Extreme 40

Foto copyright Giordana Pipornetti

Foto copyright Giordana Pipornetti

Fonte: Juanpa Cadario

NEWSFLASH: Capsize for Extreme 40 ‘Aberdeen Asset Management’

August 08th 2011

In the sixth race of today (Monday, 8th August) at the Extreme Sailing Series from Cowes Week, the Extreme 40 ‘Aberdeen Asset Management’ cart-wheeled spectacularly in gusty 20-25 knot conditions that were pushing the fleet to their limits. The British Extreme 40 team helmed by John Pink was charging downwind with reefed mainsail and gennaker, sandwiched between Italian team Niceforyou and Austria’s Red Bull Extreme Sailing. The bows dug in as a big gust hit all three boats, and with no room to manoeuvre, the boat cart-wheeled, flipped the boat almost vertical, before capsizing. The four crew (John Pink, Rick Peacock, Gregory Homann, John Gimson) hung on to the trampoline and all the crew are confirmed safe. The experienced Olympic 49er sailors of Pink and Peacock have been putting in a great performance in the windy conditions over the last three days with two podium results today.

The strong tide swept the capsized Extreme 40 towards Cowes and the boat eventually turned turtle (fully inverted). The support boat managed to get a line on the boat and attempted to right the Extreme 40 – not an easy operation with the 40-foot catamaran side on to the tide. After a couple of failed attempts, the decision was then taken to proceed to cut the rig away and tow the boat and rig back to shore.

After the six races today Luna Rossa and The Wave, Muscat still top the leaderboard. Results are provisional as jury have still to come redress points for Groupe Edmond de Rothschild after yesterday’s collision.