INEOS Rebels: Podium at Act 4 of the Extreme Sailing Series, Cascais

Day 4: Podium finish in Portugal  

The INEOS Rebels showed their strength and perseverance as a team today to deliver their third race win and first Extreme Sailing Series third place podium finish. The Atlantic course laid on near perfect foiling conditions across the four days of racing, which allowed for 28 intense and enduring races.  

The solid breeze, shifty gusts and flat water continued for today’s final six races and the seven strong fleet raced in a consistent 15-18 knots. The competition and intensity built towards the end of the day when the Rebels headed into their final race - a double points scorer - engaged in a battle with Oman Air for the third-place podium spot. The Rebels dominated from the start, retaining their lead and pushed hard throughout to finish second overall and take the points.

The team placed 2nd, 4th, 4th, 1st, 4th, 2nd place finishes and 288 points total on the event scoreboard which saw them finish just six points behind second placed SAP Extreme Sailing Team.

After four events, take a look at the overall #extremesailing Series standings ?

Up next, Cardiff ?? 24-27 August! pic.twitter.com/oFSu57tgcL

— Extreme Sailing (@extremesailing) July 8, 2018

The result in Cascais leaves the team fourth overall on the Extreme Sailing Series overall standings, with 37 points. 

22 year old, Will Alloway on the team’s performance, “This week started off back in Portsmouth for us; we were really disappointed with our results in Barcelona so we really needed to reset and come together as a team and we all feel like this week we have really grown which has allowed us to podium here in Cascais. 

“As a crew we worked hard on our boat handling which really allowed Leigh to focus more on tactics and get us more towards the front of the fleet and we started to see the results from this come through, so we are all really happy with how we performed. 

“It wasn’t an easy event, it’s been full on and really physical out there but it’s good to know we can be up there with the other established teams.  All the teams will be pushing hard at the next event so we have to make sure we go back and see where our next gains are and make sure we keep pushing to get ahead and climb further up the leader board.”  

Helmsman and Mentor Leigh McMillan, “It’s a solid result for the team finishing on the podium and it’s been a great week for us with some solid and exciting racing. There’s some clear improvements coming through around the team’s performance and crew work and we look forward to moving forward into our next event in Cardiff."  

The Extreme Sailing Series heads to the UK next with a home event for the Rebels in Cardiff from 24th  - 27th August. 

INEOS Rebels UK Extreme Sailing Series Act 4 line up

Leigh McMillan – Helmsman (INEOS TEAM UK senior sailor) 

Will Alloway - Skipper/Trim 

Oli Greber – Bow 

Mark Spearman – Main Trimmer 

Adam Kay – Float 

Andrew Walsh - Coach 

Matt Adams – Boat Captain

Extreme Sailing Series™ 2018 Act 4, Cascais standings after Day 4, 28 races (08.07.18) 

Position / Team / Points 

1st, Alinghi (SUI) 309 points 

2nd, SAP Extreme Sailing Team (DEN) 294 pts 

3rd, INEOS Rebels UK (GBR) 288 pts 

4th, Oman Air (OMA) 282 pts 

5th, Red Bull Sailing Team (AUT) 250 pts 

6th, Team México (MEX) 222 pts 

7th, Team Portugal (POR): 182 pts 

Extreme Sailing Series™ 2018 overall standings Position / Team / Points 

1st, Alinghi (SUI) 45 points 

2nd, SAP Extreme Sailing Team (DEN) 44 pts 

3rd, Oman Air (OMA) 41 pts 

4th, INEOS Rebels UK (GBR) 37 pts 

5th, Red Bull Sailing Team (AUT) 33 pts 

6th, Team México (MEX) 27 pts 

7th, NZ Extreme Sailing Team (NZL) 7 pts

Extreme Sailing Series Acts 2018 

Muscat, 14 - 17 March – 4th 

GC32 World Championship, Lake Garda 24 May – 27 May 

Barcelona 14 – 17 June 

Cascais, Portugal 5-8 July 

Cardiff, 24 - 27 August

San Diego, 18 - 21 October

Los Cabos, 29 November – 2 December

Day 3: Ending the Penultimate Day on a High

After seven races - 22 total – the INEOS Rebels have climbed back up into third overall in Cascais, leaving a podium finish in reach heading into tomorrow’s final day of racing.

Despite another testing day on the water, the team placed consistent results (4th, 3rd, 3rd, 4th, 4th, 4th) and ended on a high, claiming a win in the final race of the day – their second win of the event - in a nail biting photo finish alongside SAP Extreme Sailing Team.

? Fight to the finish between Brits and Danes on penultimate day of racing in Cascais ? ?? #extremesailinghttps://t.co/F9wMlNCtb7 pic.twitter.com/0joicfiprK

— Extreme Sailing (@extremesailing) July 7, 2018

The fleet raced in 15-18 knots with varied wind shifts, that offered big gains on both sides of the course. Despite the forecast of 25-28 gusts, the extreme breeze failed to come in on the Atlantic course and by the end of the day the breeze died down to 10-12 knots.  

Over the three days the Rebels have racked up 216 points on the overall scoreboard and sit eight points behind second placed SAP Extreme Sailing Team, who are only six points behind overall leaders Alinghi. 

Skipper, Will Alloway on the team’s performance, “We were expecting a big breeze to come in today but unfortunately it didn’t come in but it was still really changeable out there.

