Big winds again at Extreme 40 regatta

More drama today at the Extreme Sailing Series regatta at Cowes, with a spectacular cartwheel, gear damage and crews happy just to get their yachts back to dock in one piece.

For the Emirates Team New Zealand team of Adam Beashel, Andrew McLean, Richard Meacham and Chris Ward, sailing together in their first Extreme 40 regatta, the three days of racing

With the breeze ranging from 17 – 25 knots today, regatta organisers again divided the fleet into groups as a precaution against collisions on the confined course.

Beashel said the crew was still learning a lot about handling these boats in a big breeze on a confined course. They raced three time with a third, sixth and fifth.

“We’re looking forward to more moderate conditions tomorrow,“ Beashel said. “There’s a lot more for us to learn here and more moderate conditions would be welcome.”

The yacht that capsized, Aberdeen Asset Management cart-wheeled spectacularly in gusty 20-25 knot conditions that were pushing the fleet to their limits. The British team helmed by 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, flipping the boat almost vertical, before capsizing.

The four crew hung on to the trampoline and were unhurt.

Pictures by Mark Lloyd