Extreme Sailing Series – Next stop… Kiel!

by Into the Blue on 25 Aug 2010 Extreme Sailing Series update: Just three weeks ago, Oman Sail, The Wave, Muscat won the UK round of the Extreme Sailing Series in Cowes, and are now joint leaders in the series, with Groupe Edmond De Rothschild, going into the next event in Kiel, Germany. Their team mates and reigning champions, Oman Sail Masirah, are currently tied in second place with Ecover.

Kiel kicks off on the 26th August, with four days of nail biting racing expected. Last year, Oman Sail dominated the Kiel event, with Masirah finishing in the top spot, and Oman Sail Renaissance, (now The Wave, Muscat), finishing second.

But the event was not without incident. Kiel, located on the Baltic Coast in northern Germany, is known for its tricky conditions – last year Loick Peyron, then skipper of Renaissance, collided with Wirsol Team Germany in the final days racing, losing their rudder, and the team onboard Ecover suffered serious damage when an unexpected gust swept through the race course, causing them to capsize, with one of their crew requiring stitches to the head.

The conditions for racing on the short courses in Kiel will be demanding and nerve-wrecking for the Extreme 40 crews, with racing between two brick walls there is no room for error.

With some major weather systems circulating around Europe, it’s looking to be a windy regatta. Paul Campbell-James, skipper of The Wave, Muscat said, 'It is difficult to find space in Kiel to manoeuvre the boat. The racing is tight and you have to be even more aware of where the other boats more than usual.

The conditions here are really unpredictable and gusty, but we sailed our best races in the last event in Cowes in stronger winds, so bring it on!'

Joining Masirah in Kiel and for the rest of the season will be TeamOrigin, British America’s Cup sailor David ‘Freddie’ Carr. He has had to miss the first two installments of the 2010 Extreme Sailing Series due to his Team Origin commitments.

Skipper of Masirah, Loick Peyron, is pleased to have his full crew back together. 'It will be great to sail as a complete team again and to have Freddie back for the rest of the season. For us, the result at Cowes was a little disappointing, and to come to Kiel as a complete team, the aim is to finish on the podium.'

For more information, please go to: www.omansail.com