Fotogalerie Istanbul
Sunday 29 May – 2030 hours GMT
Extreme Sailing Series 2011
Istanbul Grand Prix (Turkey) – Act 3
Edmond de Rothschild Group scores its third consecutive podium
Once again, we had to wait till the very last minute for the Extreme Sailing
Series to deliver its final verdict, the suspense stretching across the
entire race zone in Istanbul. Three Grands prix, three podiums… Edmond de
Rothschild Group is the only team on the circuit to pull off such a
performance to date. The third place scored by the catamaran fitted out by
Baron Benjamin de Rothschild in Istanbul backs up the team’s pole position
in the championship. At the end of this Act 3, they’re ahead of the New
Zealand crew on Emirates Team New Zealand and that of Artemis, respectively
earning a second and first place in Turkey tonight.
During the five days of racing in Istanbul, the race committee launched
forty-three races, which is a previously unequalled record in the Extreme
Sailing Series: “this third Grand Prix of the season was really very
intense. Sailing in forty-three races means that we had to take the start of
as many races, with a great deal of pressure on our shoulders during these
phases as they’re always crucial. Your heart is pounding throughout the day
and despite all that tension you have to reindex focused, perform well and
respond quickly. These Grands Prix will stay with me for a long time in my
life as a racer. As regards intensity, it’s nothing like other events. Here,
in a single day, we very often sail more races than in a week of racing in
other series!” explained Pierre Pennec, before once again praising the work
done by his crew, as ever: “I’m repeating myself but I really am a lucky
helmsman. I can constantly count on my crew. They’re as physical as they are
precise with the trimming and they’re efficient in the manœuvres. I’m really
lucky to be heading such a crew. I feel a real sense of pride.”
With a third consecutive podium, the men of Edmond de Rothschild Group round
off their week in Turkey brilliantly, and even hang onto the top of the
Extreme Sailing Series leaderboard for 2011: “Our index aim is to be
consistent for the whole season so as to win the annual title. Naturally
we’d really like to win every event, as we prefer to be on the highest step
of the podium, but that mustn’t make us lose sight of our outright goal. By
snatching this third place in Istanbul we’ve fully fulfilled our mission!”
says the delighted skipper of Edmond de Rothschild Group.
Though they’re technically rookies on the circuit, Artemis and Emirates Team
New Zealand are topping the bill and are hot on the heels of the men from
Gitana Team in the championship ranking. This certainly comes as no surprise
to Hervé Cunningham, the team’s bowman, who is very familiar with the
Anglo-Saxon circuits: “These two crews are preparing for the next America’s
Cup. That means they’re sailing virtually non-stop throughout the year,
whether it’s here or on other craft. They may be ‘rookies’ on the Extreme
circuit but that’s very far from the case in the grand scheme of things.”
In a little over a month, the Extreme Sailing Series fleet will find
themselves on the other side of the Atlantic in Boston. The fourth act of
the season will be held there from 30 June to 4 July. “We’re tackling our
third year on the circuit and that’s why our progress on the water is
certainly less impressive than some of our rivals. However, after each Grand
Prix the crew is gaining in confidence and control, which is extremely
positive. We still have some work to do, and that’s a good thing”, concluded
Hervé Cunningham.
Ranking for the Istanbul Grand Prix (after 43 races)
1. Emirates Team New Zealand – 306 points
2. Artemis Racing – 307 points
3. Edmond de Rothschild Group – 296 points
4. The Wave, Muscat – 274 points
5. Luna Rossa – 272 points
6. Red Bull Extreme Sailing – 254 points
7. Alinghi – 245 points
8. Oman Air – 245 points
9. Team GAC Pindar – 237 points
10. Team Extreme – 188 points
11. Niceforyou – 212 points
Ranking in the Extreme Sailing Series 2011 after three Grands Prix
1. Edmond de Rothschild Group (FRA) – 29 points
2. Emirates Team New Zealand (NZ) – 28 points
3. Artemis Racing (SWE) – 27 points
4. Luna Rossa (ITA) – 25 points
5. Red Bull Extreme Sailing (AUT) – 23 points
6. The Wave, Muscat (OMA) – 18 points
7. Alinghi (SUI) – 18 points
8. Oman Air (OMA) – 11 points
9. Team Extreme (EUR) – 8 points
10. Niceforyou (ITA) – 6 points
11. Team GAC Pindar (GBR) – 5 points
A look back at the first four days of the Istanbul Grand Prix
Wednesday 24 May: the tone is set
Istanbul plays host to the Extreme Sailing Series for the first time.
