Red Bull Sailing clinched third place on Act 2 of the Extreme Sailing Series 2015 off Muscat in Oman, despite missing the last six races of the final day. Local favourites The Wave Muscat won the regatta ahead of SAP Sailing (DEN) but it is double Olympic champions Roman Hagara and Hans Peter Steinacher, with Red Bull Sailing, who lead the overall standings after two Acts.
Muscat (Oman) – SAILING – The Austrian team kicked off proceedings with a second place on the first race of the final day, looking set for another victory after the season-opener in Singapore. But their hopes were dashed in the very next race with Oman Air taking them out at the first buoy.
“They completely destroyed our rudder and then parked one of their hulls on our X40. So the regatta was finished for us though we were not at fault,“ angry Red Bull skipper Steinacher said of Oman Air’s unnecessary maneuver.
Red Bull Sailing Team was awarded seven points for each of the six races they missed, their average per race up to that point and enough for them to defend third place. The new-look team — Jason Waterhouse (AUS), Stewart Dodson (NZL) and Shaun Mason (GBR) who are three of the most talented sailors rising through the ranks of the big boat scene, along with Hagara and Steinacher, has started bearing fruits from the very start of the season.
“The boys are doing a sensational job,“ said Steinacher. “We are on the right track and will run through all the positions as usual again in China.”
The third regatta of the season starts on April 30 and is hosted by the Olympic sailing venue of Qingdao (China).
Skipper Hagara, who along with Steinacher is sports director of the Red Bull Youth America´s Cup and the new Red Bull Foiling Generation, should be back fit for Act 3 following an elbow injury ruled him out for the last two days in Oman.
Final standings after 29 races: 1. The Wave Muscat 239, 2. SAP Sailing 237, 3. Red Bull Sailing 220, 4. Oman Air 211, 5. Team Turx 189, 6. GAC Pindar 167, 7. Lino Sonego 157, 8. Team Russia Gazprom 152
Overall standings after 3 of 8 Acts: 1. Red Bull Sailing, 2. The Wave Muscat, 3. SAP Sailing Team
Teams und Skipper: GAC Pindar (AUS/GBR) – Steve Jarvin (AUS), Gazprom Team Russia (RUS) – Igor Lisovenko (RUS), Team Italia (ITA) – Lorenzo Bressani (ITA), Oman Air (OMA) – Stevie Morrison (GBR), Red Bull Sailing Team (AUT) – Roman Hagara (AUT), SAP Extreme Sailing Team (DEN) – Jes Gram-Hansen (DEN), Team Turx (TUR) – Edhem Dirvana (TUR), The Wave, Muscat (OMA) – Leigh McMillan (GBR), Team Aberdeen (SIN) – Nick Moloney (AUS)
