Extreme Sailing Series
Race
About
Going into its fifth season, the Extreme 40s and their adrenaline-fueled international Series have given sailing a healthy dust-off. Bringing the action to the public, putting guests at the heart of the battle and dramatically increasing the pace on the water, the creators of the Extreme Sailing Series have managed to set new standards, both in terms of show and competition.
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 fifth man being able to join the four-man crew in order to get a firsthand experience and feel the excitement. Not willing to compromise, organisers OC ThirdPole 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 . OC ThirdPole, 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.