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Extreme 40 Series 2010 in Almeria 09.-12.Oktober 2010
www.extremesailingseriesasia.com/ - Übersicht
Übersicht
Friday 8th October – 1300 hours
Extreme Sailing Series
Time for the final act
Tomorrow sees the start of the fifth and final Grand Prix of the Extreme
Sailing Series. The 2010 championship is drawing to a close and the new
winner will be revealed on Tuesday 12th October after four days of
competition disputed on the race zone of Almeria, at the southern tip of
Spain in Andalusia.
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© Paul Wyeth/ OC Events
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With four boats still in contention for the outright
title, proceedings will doubtless be lively with some full-on nautical
battles. For Yann Guichard’s men, lying in ambush on the second step of the
provisional podium and winners of two of the four events already contested,
naturally the objective reindexs outright victory. However, more important to
the crew of Edmond de Rothschild Group than the result, is the way in which
they sail.
The Andalusian city of Almeria is playing host to the fleet of Extreme 40s
for the second year running. Furthermore, for the 2010 season final, the
organisers have concocted a full race programme for the eight competing
teams. The competition days will begin shortly after 1400 hours with
so-called ‘long’ races, contested just outside the harbour walls. Following
on from these, midway through the afternoon, the fleet of one design
catamarans will compete in the event’s more familiar short race formats,
right next to the quayside in Almeria to put on a show for the big Spanish
crowds expected: “Unlike last year, where all the races were run within the
harbour walls, we have some races scheduled to take place outside involving
some slightly longer courses. The variety and the switch in race format is a
positive thing. We’ll have to be versatile to hang onto our position at top
of the table, which isn’t something I mind!” explains Yann Guichard.
At this stage of the competition, calculations are rife. Indeed, to win the
Extreme Sailing Series 2010 outright, the crew of the catamaran fitted out
by Baron Benjamin de Rothschild will have to finish ahead of Paul
Campbell-James’ men in this event. Very much aware of this fact, Yann
Guichard has no intention of focusing on a single competitor however: “The
top four boats can play to win in Almeria as just four points separate us in
the championship ranking. Above all else we’ll have to sail well and enjoy
our time on the water, as we’ve always done, before thinking in terms of
positions and points. This is always the way we play it” recalled the
skipper of the Gitana Team. “My crew and I are confident. The last races, in
the Grand Prix of Trapani at the end of September, taught us a lot and we
intend to tackle this final meet of the year with a real sense of keenness
and motivation.”
Since Trapani, the skipper of Edmond de Rothschild Group has spared no
effort and has had to adapt to a busy schedule. Indeed for several months
now, Yann Guichard has been juggling two objectives: that of winning the
crewed Extreme Sailing Series and that of earning another victory for Gitana
Team in the famous solo transatlantic race between Saint Malo and
Pointe-à-Pitre, the start of which is looming ever closer. On his return
from a night at sea aboard the maxi-trimaran Gitana 11 and a few hours prior
to taking off for Spain, the Gitana Team skipper expressed his views about
these switches in craft and the considerable disparity between the two
disciplines: “My numerous years in Olympic Sailing were very good training.
Aboard the Tornado, we were constantly linking together races and training
sessions, to the extent that we were always in competition mode. As such my
schedule over the past few months has been a question of organisation. I’m
lucky to be very well supported within the Gitana Team. You might think
that, just a few days before the start of the Rhum, coming here to race in
the Extreme may ‘disrupt’ the preparation, but in reality it’s a welcome
addition. The Grands Prix enable me to unwind and have fun doing some close
contact racing. Certainly my index goal this year reindexs the Route du Rhum.”
Two new crews to join the Extreme Sailing Series in Almeria
A Spanish Extreme 40 called Rumbo Almeria, co-skippered by Mitch Booth and
Guillermo Altadill, will join the regular teams, along with a one design
from New Zealand (Emirates Team New Zealand) helmed by Dean Barker. The
arrival of these two crews brings the number of teams competing in the Grand
Prix of Almeria to eight.
Provisional ranking for the Extreme Sailing Series 2010 (after four Grands
Prix)
1. The Wave, Muscat (Paul Campbell-James) - 28 points
2. Edmond de Rothschild (Yann Guichard) - 27 points
3. Ecover Sailing Team (Mike Golding) - 25 points
4. Oman Sail Masirah (Loïck Peyron) - 24 points
5. Groupama 40 (Franck Cammas) - 13 points
6. Red Bull Extreme Sailing (Roman Hagara) - 12 points
7. The Ocean Racing Club (Mitch Booth) - 8 points
8. Team GAC Pindar (Nick Moloney) - 3 points
The crew of Edmond de Rothschild Group in Almeria
Yann Guichard - Skipper, helmsman / Pierre Pennec – indexsail trimmer /
Thierry Fouchier – headsail trimmer / Yves Detrey - Bowman
www.gitana-team.com
Translated by Kate Jennings – Expression
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