The crew of Team Oman Air were denied the chance to continue their winning streak in the Extreme Sailing Series when the wind failed to appear in Hamburg, Germany, for the first day of racing.
Fresh from victory at the previous event in Barcelona, Oman Air was leading the only point-scoring race to be started when the breeze on the River Elbe died away. The race was abandoned and all further racing later cancelled for the day. Three more days of racing are scheduled.
“It was a shame not to race but it was the right decision to cancel as there was just not enough wind to get around the course and some people were going backwards in the tide,” said Oman Air mainsheet trimmer and tactician Pete Greenhalgh. “Friday is looking more promising so we should get a few races in, and Saturday and Sunday look a lot better.”
When racing resumes, in addition to their usual Extreme Sailing Series rivals, Oman Air will also face a challenge from wildcard entry Team Extreme. The British-flagged GC32 catamaran is skippered and helmed by Olympic sailor Stevie Morrison, who recently helped the Oman Sail Diam 24 squad to fifth place in the arduous month-long Tour de France à la Voile.