbon and we will ensure we will get the boat in the water tomorrow morning (ie today) to race again.'

Race Director, Phil Lawrence gave his assessment of the week so far. 'The key factor in the incidents we have had this week are the gusty conditions. We have sailed these boats in much more wind than we have seen this week, but when its gusty like this, and the teams are pushing the boats so hard, we can see collisions on the water.'

The Extreme Sailing Series 2014. Act 1. Singapore. Day 3 of racing. © Lloyd Images

At the top of the leaderboard, four returning teams from 2013 lead the charge, including long-standing rivals Alinghi, and The Wave, Muscat in first and second respectively. Realstone, who missed yesterday's racing but will be back ready for battle today, are third, after being awarded average points following Friday's collision with Oman Air. But it was Red Bull Sailing Team who showed the winning form that saw them claim third place in the overall Series in 2013 today, sailing their best day of the regatta to climb from eighth, to fourth, overhauling the likes of J.P. Morgan BAR and Emirates Team New Zealand as they did. 'It was an amazing day, it’s the kind of conditions we expect in stadium racing in front of a city like this. Its what we come here for!' said co-skipper Hans-Peter Steinacher.

With up to 80 points still up for the taking in the final battle of the bay, the fight for supremacy in Singapore is far from over.

The Extreme Sailing Series 2014. Act 1. Singapore. Day 3 of racing. © Lloyd Images

Extreme Sailing Series™ 2014 Act 1, Singapore standings after Day 3, 21 races (22.02.14)
Position / Team / Points

1st Alinghi (SUI) Morgan Larson, Stuart Pollard, Pierre-Yves Jorand, Nils Frei, Yves Detrey 163 points.
2nd The Wave, Muscat (OMA) Leigh McMillan, Sarah Ayton, Pete Greenhalgh, Kinley Fowler, Nasser Al Mashari 132 points.
3rd Realstone (SUI) Jérôme Clerc, Arnaud Psarofaghis, Bruno Barbarin, Thierry Wassem, Sebastien Stephant 130 points.
4th Red Bull Sailing Team (AUT) Roman Hagara, Hans-Peter Steinacher, Mark Bulkeley, Nick Blackman, Haylee Outteridge 117 points.
5th Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL) Dean Barker, Glenn Ashby, James Dagg, Jeremy Lomas, Edwin Delaat 117 points.
6th Groupama sailing team (FRA) Franck Cammas, Sophie de Turckheim, Tanguy Cariou, Thierry Fouchier, Devan Le Bihan 104 points.
7th J.P. Morgan BAR (GBR) Ben Ainslie, Nick Hutton, Paul Goodison, Pippa Wilson, Matt Cornwell 103 points.
8th SAP Extreme Sailing Team (DEN) Jes Gram-Hansen, Rasmus Køstner, Thierry Douillard, Peter Wibroe, Nicolai Sehested 95 points.
9th Gazprom Team Russia (RUS) Igor Lisovenko, Paul Campbell-James, Alister Richardson, Pete Cumming, Aleksey Kulakov 89 points.
10th Oman Air (OMA) Rob Greenhalgh, Tom Johnson, Will Howden, Hashim Al Rashdi, Musab Al Hadi 88 points.
11th GAC Pindar (AUS) Seve Jarvin, Troy Tindill, Ed Smyth, Sam Newton, Alexandra South 49 points.
12th Team Aberdeen Singapore (SIN) Nick Moloney, Adam Beashel, Scott Glen Sydney, Tom Dawson, Justin Wong 47 points.