Tommy Hilfiger win Volvo Extreme40 Grand Prix
by Volvo media on 11 Nov 2005
Tommy Hilfiger winners of first Volvo Grand Extreme Prix Volvo Extreme 40/ Ben Faber
Going in to the ultimate race of this first Volvo Extreme 40 Grand Prix series there were two teams with even points. Tommy Hilfiger and Volvo Ocean Race both with 85 points and Holmatro two points behind that. This was the all-deciding race.
After the start all five catamarans went left towards the shoreline picking up more pressure. Hilfiger, VOR and Basilica continued covering each other close to shore. Only Holmatro and Motorola tried the other side of the second part of the beat.
Hilfiger came out on top with skipper Randy Smyth in great form. Mitch Booth´s adventure on the right paid off and Holmatro caught up, rounding second at the top mark, Basilica third, Brouwer fourth and Motorola last.
Occasionally the windward hull was flying and Smyth proved again to be fast in the light stuff and extended his lead and take first place for the series. Behind Hilfiger, VOR and Holmatro were in a close battle and that let Basilica and Motorola slip through to take the places.
Smyth finished in style, sailing the Tommy Hilfiger cat on one hull and maximum heel for the spectators near the yacht club, with high fives American style onboard the winning cat. The whole week Brouwer’s Team on Volvo Ocean Race were in the lead. For them it must be hard to give up the lead at this decisive moment.
Provisional overall positions:
1 Tommy Hilfiger - 95 pts
2 Volvo Ocean Race - 90 pts
3 Holmatro - 87 pts
4 Motorola-CHR - 79 pts
5 Basilica - 67 pts
Event website: http://www.volvoextreme40.org
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