Sailing: Oman Air set sight on podium finish as Extreme Series head to Portugal

MUSCAT: The Oman Air team head to the next event in the Extreme Sailing Series knowing that a win in Portugal could see them go straight to the top of the leaderboard
With three Acts gone, and a further three to come after the Act in Cascais, the Oman Air crew arrive at the mid-season tipping point poised to make their play.
The experienced crew of the GC32 foiling catamaran – Phil Robertson, Pete Greenhalgh, James Wierzbowski, Stewart Dodson and Nasser Al Mashari – sit in third place in the table on 32 points, with their long-term rivals Alinghi and SAP Extreme Sailing Team tied just above them on 33 points.
Oman Air started the season with a third place on home waters in Muscat back in March, then posted successive second places in Riva del Garda, Italy, and then Barcelona in mid-June.
The result in Spain was all the more impressive as the team missed three races on the penultimate day after contact with another boat. They showed real determination with a final day comeback to claim the runner-up spot.
“It was a tough four days in Barcelona but it produced a massive effort by everyone which was great to see,” said Oman Air’s veteran British mainsail trimmer Greenhalgh.
“The focus is now on Cascais and working towards making things come good,” he added.
Located on the Atlantic coast 30 kilometres west of Lisbon, Cascais – which is making its debut in the Extreme Sailing Series – is known for strong winds and sometimes big seas, and is likely to challenge the skills of the seven Extreme Sailing Series crews taking part as the catamarans hit their top speeds of up to 30 knots.
“We are well placed on the overall season table and we know that a good result here could perhaps see us move to the top spot,” said Al Mashari, Oman Air’s experienced bowman.
“All the teams here will be trying to do the same of course, so we know it will not be easy. But we have shown during the season that we can match any of the other crews on the race course, and that is what we will aim to do again in Cascais.”
Following the Act in Portugal, the Extreme Sailing Series season will continue at Cardiff, UK, in August, followed by San Diego and the finale in Los Cabos, Mexico, in late November.
Hosted by the Clube Naval de Cascais as part of its 80th birthday celebrations, racing starts in the Portuguese venue on July 5th and continues until July 8.