In Numbers:
- 9 events confirmed for 2011 circuit spanning North America, Europe, Arabia and Asia.
-
Mix of venues from iconic cities and unconventional ‘stadiums’, to
established sailing destinations and emerging sailing markets.
- 10 top class teams representing 8 nations, and a dozen different nationalities of sailors.
-
5-day events offering a unique mix of ‘open-water’ racing and with
high octane ‘stadium’ racing – high sporting integrity, but entertaining
non-sailors and sailors alike too.
- Fleet racing, figure of 8
duels, time trials, match racing and other formats of racing will
continue to be used – but always short, sharp and punchy!
- ‘Money can’t buy’ VIP experiences on and off the water – pioneering 5th man spots remain a key value of the event.
- 8-hour programme of entertainment (on and off the water) on every public-facing day.
-
12 x Optimists, 8 x 49ers, and at least 3 other classes of ‘support
act’ over the season including windsurfers, kiteboarders,…
- 5-year vision and key developments planned for 2011
2011 Videos
In Detail: Changing the way sailing is seen
On
the eve of the World Yacht Racing Forum in Estoril (Portugal), the
Extreme Sailing Series™ unveiled a great package of interesting and
varied host venues, and top level professional sailing teams and
skippers for 2011. The award-winning and ‘ISAF Special Event’ circuit is
going truly global as it enters its fifth year, with 9 events spanning 3
continents, over 11 months and 10 teams representing 8 nations. A core
objective of the event remains to be the most commercially sound way for
brands and host venues to benefit from the great offer that
professional sailing can present. This philosophy has been at the heart
of the product since its inception in 2006, with the vast majority of
teams since 2007 being sponsorship funded. The 2011 package provides a
global sponsorship platform, at a very accessible budget level, and with
a queue of sailors keen to compete.
“The
circuit has come a long way since 2007 when we had just 4 European
events and 5 teams,” commented Mark Turner, Executive Chairman of
organisers OC ThirdPole. “We continue to attract new top sponsored
teams, sailors and, importantly, major new venues where we can showcase
the sport with our game-changing ‘stadium’ format. The choice of venues
for 2011 has been our core commercial team focus since the end of 2009.
We are getting closer to the perfect mix of established iconic cities,
premium venues, great sailing destinations and emerging (sailing)
markets.
“We
continue to maintain the mix of sporting integrity and entertainment.
We have shown inshore sailing can actually be fun to watch for the
non-sailor as well as the sailor! Part of the DNA of the circuit since
the beginning, our 5th man spot remains one of the sport’s greatest
assets – be it for sponsors clients, media, TV cameramen, or
prizewinners drawn from the general public,” he concluded.
© Paul Wyeth
The
2011 global circuit, which kicks off in Muscat in February 2011 and
concludes in Singapore in December, is entering a new phase of
development as part of a five year vision, after a challenging but
successful 2010. Turner explains, “iShares
was acquired by BlackRock at the end of 2009, which meant an end to the
founding partnership of the event. We committed to running a test event
in Asia and what was another successful European season in 2010 without
a main partner. That was a big investment for our OC ThirdPole
business, but one we believed in,” said Turner.
“Going
forward we now have some meaningful host venue partnerships, strong
teams, and a long term business plan with funding in place which will
allow us to continue to develop the Extreme Sailing Series™ across all
areas over the next five years - on the water, the shore-side public
entertainment package and the media platforms,” he promised.
In
addition to the host venue partnerships, and local sponsors for each
event, OMEGA returns as Official Timekeeper, Marinepool join as Official
Technical Clothing Supplier, and Pol Roger as the Official Champagne
Supplier for the series. Further partners at both series and local level
to be announced in the New Year.
A circuit spanning North America, Europe, Arabia and Asia
The
2011 Extreme Sailing Series™ kicks off in the Sultanate of Oman in
February, as part of the annual Muscat Festival, before heading to China
for Act 2 (location to be announced separately). The gateway between
Europe and Asia, and European City of Sport for 2012, Istanbul, will
host the third Act before the Extreme 40 fleet travels to the United
States of America for the first time, to Boston’s waterfront in time for
the July 4th celebrations.
Cowes Week welcomes the Extreme 40s
for the fifth consecutive year for Act 5, ahead of a return to the
Sicilian port of Trapani, for the second consecutive year. The French
round will be staged on Mediterranean waters in Nice before Almería, in
Andalucia, Spain hosts the penultimate event and the 2011 circuit will
be decided in Singapore in mid-December.
10 Teams Representing 8
Nations, with sailors from more than 12 countries, and from diverse
backgrounds (Volvo Ocean Race, America’s Cup, Olympic Gold medalists,
World Match Racing Tour etc..)
Diversity and quality are once again hallmarks of the Extreme Sailing Series line upTwo-times
runner-up Groupe Edmond de Rothschild returns (skipper as yet unknown);
new entry Luna Rossa has snapped up last year’s winning skipper Paul
Campbell-James as helm, with the boat skippered by America’s Cup winning
sailor, Max Sirena. Oman Air Masirah, returns, skippered by French
Volvo Ocean Race veteran Sidney Gavignet; double Olympic Gold Medallist
Roman Hagara enters for the second season with his Red Bull Extreme
Sailing team.
Britain’s Ian Williams, two times winner of the
World Match Racing Tour joins Team GAC Pindar; another new Italian
entry, Team Nice, led by Alberto Barovier and 2010 winners, The Wave,
Muscat return to defend their title, this time skippered by emerging
star Torvar Mirsky.
