Hagara/Steinacher stage Singapore sensation to take over multihull series lead

Red Bull Sailing raced to a second place finish in Act 2 of the Extreme Sailing World Series after a gruelling battle in Sinapore’s heat to go top of the overall standings of the best-staffed sailing series in the world, the Extreme Sailing World Series. Alinghi won the title in Sinapore. For Red Bull skipper and tactician Roman Hagara and Hans Peter Steinacher it is straight off the podium and onwards to Naples, Italy for the first AC45 training on Monday ahead of the America´s Cup World Series.

Credit: Red Bull Content Pool / Mark Teo and Sabine Koenig / Red Bull Sailing

SINGAPORE. For the first time in the history of the Extreme Sailing World Series an Austrian team took over the lead in the season standings after Red Bull Sailing’s superb performance on Sunday saw them land eight podium finishes and three more wins after competing in 23 races the previous three days.

„That is when we sealed second spot,“ said a beaming Steinacher. „We never stopped believing in us even when conditions were constantly changing.“.

Red Bull Sailing managed to keep their cool over four days with temperatures of up to 40 degrees Celcius and 90 percent humidity, improve constantly and shake off the competition along with winners Alinghi. „We have to congratulate the Swiss team because they were outstanding in the Marina Bay. But we are absolutely delighted to have landed second spot in these light winds,“ said skipper Hagara..

Danish team SAP clinched third place while defending champions The Wave Muscat had to settle for fifth place. „The season still has a long way to go with six more regattas but we are well positioned,“ said Red Bull bowman Graeme Spence (AUS), who also has a spot on the America´s Cup World Series Team HS Racing.

The double Olympic champions Hagara and Steinacher left immediately after the winners‘ ceremony for Naples, where on Monday afternoon they will make their training debut with the HS-Racing-Team, racing for the Golden Gate Yacht Club (San Francisco) for the Americas Cup World Series.

,,From 14,00 onwards we will be out on the water along with title defenders Oracle. On Thursday we have the first matchrace against China,“ Hagara said before his swift departure from Singapore.

Final Standings, Singapore: 1. Alinghi (SUI) 198 points, 2. Red Bull Sailing (AUT) 163, 3. SAP Sailing (DEN) 161, 4. RealTeam (SUI) 159, 5. The Wave Muscat (Oman) 153, 6. Team Korea 144, 7. GAC Pindar (GBR) 143, 8. Aberdeen (Singapore) 127

Wolrd Series 2013 standings (after 2 of 8 Acts): 1. Red Bull Sailing 18 points, 2. Alinghi 18, 3. The Wave Muscat 16

Red Bull Sailing Team (AUT): skipper: Roman Hagara (AUT) / tactician: Hans Peter Steinacher (AUT) / mainsail trimmer: Matthew Adams
(GBR) / headsail trimmer: Pierre Le Clainche (FRA) / bowmann: Graeme Spence (AUS)