Thursday 18 / April / 2024
Muscat: Oman Air’s new-look crew will begin their campaign for victory in the 2017 Extreme Sailing Series (ESS) in pole position after a resounding win in the inaugural GC32 Championship. The team, this season with $1 million World Match Racing Tour winner Phil Robertson at the helm, dominated the podium as 11 crews from the Extreme Sailing Series and GC32 Racing Tour went head to head for the first time.
Over the six-day event held on their home waters in Muscat, Oman Air won six of the 16 races and only finished outside of the podium on five occasions as they settled in with their new skipper on the super-fast foiling GC32 catamarans. After shooting to the head of the standings on the opening day they led from start to finish, sealing glory on Sunday with the top spot in the final race.
Oman Air’s flying start to the season not only saw them claim the GC32 Championship title but also record an important win over Swiss arch-rivals Alinghi, who beat them to the 2016 Extreme Sailing Series title. Alinghi took second place in the GC32 Championship while SAP Extreme Sailing Team, now with America’s Cup sailor Adam Minoprio helming, finished third.
Oman Air skipper Robertson said the GC32 Championship victory was exactly the boost the new team needed as they begin their quest for Extreme Sailing Series glory on Wednesday when the opening round starts in Muscat.
“It’s just the start to 2017 we were looking for, we couldn’t have asked for anything better,” said Kiwi sailor Robertson, who is backed by Oman Air regulars Pete Greenhalgh, James Wierzbowski, Nasser Al Mashari and Ed Smyth.
“It was my first event with the team and it always takes a while to gel but we managed to get that unity straight from race one. We learned heaps as well and that’s a huge positive. That’s what we’ve got to do to compete with the well-campaigned teams like Alinghi and Red Bull Sailing Team, and this week we’ve proved we can do that.
“We have now got a bit on to carry that into the start of the Extreme Sailing Series but we’ve ticked all the boxes we wanted to tick at this point and we’re in a really good place.”
Act 1 of the Extreme Sailing Series will see Oman Air go up against seven other teams, including Alinghi and Red Bull Sailing Team, all of which competed in the GC32 Championship.
The four-day regatta is the first of eight on the global stadium racing tour that will culminate in a grand finale in Los Cabos, Mexico, at the end of November.
As well as classic stadium racing close to the shore Act 1 will also feature some longer coastal racing with Muscat’s old town of Muttrah providing a stunning backdrop.
“Wining the GC32 Championship on home waters is great start to the season but now we have to focus on the next challenge – the Extreme Sailing Series,” added Omani bowman Al Mashari.
GC32 Championship results:
1. Oman Air (OMA) – 47 points
2. Alinghi (SUI) – 61 points
3. SAP Extreme Sailing Team (DEN) – 62 points
4. Red Bull Sailing Team (AUT) – 78 points
5. Team Tilt (SUI) – 90 points
6. Team ENGIE (FRA) – 92 points
7. Land Rover BAR Academy (GBR) – 98 points
8. Tawera Racing (NZL) – 108 points
9. Argo (USA) – 120 points
10. SVB Team Germany (GER) – 148 points
11. Youth Vikings Denmark (DEN) – 155 points