© Roberto Foresti/ Canon
Alinghi returns to the fleet after winning
in 2008, skippered by experienced Extreme 40 tactician Tanguy Cariou;
Paul Cayard’s Artemis Racing is skippered by American Terry Hutchinson
and finally, new to the 2011 circuit will be Emirates Team New Zealand,
skippered by Kiwi America’s Cup winner, Dean Barker, who experienced
Extreme 40 racing for the first time at the final event in Almería this
year.
Event Format and new Class Rules
In
2011, each Act will generally consist of five days of racing as opposed
to four days in 2010, and three in 2009. Each Act will be true to the
core aspirations of the Extreme Sailing Series™ ethos - mixing
‘open-water’ racing with ‘stadium’ short-course racing in front of the
public, including all the various disciplines and courses used already
from fleet racing to match racing, straight line duels and speed trials.
A large investment will be made again in the on-water umpiring –
essential for ensuring the fans know the results as they watch, rather
than wait for post-event protests.
Turner confirmed, “We
are committed to maintaining the highest sporting integrity, as we have
done since 2007. Recently taking control of the Extreme 40 Class from
the creators, TornadoSport, has allowed us to also develop the rules of
both event and boats in unison, to ensure a more equal chance to win,
and also drive down many of the costs for the teams. We’ve limited sails
(and dropped the price), decreased support costs with a central Tech
Zone and team, and are managing all shipping logistics centrally as well
as a host of other detail changes that all affect both return on
investment for team sponsors, and ensure sporting equality regardless of
budget size.”
The new Class
rules are published this week. A typical full budget for a competitive
year long campaign will range between 450k and 650k Euros, plus a boat
at c.100k Euros per year (charter or depreciated purchased cost over 4
years).
© Paul Wyeth
Developing further the public events side, the organiser
has committed to providing an eight-hour mix of entertainment on
‘public’ days. On the water a number of support acts, like the Olympic
49er class, windsurfing and kiteboarding, will build up to the main
Extreme 40 headline act. A strong local community and charity campaign
in each venue will see children given the chance to get on the water
each morning. Wrapped around the on-water competition will be a
comprehensive on-shore entertainment programme within the race village
from interactive entertainment to music, alongside bars and food
outlets. Music acts will also take centre stage under the Extreme
Sailing Series ‘Sailing Remixed™’ banner at a number of the venues.
A
global event such as this has a significant ‘footprint’. The
environmental audit of the 2010 event is nearing completion, and will be
used as the benchmark to improve all aspects of the event’s energy,
waste and water footprint going forward. Initiatives from 2010, such as
minimizing bottled water, are being analysed and evolved for 2011. This
particular challenge has no finish line, but the race has begun.
And
for the fans off-site, live commentary and audio from the boats will be
streamed online, with possibility of live TV in some venues still under
consideration. A new iPhone ‘app’ will also be launched during Q2,
complementing a wide range of communication channels used by the event.
Video online will continue to feature strongly, via YouTube and
syndicated channels – especially for the short action clips the event is
best known for. The current global TV programming platform will
continue to be developed, but now also in HD format.
In 2010
Extreme Sailing Series has attracted coverage in over 120 countries in
13 languages including on CNN (Intl), UK Terrestrial station Channel 4,
Bloomberg (Intl), Sky Sports (UK, NZ), Fox Sport (Australia), Sport+
(France) and ESPN (Brazil), with over 60hours of airtime for each
programme in the five part series.
2011 Calendar & Host Venues:
Act 1: 22-24 February, Muscat, Oman (20-21 ‘open-water’ racing*)
Act 2: 15-17 April, China (13-14 ‘open-water’ racing)
Act 3: 27-29 May, Istanbul, Turkey (25-26 ‘open-water’ racing)
Act 4: 30 June – 4 July, Boston, USA (all days public event)
Act 5: 6-12 August, Cowes, UK (all days public event)
Act 6: 16-18 September, Trapani, Italy (14-15 ‘open-water’ racing)
Act 7: 30 September – 2 October, Nice, France (28-29 ‘open-water’ racing)
Act 8: 12-16 October, Almeria, Spain (all days public event)
Act 9: 9-11 December, Singapore (7-8 ‘open-water’ racing)
*
‘open-water’ racing means that the Race Manager can use whatever part of
the arena is best for racing – once the public village is open in
‘stadium’ mode there are sometimes constraints in this respect in order
to ensure the fans can see all the action.
2011 Confirmed* Teams & Skippers:
Team Name/ Nat Skipper Name (Nat.)
Alinghi/ SUI - Tanguy Cariou (FRA)
Artemis Racing/ SWE - Terry Hutchinson (USA)
Emirates Team New Zealand/ NZL - Dean Barker (NZL)
Groupe Edmond de Rothschild/ FRA (As Yet Unknown)
Luna Rossa/ ITA - Max Sirena (ITA)
Oman Air Masirah/ OMA - Sidney Gavignet (FRA)
Red Bull Extreme Sailing/ AUT - Roman Hagara (AUT)
Team GAC Pindar/ GBR - Ian Williams (GBR)
Team Nice/ ITA - Alberto Barovier (ITA)
The Wave, Muscat/ OMA - Torvar Mirsky (AUS)
*initial
entry period closed today, 13 December, however late entries may be
permitted under the Notice of Race, up to a maximum of 11 boats, plus
three wildcards for use by the organisation. The annual objective of
Extreme Sailing Series™ is 8 quality teams.
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