Will Alloway - @INEOSTEAMUK

WATCH LIVE ??
?@facebook - https://t.co/Ln3mcLcUy3 @YouTube - https://t.co/UnDep0TIKb #extremesailing #Cascais #RebelRebel pic.twitter.com/ccpIuBE6qi

— Extreme Sailing (@extremesailing) July 7, 2018

"We started out pretty well but felt at times we lacked some of the intensity that we had in the first few days and that impacted our results. Going into the last race we had a bit of a reset onboard, reverting to what worked well in our first few races and that reflected in our racing and result. It was close at the finish, but we did enough to take the win from SAP Extreme Sailing Team and it’s moved us back up the scoreboard points wise.

"Going into tomorrow’s final we will continue to hit the ground running and do everything we can to put ourselves in the best situations on the course."

Helmsman and Mentor, Leigh McMillan, “Even though it was a solid day on the water for us, we were slightly frustrated as I think there is a lot of potential for us to be really up there and racing tighter with Alinghi and SAP Extreme Sailing Team but, we just couldn’t quite get our heads around the shifts on the course today.

"Everything else is going well though; we are still going fast and our boat handling is pretty solid - so we can see the improvements - and we are looking forward to the final day of racing here in Cascais tomorrow.”

The final day of racing continues tomorrow, Sunday 8th July from 1300 local time with six – eight further races scheduled. The final race of the day and event counts as double points. The racing will be streamed live online at INEOS TEAM UK.

Extreme Sailing Series™ 2018 Act 4, Cascais standings after Day 3, 22 races (07.07.18)
Position / Team / Points
1st, Alinghi (SUI) 230 points
2nd, SAP Extreme Sailing Team (DEN) 224 pts
3rd, INEOS Rebels UK (GBR) 216 pts
4th, Oman Air (OMA) 213 pts
5th, Red Bull Sailing Team (AUT) 197 pts
6th, Team México (MEX) 168 pts
7th, Team Portugal (POR) 138 pts

Day 2: A day of two extreme halves

It was a day to dig deep, push hard and react instantly as day two of the Extreme Sailing Series™ provided the most extreme racing conditions of the 2018 Series so far.

Race day two began with the Rebels racing in 19 knots of breeze, paired with varied wind shifts, meant the team reached 37.1 knots of boat speed, one of fastest speeds ever recorded in the 12 year history of the Extreme Sailing Series.

However, as quickly as the breeze built it also dropped in equal speed as the day went from one extreme to the other. By race seven, the final of the day, the breeze had disappeared with only two knots recorded by the race committee and with it a flat and glassy sea state.

The team placed a solid and consistent set of results from the days seven races (2,2,2,5,2,6,3), claiming three seconds in the first three races of the day. A fourth second place was also claimed in race five but there was disappointment in the sixth of the day, after getting caught on a mark at the top of the course and needing to cut free to continue.

Despite the set-back, after 15 races and at the mid-way point the team sit fourth overall on 148 points. Just three points separate the fleet at the top with Alinghi ahead on 154 points followed by Oman Air and SAP Extreme Sailing Team.

Skipper, Will Alloway summarised the team’s day, “It was absolutely extreme sailing today, we had it all on reaching the top speeds of these boats and by the end of the day we were racing in a dying breeze.

“We started the day well to consistently stay at the front of the fleet. We felt like we built on yesterday and did a really good job at coming together as a team, especially with the conditions changing all the time.

It’s been one of the most physical days we’ve had on the boat, we were at the limit putting maximum power into the boat with continuous gybes downwind to get into the changing pressure.

“The best team is going to come out on top at this event, it’s all about going fast whilst managing the shifts and making sure you are always on top of your boat handling or it’s going to show up any areas that you are weak in.”

Two final race days follow and racing continues tomorrow, Saturday 7th July from 1400 local time with six – eight further races scheduled. The racing will be streamed live online at INEOS TEAM UK over the weekend.

Extreme Sailing Series™ 2018 Act 4, Cascais standings after Day 2, 15 races (06.07.18)
Position / Team / Points
1st, Alinghi (SUI) 154 points
2nd, Oman Air (OMA) 153 pts
3rd, SAP Extreme Sailing Team (DEN) 152 pts
4th, INEOS Rebels UK (GBR) 148 pts
5th, Red Bull Sailing Team (AUT) 131 pts
6th, Team México (MEX) 105 pts
7th, Team Portugal (POR) 96 pts

Day 1: Fast and furious foiling for Cascais opener

Fast, furious, flying with a race win for the Rebels! The scene from day one in Cascais at Act 4 of the Extreme Sailing Series as eight races were completed in 10-16 knots on a shifty, puffy Atlantic racecourse.

Big changes in wind shift kept the team on their toes but the Rebels made the most of the full-on conditions and used opportunities to make gains around the course to deliver a consistent performance and solid set of results on the scoreboard (2nd/ 5th/ 3rd/ 1st/ 4th/ 5th/ 2nd/3rd).

The first day leaves the young team third overall on 79 points, just two points behind second placed Oman Air; a step in the right direction to the podium finish the team look at achieve at each event.

Skipper, Will Alloway gives an overview, “It was a pretty tough day out there, really shifty conditions but a fairly flat sea state so once you are up and going, you are ripping around the racecourse. The breeze built throughout the afternoon, so crew fitness was really key to keeping these boats moving fast but our boat handling was good and we were constantly able to make gains on the course.

“We’re pleased with the results from today but we can’t get ahead of ourselves, we need to stay consistent throughout the event and there’s lots of things to go away and work on from today - we know starting was not our strong point and that put us on the back foot, so that’s an area we will need to look to improve on.”

Racing continues tomorrow, Friday 6th July, from 1400 local time. SAP Sports will host insights and analytics at www.extremesailingseries.com with the racing streamed live online at INEOS TEAM UK over the weekend.