Extreme Sailing Series™ Act 3 press conference – what the skippers said…

Before heading out into Cardiff Bay for the start of Act 3 of the Extreme Sailing Series™, the seven skippers were presented at a packed press conference. Here's what they had to say...

Thursday 23rd June 2016

Before heading out into Cardiff Bay for the start of Act 3 of the Extreme Sailing Series™, the seven skippers were presented at a packed press conference. Here’s what they had to say…

Arnaud Psarofagis, Alinghi (SUI): “The game plan has changed here – it’s a new venue [for the GC32s] and a new course. There’s going to be a lot of reaching so a lot will be about the starts. It’s a new challenge for us.”

Taylor Canfield, CHINA One (CHN): “It’s our first time in Cardiff and our first year on the Extreme Sailing Series so this is a new challenge for the team. We’re still learning the ropes and trying to learn as much as we can along the way. We’ve just come from an event in Gothenburg where there was a very tight race course, and Cardiff looks quite similar, so we’re looking forward to seeing how we get on.”

Morgan Larson, Oman Air (OMA): “Cardiff is a unique venue – we’re really constricted by the sides of the harbour. The forecast is looking good and it’s likely we will be foiling most days. It’s going to be tough on all of us but it should be good action to watch from the shore.”

Neil Hunter, Land Rover BAR Academy (GBR): “Coming here to Cardiff is a challenge for us as a new team and there’s not much water to race on so it’s going to be super physical for the guys.”

Roman Hagara, Red Bull Sailing Team (AUT): “I don’t think we will see capsizes in Cardiff this year [unlike last year when Red Bull nearly tipped over] because the new boats are easier to bear away when they’re on foils. But the racing is so close and the course is so tight that anything could happen.”

Diogo Cayolla, Sail Portugal (POR): “This event will be very challenging for us. We had light winds at the last Act but our problem is when we start foiling. We don’t have as much experience [as some of the other teams] so it’s like learning to sail all over again. I want to keep the boat in one piece and take my team home with me at the end.”

Jes Gram-Hansen, SAP Extreme Sailing Team (DEN): “We like Cardiff a lot – historically it has been breezy and we like that. We’re a strong team so it’s good for us when the breeze is up. We had our first ever podium finish here in Cardiff so hopefully we can have another good regatta here.”