However, the eleven competing crews get straight down to business without a
single observation round on this Turkish race zone, which they are only just
discovering. From the very first races, the tone is set… This third Grand
Prix of the season will be very hotly disputed, a point that is reflected in
the very few points between the top six boats after the seven races run the
first day. Terry Hutchinson enjoys a winning comeback at the helm of Artemis
and moves into the lead on the provisional leaderboard.
Ranking: 1. Artemis Racing – 52 points / 2. Luna Rossa – 51 points / 3.
Alinghi – 47 points … 6. Edmond de Rothschild Group – 44 points
Thursday 25 May: On the attack
Sailing at the heart of a city like Istanbul is as much a privilege as a
brain-teaser giving the complexity of the race zone when sailing an Extreme
40. Nevertheless, Edmond de Rothschild Group confidently continues to make
progress and enjoys very positive results from this second day of the
competition. Authors of two victories out of the seven races contested,
Pierre and his men move up to fourth place and get significantly closer to
the podium.
Ranking: 1. Artemis Racing – 116 points / 2. Alinghi – 97 points / 3.
Emirates Team New Zealand – 97 points / 4. Edmond de Rothschild Group – 95
points
Friday 26 May: Edmond de Rothschild end the day at the top of the
leaderboard
Pierre Pennec and his three crew thrill onlookers throughout the afternoon.
After the nine races run that day, they move up into the lead in the
Istanbul Grand Prix. They owe this top spot to a very consistent
performance, the exemplary job done by the whole crew, as well as an
unfailing cohesion which enabled them to fight for every point on the water.
With two days left to race and just a point separating the top two teams,
the die is far from cast but the suspense is set to make the competition all
the more thrilling. Of note, during the fourth race of the day, is a serious
collision between Alinghi and Team Extreme. The material damage caused by
this incident forces the crew of Team Extreme to withdraw from this
particular Grand prix.
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Ranking: 1. Edmond de Rothschild Group – 171 points / 2. Artemis Racing –
170 points / 3. Emirates Team New Zealand – 163 points
Saturday 27 May: An armchair for five
You need nerves of steel in the Extreme Sailing Series… The day which has
just come to an end in Istanbul once again demonstrates that on this circuit
nothing is ever set in stone, anything can happen, good and bad. This is
particularly true this year with a fleet of such a similar standard. The
leader of the provisional ranking yesterday, the crew of Edmond de
Rothschild Group yields its place to the New Zealand team on Emirates Team
New Zealand and this evening slips down to fourth place, eleven points shy
of Dean Barker’s men. However, there’s still everything to play for given
the proximity of the top five. Victory is still within grasp of the sailors
in Gitana Team.
Ranking: 1. Emirates Team New Zealand – 228 points / 2. Artemis Racing –
224 points/ 3. The Wave, Muscat – 218 points / 4. Edmond de Rothschild Group
– 217 points
The crew of Edmond de Rothschild Group
Pierre Pennec – Helmsman, skipper
Christophe Espagnon – indexsail trimmer, tactics
Thierry Fouchier – headsail trimmer
Hervé Cunningham - Bowman
The Extreme Edmond de Rothschild Group supports the Joves Navegants
foundation
The family of Baron Benjamin de Rothschild has always had a passion for
nautical activities, a commitment embodied today by the Gitana Team. As such
the Edmond de Rothschild Foundations have quite naturally been sensitive to
the mission of Joves Navegants and touched by the profound collective
commitment to helping these young people in precarious situations.
Inspired by the methods of British Sailing associations, which help young
people in difficulty, some enthusiastic sailors who have settled in Palma,
Mallorca, decided to create Joves Navegants. Aware of the complicated
situation for certain youngsters on the island in serious economic and
family difficulties, they have chosen to share their passion. The foundation
organises several types of trips out to sea on the yacht, Galaxie. These
days out involve journeys of discovery, awareness campaigns for sustainable
development, participation in races and training aids to enable certain
youngsters to envisage sailing as a professional career.
The Edmond de Rothschild Foundation will be supporting Joves Navegants in
the organisation of trips out to sea during the summer, enabling the
necessary technical improvements to be made on the Galaxie and making it
possible for a team to take part in the “Ruta de la Sal” race in April.
For further information:
www.jovesnavegants.org
www.ebdrf.com
Discover all the latest news from the Gitana Team at
www.gitana-team.com
Translated by Kate Jennings – Expression
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