Oman Air take time out to support cancer charity as ESS is becalmed

by Oman Sail on 28 Aug 2017 The Oman Air crew were denied the opportunity to improve on their standing at the Extreme Sailing Series when the wind failed to put in an appearance on a sun-soaked third Cardiff Bay day that delighted the thousands of spectators while frustrating the race crews.

However, a few members of the Oman Air sailing and shore team – Hilal Zadjali, Matt Haslam, James Wierzbowski and Ed Smyth - took the opportunity to show young sailors taking part in the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust Round Britain voyage around their GC32 foiling catamaran. The group are among 100 young people in recovery from cancer who are sailing a leg on the 2,400-mile relay challenge.

“We had a great opportunity to meet some of the sailors from the Trust, and it was really cool to see their enthusiasm, find out what they had been doing and show them what we do on the GC32,” said Wierzbowski. “They had a lot of questions and I had a few for them as I haven’t done a lot of ocean sailing. It was good that we had our shore crew Matt and Hilal down here as well to show them around.”

Thoughts turned to tomorrow’s final day decider, and Smyth said: “Not racing today makes catching up a little bit harder, but we will treat each race as it comes and take it one result at a time. Results can turn on a sixpence, so if we can get closer before the double-points final race, then it’s all on. There are lots of opportunities out there so we’re optimistic.”

Meanwhile in the Flying Phantom Series an early light breeze allowed three races, with the Oman Sail pairing of Thomas Normand and Antoine Joubert now holding eighth place in the competitive 13-strong fleet.