Team Oman Air maintained their third place in the Extreme Sailing Series Lisbon after a challenging day on the River Tagus where crews switched from drifting in no wind one minute to flying on all foils the next.
After two hours of light airs action, a bracing 12 knot north-westerly breeze, forecast earlier in the day, finally kicked in, giving the fleet an opportunity to lift off, their thrilling speeds providing a stunning show for the spectators watching from the grandstand at Doca Pedrouços.
This added a final flourish to an intense day and handed Oman Air another nine points to bring the Omani team up to 90 after 10 races, which included maximum points from a win in Race 8, their second victory of the event.
And with two days of racing remaining, series rivals Alinghi stretched their lead at the top of the table to 14 points over French wildcard team Norauto, powered by Groupama Team France with Red Bull Sailing Team in joint third with Oman Air.
“It was a difficult day,” commented Oman Air bowman Nasser Al Mashari.
“It was a real test out there but we know one of our great strengths is our ability to fight back and that is what we will do tomorrow.”
Racing continues tomorrow through to Sunday 9 October with live online coverage at www.extremesailingseries.com. On Saturday and Sunday, there will be live video streaming in addition to twitter updates and the dynamic SAP Sailing Analytics.
The Race Village is located at Doca Pedrouços where visitors can experience the full range of Extreme Sailing entertainment including a kids zone with commentary, a market and food stalls.
