BARCELONA: Team Oman Air’s quest for the top spot in the Extreme Sailing Series will have to wait until Friday to resume after big waves in Barcelona forced the start of Act 4 to be postponed.
The Omani outfit, renowned for their skill in challenging conditions, had hoped to make the best of a testing first-day forecast of big winds and huge waves as they look to improve on their trio of third-place finishes in the opening three Acts.
But with the breeze up to 25 knots and a two-metre swell rolling through the race area off the beach at Barcelona, race director John Craig decided to put safety first and postpone racing until Friday when lighter winds and lesser seas are forecast.
Although disappointed, Team Oman Air remain poised for action with three days of high-octane foiling racing ahead of them.
“We were all geared up for today because we knew that big breeze was forecast but it ended up being right on the limit of what we can race in,” said mainsheet trimmer Pete Greenhalgh.
“You couldn’t ask for a better venue though, it’s paradise here —great sailing conditions just a stone’s throw from an amazing city. We’re thoroughly looking forward to getting out there tomorrow and starting to chip away at the scoreboard.”
After three closely-fought events, Oman Air are just four points adrift of overall leaders and arch rivals Alinghi, the 2016 Extreme Sailing Series champions.
Long-serving bowman Nasser al Mashari said having to wait an extra day to get going meant the crew were even more revved up.
“We had an amazing practice day yesterday where we really saw the great racing Barcelona is capable of, and now we’re itching to get out on the water tomorrow,” he said.
Racing was also postponed for the Flying Phantom fleet, which will feature an Oman Sail crew of Thomas Normand and Ahmed al Hasni looking to climb the leaderboard from sixth place overall.
The action will kick off tomorrow at 1000 local time (UTC+2) with the Flying Phantoms, followed by GC32 stadium racing at 1500.
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