Clean sweep for Tommy Hilfiger, VOR X40 Day 1

by Sacha Oswald on 29 Apr 2006 It was a clean sweep for Tommy Hilfiger on the first day of the Baltimore Volvo Extreme 40 grand prix series.

Randy Smythe and his all American team scored straight wins in the four races that took place in the Inner Harbour within a stones throw of the shoreline and underneath the towering office blocks that line the waterfront.

Spurred on by wanting to impress their sponsor, the fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger, who took an afternoon out of his busy schedule to enjoy zipping around the Inner Harbour with his victorious team.

Smythe and his team did a good job of reading the tricky wind conditions which saw the breeze go from nothing to 15 knots within minutes. After four races Tommy Hilfiger has established a healthy twelve point lead over second placed Team Holmatro skippered by Tornado Olympic medallist Mitch Booth.

After day one Team Motorola-CHR is placed third overall one point in front of Rio grand prix winners Team Basilica.

Herbert Dercksen, CEO Volvo Extreme 40 commented: 'Today was amazing. I felt really proud as this kind of racing is exactly what we designed and built the Volvo Extreme 40 for.'

'At one point we looked up at a neighbouring office tower block and there were people waving out of the windows on five floors.'

Tomorrow sees the teams enjoy a lay day whilst the Volvo Open 70’s that are competing in the Volvo Ocean Race 2005-06 take part in the in-port race. The Volvo Extreme 40 racing recommences on Sunday and continues through until Wednesday 3 May.

For further information on the class log onto www.VolvoExtreme40.org.

Results, day 1
1st Tommy Hilfiger, USA (1,1,1,1) 40 pts
2nd Team Holmatro, NED (2,3,3,2) 28 pts
3rd Motorola – CHR, GBR (5,2,4,3) 23 pts
4th Team Basilica, GBR (4,4,2,5) 22 pts
5th Volvo Ocean Race, GBR (3,5,5,4) 19 pts

Remaining Volvo Extreme 40 Grand Prix Series Dates
Portsmouth, UK 27 May-3 June, 2006
Rotterdam, Netherlands 9-14 June, 2006