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The Extreme Sailing Series Race Village at Fan Pier, the 21-acre site on Boston’s waterfront spanning nine city blocks, owned by the Fallon Company, the official host venue partner to the Boston Act, is rapidly under construction for the public and VIPs. Every day of the Boston five-day event – the first time the circuit has held an official event in the USA – from Thursday, 30th June until Monday, 4th July is open to the public and is part of the Boston Harborfest – the nation’s largest 4th July celebrations.
And the public will have plenty to cheer about with leading US sailor Terry Hutchinson at the helm of Artemis Racing: “I am really looking forward to racing in my home country over the July 4th holiday weekend which is going to be a big celebration,” said Terry. “The Boston Red Sox’s will be midway into their summer season at Fenway Park which is a nostalgic place with so much history. Then to have the Extreme Sailing Series racing over one of the biggest celebrations of our countries history, I suspect it is going to be outstanding.”
Two other American sailors Bob Merrick and Mark Ivey will be competing alongside the 11-boat Extreme 40 crew in the Boston Act. Merrick, who won a silver medal in the 470 dinghy class at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, will be joining the crew of Roland Gaebler’s Team Extreme; whilst Mark Ivey, ISAF Team Race World Champion in 2005 and US Sailing Coach of the Year 2009, will be racing with Britain’s Ian Williams on Team GAC Pindar. And Red Bull Extreme Sailing, headed up by two-time Olympic gold medalist Roman Hagara, carries the mantle of ‘home’ team as Red Bull come on board as the main local event partner to the US event, heavily promoting the team and the event in and around Boston. And if visitors cannot make it to Fan Pier they can catch up on all the latest action via Fox TV 25 who will be broadcasting live from the Race Village on Thursday and Friday (see schedule below) including coverage of the Red Bull Air Force skydivers.
The weather outlook from official weather provider, WetterWelt, forecast that Saturday, 2nd July could see the most breeze of 13-15 knots with stronger gusts with the breeze light to moderate for the remainder of the event: “I think we are going to have tricky conditions like we have had at previous events,” said Terry. “Hopefully, we will get in as many races as we have at the previous events.”
Other crew changes of note are Leigh McMillan taking over as skipper of The Wave, Muscat, Adam Beashel tactician for Emirates Team New Zealand at the 2007 America’s Cup sitting alongside Dean Barker, and Andrew Walsh joining Team GAC Pindar as tactician bringing with him some valuable experience from his days racing the BT Extreme 40 in previous years.
From : Extreme Sailing Series
