Extreme Sailing Series returns to Nice for the penultimate Act of 2014

by Extreme Sailing Series on 26 Sep 2014 Act 7 of the 2014 Extreme Sailing Series™ global tour is just around the corner, as some of world’s best sailors prepare to descend once again on to the shores of Nice, France, for the penultimate Act in the battle for the 2014 crown. The event will be broadcast live online to fans around the world from Friday third to Sunday October 5th 1530-1700 local time (GMT+2) daily, and nationally in France on Canal Sport+ on Saturday and Sunday.

Three Act victories so far this year puts Alinghi top of the Series leaderboard, and the Swiss team, helmed by Morgan Larson, will welcome back Olympic champion Anna Tunnicliffe as tactician in Nice. Tunnicliffe, a two-times ISAF World Sailor of the Year knows all about the pressure of competing and spoke about the team’s focus for the Act. 'The fleet is very strong, especially now towards the end of the season. Every point counts. The smallest mistake costs a lot on the scoreboard. Our main goal is to win the Act. We can't just focus on one boat, there are too many good teams on the course.'

Just one point behind Alinghi is The Wave, Muscat fresh from a second place at the last Act in Istanbul just two weeks ago. As defending champion of not only the Series but also the Nice Act, the team’s British helmsman Leigh McMillan knows what it takes to win on the French Riviera. 'Nice can be a whole variety of conditions, so we have to be ready for anything. We just need to continue the form we have had for the last two events. We are always improving and working well as a team, so more of the same is the aim.' Looking at the bigger picture, McMillan continued: 'The events are too long with too many races to be concerned with one boat, but as the end approaches, we will have Alinghi in our sights.'

Following fantastic form in Istanbul that saw the Kiwis take their first Act win of the year, you wouldn’t bet against Emirates Team New Zealand, who will be reinforced by Glenn Ashby as well as Pete Burling and Blair Tuke – a duo who are quickly earning a reputation as the hottest property in sailing right now. 'We know that anything can happen in Nice and we will look to get as much out of the training day as possible, that hopefully will set us up for a good week of racing. Pete is taking turns at the helm with Dean (Barker) throughout the season and this crew rotation is something we decided at the beginning of the year to try different onboard configurations with the different guys, which is working out well. We go into Nice with the intention of keeping a podium position with two Acts to go', said bowman Jeremy Lomas.

The British team J.P. Morgan BAR is currently leading the second half of the fleet, where the battle is just as close, with just nine points separating the Brits in fifth place, from Groupama sailing team in tenth, with SAP Extreme Sailing Team, Oman Air, Gazprom Team Russia and Red Bull Sailing Team all sandwiched between them. J.P. Morgan BAR’s trimmer, Nick Hutton, who won the Series in 2010, spoke about the importance of a good result in the French Riviera. 'We have been addressing what worked and what didn’t so we can move things forward, ready to come back fighting in Nice. It’s the second to last event in the Series, there’s not much time left to get the points in the bag and we want to deliver – it’s a great venue and we are looking forward to some solid racing.'

Groupama sailing team will be back to full strength welcoming their skipper Franck Cammas back to the fray, who missed Act six whilst competing in the Nacra 17 ISAF World Championships in Santander, Spain. Tactician Tanguy Cariou spoke about what to expect from their home waters: 'Nice will offer a new racecourse and some different conditions from all the other Acts this season. The last two years the winds have been very strong so who knows what might happen this year! Nice is also a beautiful city and it will be very interesting to expose both the boats and the Stadium Racing to the French public.'

This will be the fourth consecutive year the fleet have raced in Nice, and the Bay of Angels has delivered some of the most closely contested racing. Thousands are expected over the weekend to join in Race Village activities, located at the Quai des États-Unis, and watch the international superstars of sailing go head to head, just metres from the shore.

