About the Extreme Sailing Series » Inside the Series » Extreme Sailing Series

Now in its eighth season in 2014, the award-winning and adrenaline-fueled global series has given the sport of sailing a healthy dusting-off. Bringing the action to the public with Stadium Sailing, putting guests at the heart of the battle and dramatically increasing the pace on the water, the creators of the Extreme Sailing Series™ have set new standards, both in terms of high level competition and sporting entertainment.

Those magnificent men…
It’s a sport, helming state-of-the-art multihulls on very demanding courses with the most respected skippers lining up to do just that, competing so fiercely that heart-stopping close encounters always feature on the menu. It’s also a spectacle, and the public has full access to the action from the shore in carefully chosen venues, combining challenging sailing conditions and spectator-friendly configurations. It’s a VIP experience, and “hot seats” are available onboard, a guest sailor being able to join the five-man crew in order to get a firsthand experience and feel the excitement. Not willing to compromise, organisers OC Sport have created a formula where serious competition and spectacle go hand in hand, the rapid success of the Extreme 40 series proving how well balanced the recipe is. Since 2007, the Extreme Sailing Series has become a benchmark in the sailing world, steadily growing and attracting the biggest names in the sport whilst proving to be an extremely efficient partnership opportunity in these uncertain economic times.

… In their flying machines
Capable of reaching speeds usually reserved to motorboats even in medium wind conditions, the Extreme 40 has been designed by Olympic champions Yves Loday and Mitch Booth, with the aim to provide the international sailing arena with a visually stunning and 100% performance-focused multihull. Flying a hull in as little as 8 knots of breeze (15 kph), the 40-foot (12m) long carbon speed machine requires coordination, finesse but also sheer muscular power from the crews who battle it out on short courses during races that do not exceed 15-20 minutes - and there can be up to 8 of them per day! Tricky wind conditions combined with the level of competition inevitably lead to some spectacular crashes, capsizes and other hair-raising near misses as the previous seasons proved! Logistically, everything is put in place so that teams can resume racing as soon as possible should an incident occur, and the professionalism of shore teams are clearly comparable to that of Formula 1 squads operating in the pit zone.

A global experience
After three European seasons visiting international-grade venues, the creators of the Extreme Sailing Series took the circuit towards the East, to tackle the highly promising yet challenging Asian markets and spectator crowds, as well as venturing into America for the first time in 2011. OC Sport, Executive Chairman, Mark Turner: “Venturing into new territories is a result of the same logic that makes us think outside the box and always try to redefine the sport of sailing.” That spirit of challenge does not only induce changes on the water, and the Extreme Sailing Series has set new standards in terms of B2B hospitality, offering a complete package, tailored to the teams and sponsors needs. In 2014 the Extreme Sailing Series will have its fourth truly global circuit spanning eight venues and three continents, and starting in Singapore for the second consecuitve year.

A long line of great men
In 2012, eight world class international teams - and three wilcard entries from Qingdao, Cardiff and Rio - lined up over seven Acts and went head to head in what was a spectaular year of competition.

A stellar cast of top professional sailors who between them could boast 21 Olympic campaigns, 36 AC campaigns, 7 circumnavigations and 47 World Championship wins competed on some of the worlds fastest boats on intense stadium arena's over seven international venues.

French sailing superstar Loick Peyron, Britain’s three-times ISAF World Match Racing Champion Ian Williams, Austria’s double-Olympic Gold medalist Roman Hagara, five-times America’s Cup sailor, Bernard Labro from France were just a few of the faces who graced the roll-call in 2012. But ultimatley it was the British Olympian Leigh McMillan who came out swinging, winning four of the seven Acts and with it securing himself and his team The Wave, Muscat the covted 2012 Extreme Sailing Series trophy.

2013 season results
1. The Wave, Muscat
2. Alinghi
3. Red Bull Sailing Team

2012 sesaon results
1. The Wave, Muscat
2. Oman Air
3. Groupe Edmond de Rothschild

2011 season results
1. Luna Rossa
2. Groupe Edmond de Rothschild
3. Emirates Team New Zealand

2010 season results
1. The Wave, Muscat (Paul Campbell-James)
2. Groupe Edmond de Rothschild (Yann Guichard)
3. Ecover Sailing Team (Mike Golding)

2009 season results
1. Oman Sail Masirah (Pete Cumming)
2. Gitana Extreme Groupe LCF Rothschild (Yann Guichard)
3. Oman Sail Renaissance (Loïck Peyron)

2008 season results
1. Alinghi (Ed Baird)
2. Team Origin (Rob Greenhalgh)
3. BT (Nick Moloney)

2007 season results
1. Basilica (Rob Greenhalgh)
2. Holmatro (Carolijn Brouwer / Andreas Hagara)
3. BT Nick Moloney