Extreme Sailing Series flags off in Singapore

Contributed by Ronda Ng.

Marina Bay, Friday, December 11, 2009 - Day 1 of the inaugural Extreme Sailing Series Asia got off to a rousing start in the heart of the city centre. Featuring top-notch close combat racing in Singapore’s waters for the first time, four boats were tied for the top spot by the end of the day. Often described as the Formula 1 of sailing, the event lived up to its billing by providing heart-stopping, high-speed action right next to the shoreline.

Under perfect weather conditions, six state of the art 40-foot catamarans, each crewed by a team of four top professional sailors raced at up to 25 miles per hour, battling it out for supremacy on the tight races courses just metres off the shoreline by the Singapore Flyer.

The twenty-four sailors have between them three double Olympic Gold medals, 24 World Championship titles, nine America's Cup events, 8 Round the World navigations and 114 National Championship titles.

Local Singaporean sailor Tan Wearn Haw, helmed China Team on this opening Media Day, an opportunity for the national and international media to step onboard the Extreme 40s in the coveted ´fifth man position'.

Tan Wearn Haw commented, "It was great to open the series with a win, it's starting to come together. I was surprised at the conditions - really good, nice sunshine, great wind, couldn't have started better. So hopefully we'll get more race days like that over the next four days, it will be an awesome event.”

He added, "We've had a busy day today with VIP guests and the media onboard, but they all have had a great day. It's such a unique, positive experience with everyone onboard, they had their jaws wide open when flying a hull and I think it makes for great pictures and a great experience for the 5th man guests. Flying a hull in front of The Flyer was great!"

At the end of the day's six races, the teams BT, China Team, Masirah and Red Bull are all tied at the top of the opening day's leader board with 23 points. The Wave, and Muscat, lie in second place with 20 points while Rumbo Almería is in third place with 14.

This second-leg of the competition features up to eight races per day till December 15. Following the Singapore leg, the competition will move to Muscat, Oman from February 1-5, where the overall Extreme Sailing Series Asia champions will be crowned.

The Extreme Sailing Series Asia
The inaugural Extreme Sailing Series Asia was launched in October 2009. The 2009/10 Series will visit Hong Kong (November 20-24), Singapore (December 11-15) and Muscat, Oman (February 1-5 2010).

The Boats
Designed by Tornado Sport in 2005, these 40-ft catamarans have taken the sailing world by storm. The boats are extremely light, weighing the same as a Mini Cooper, but hugely overpowered with a sail area the size of a tennis court, meaning they can race at speeds of up to 45 miles per hour and "fly" a hull in just eight knots of wind.