For nearly 11 months, the “caravan” of the Extreme Sailing Series travels around the world. Eight stages on three continents, eleven boats, and highly qualified personnel to best serve the preparatory race for the prestigious America’s Cup. A true war machine.
From the outside, one only sees 11 boats circling around the buoys set up by the organization. They score points, climb up or drop down the provisional ranking. But when you look closer at the logistics of the Extreme Sailing Series, it’s massive.
The 2014 season, the eighth of its kind, began last February 20th in Singapore, then moved to the Sultanate of Oman, China, Russia, Wales, Turkey, and finally Nice before concluding in Sydney mid-December. The Extreme 40, the name of the boat used (12.2m in length, 7m in width, and 1.4t), are on the deck 32 days a year (4 days per stage) for 256 races and 2640 points distributed. All this without counting the physical preparation days, training all around the world, and the travel of the entire team. A crazy schedule!
Eleven boats are in the running and represent the finest sponsors on the planet. How can we not highlight Emirates Team New Zealand, present in sailing for nearly 20 years. The Extreme Sailing Series also features Alinghi, winner of the America’s Cup in 2007 and 2010, Red Bull also present in Formula 1, JP Morgan, a major American bank. For France, it’s Groupama, an insurance company, representing the only French force in the lineup. As for the skippers, it’s the same story, the greatest are present. Sir Ben Ainslie, skipper of the English boat JP Morgan, is a four-time Olympic sailing champion, an achievement never before accomplished. Franck Cammas, skipper of Groupama, has won the Volvo Ocean Race, the Route du Rhum, and is a former holder of the Jules Verne Trophy (crew around-the-world record, non-stop, unassisted). Talent at every level.
And to think that the other numbers are just as impressive. In 2013, more than 3000 VIPs (Very Important Persons) visited the ESS villages during the various stages. Since the creation of the circuit in 2007, the organization has already counted 1 million spectators on the beaches, ports, and esplanades frequented by the exceptional boats. It’s also about the TV broadcasts with 54 channels that acquired the rights (Canal+ in France) not to mention the men behind the scenes, nearly 1000 who set up and take down the VIP and Press villages.