Extreme Sailing Series™ 2014 overall standings

Position - Team - Points

1st Alinghi (SUI) 55 points.
2nd The Wave, Muscat (OMA) 54 points.
3rd Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL) 43 points.
4th Realteam by Realstone (SUI) 36 points.
5th J.P. Morgan BAR (GBR) 29 points.
6th SAP Extreme Sailing Team (DEN) 24 points.
7th Oman Air (OMA) 23 points.
8th Gazprom Team Russia (RUS) 23 points.
9th Red Bull Sailing Team (AUT) 23 points.
10th Groupama sailing team (FRA) 20 points.
11th GAC Pindar (AUS) 6 points.

Extreme Sailing Series™ Act 7 Nice, crew lists:

Alinghi (SUI)
Skipper-Helm: Morgan Larson (USA)
Tactician: Anna Tunnicliffe (USA)
Mainsail Trimmer: Pierre-Yves Jorand (SUI)
Headsail Trimmer: Nils Frei (SUI)
Bowman: Yves Detrey (SUI)

Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL)
Skipper-Helm: Peter Burling (NZL)
Floater: Edwin Delaat (NZL)
Mainsail Trimmer: Glenn Ashby (AUS)
Headsail Trimmer: Blair Tuke (NZL)
Bowman: Jeremy Lomas (NZL)

GAC Pindar (AUS)
Skipper-Helm: Nathan Wilmot (AUS)
Tactician: James Wierzbowski (AUS)
Mainsail Trimmer: Seve Jarvin (AUS)
Trimmer: Hugh Styles (GBR)
Bowman: Tyson Lamond (AUS)

Gazprom Team Russia (RUS)
Skipper-Tactician: Igor Lisovenko (RUS)
Helm: Phil Robertson (NZL)
Mainsail Trimmer: Matt Adams (GBR)
Headsail Trimmer: Pete Cumming (GBR)
Bowman: Aleksey Kulakov (RUS)

Groupama sailing team (FRA)
Skipper-Helm: Franck Cammas (FRA)
Tactician: Tanguy Cariou (FRA)
Mainsail Trimmer: Valentin Bellet (FRA)
Headsail Trimmer: Arnaud Jarlegan (FRA)
Bowman: Devan Le Bihan (FRA)

J.P. Morgan BAR (GBR)
Skipper-Helm: Ben Ainslie (GBR)
Floater: Bleddyn Mon (GBR)
Mainsail Trimmer: Paul Campbell-James (GBR)
Headsail Trimmer: Nick Hutton (GBR)
Bowman: Matt Cornwell (GBR)

Oman Air (OMA)
Skipper/Helm: Rob Greenhalgh (GBR)
Mainsail Trimmer: Kyle Langford (AUS)
Headsail Trimmer: Ted Hackney (AUS)
Bowmen: Hashim Al Rashdi (OMA) /Musab Al Hadi (OMA)

Realteam (SUI)
Skipper-Mainsail Trimmer: Jérôme Clerc (SUI)
Helm: Arnaud Psarofaghis (SUI)
Tactician: Bruno Barbarin (FRA)
Headsail Trimmer: Bryan Mettraux (SUI)
Bowman: Thierry Wasem (SUI)

Red Bull Sailing Team (AUT)
Skipper-Helm: Roman Hagara (AUT)
Tactician: Hans-Peter Steinacher (AUT)
Floater: Stewart Dodson (NZL)
Jib Trimmer: Mark Bulkeley (GBR)
Bowman: Shaun Mason (GBR)

SAP Extreme Sailing Team (DEN)
Co-Skipper-Helm: Jes Gram-Hansen (DEN)
Co-Skipper-Tactician: Rasmus Køstner (DEN)
Mainsail Trimmer: Thierry Douillard (FRA)
Headsail Trimmer: Christian Kamp (DEN)
Bowman: Brad Farrand (NZL)

The Wave, Muscat (OMA)
Skipper-Helm: Leigh McMillan (GBR)
Tactician: Sarah Ayton (GBR)
Mainsail Trimmer: Pete Greenhalgh (GBR)
Headsail Trimmer: Kinley Fowler (NZL)
Bowman: Nasser Al Mashari Event website