The Extreme Sailing Series 9 ème edition, which started this Thursday, February 5, in Singapore, will take place in eight emblematic places, and for the first time since 2010, will return to Germany. This round-the-world race, which takes place around three continents, involves nine teams of 45 sailors from 10 different nations. The 45 skippers and sailors were presented exclusively on January 20 at the Boot Düsseldorf and they are still top sailors who will make the show in the coming months.
Among the competitors are international sailors: Olympic champions, world champions, former Americaâs Cup sailorsâ?¦ This 2015 season will also welcome new blood.
As a reminder, the Extreme Sailing Series is a worldwide sailing competition on 40-foot catamarans, where skippers and international sailors compete in teams of 5. The circuit is divided into eight acts, in which several short races (10 to 12 minutes) take place. The crews compete in front of the spectators and must use tactics to outwit their opponents. Like in a soccer match, referees are on the water and can punish the teams for a mistake. The winner of each race gets 10 points, the second 9 points and so onâeuros¦ The last race of each act counts double, putting additional pressure on the participants.
The Extreme 40 catamarans are a scaled-down version of the Olympic catamaran, the Tornado, which is just twice as big and faster. Here, the boats are capable of speeds of 30 knots.
Start of Act 1 in Singapore
It was in the Marina Bay area that the world's sailing elite gathered to kick off the 2015 season. This start of the stadium racing season was marked by the arrival of newcomers. Phil Lawrence, Race Director, comments on the progress of this 1st era test " downtown Singapore is always a great showcase for Extreme 40 stadium racing, and for the 2015 season kick-off, the bar has been set high. For the new teams, it will be a baptism of fire, while the others, already accustomed to the event, will find the often tricky conditions of this stretch of water, especially when the frequent local storms generate strong gusts. With such a diverse and talented fleet on the Series grid this year, we can expect the Extreme Sailing Series to be a colorful spectacle once again."
Circuit tests
| Act 1 | Singapore | february 5 to 8 |
| Act 2 | Muscat, Oman | march 11 to 14 |
| Act 3 | Qingdao, China | may 1 to 4 |
| Act 4 | Cardiff, Wales | june 18 to 21 |
| Act 5 | Hamburg, Germany | july 23 to 26 |
| Act 6 | Saint Petersburg, Russia | august 20 to 23 |
| Act 7 | Istanbul, Turkey | october 1 to 4 |
| Act 8 | Australia | december 10 to 13 |
