The Extreme 40 is the future of multihull sailing

Team Holmatro, representing the Netherlands, could not always stay in the breeze and dropped to a fifth place overall. Andreas Hagara (AUT) will now hand over the helm to Carolijn Brouwer (BEL), who continues with the Extreme 40 Grand Prix Series during the Volvo Ocean Race. Both skippers talked about their thoughts concerning the sports of multihull sailing.
“This was the first year that the level was much higher, because of the America’s Cup syndicates joining in”, said Hagara on Sunday morning in the Amsterdam race village. “In 2007, Basilica (Team ORIGIN nowadays) was superior, but Alinghi showed us there is another step from there. All the other teams closed the gap with Origin, but Alinghi was unbeatable. They are fast in all circumstances, very consistent and they stay out of trouble. You can only do that if you are really confident with your team and manoeuvers. They spend hours, weeks and months on the boat.” Despite the drop on the leader board on the final day, Hagara is happy with the overall result: “It was all very close.”

‘Olympics should have a similar concept’
It does not happen often that Carolijn Brouwer stays onshore to watch others racing, but she did it in Amsterdam. Brouwer: “It is frustrating not being on the water, but I have to admit that I did not always regret this today. It was difficult out there and sometimes nerve-racking.” After her disappointing 12th position at the 2008 Olympic Games in Qingdao (CHN), Brouwer spent two weeks on an island without telephone or laptop: “It helped me to get over it, although I am still thinking about it every day. But once I saw the Extreme 40’s here, I felt fit instantly. These are also boats of course, but it is a different scene. The Olympics should have a similar concept. If you don’t get the public to the sailing, you should bring the sailing to the public. That is the whole idea behind the iShares Cup.” According to the only, female Tornado helm at the moment, the introduction of the Medal Race is a start: “However, the Extreme 40 class has more show and spectacle around it. You can almost touch the catamarans. Some people say the level of competition is lower, but more and more America’s Cup teams are joining in. Many top professionals from the Olympic and offshore classes are present and it is great to be part of that. And it works, considering the growth of the fleet from five in 2005 to the eighteenth multihull being built at the time.”

Future of multihull racing
Both Andreas Hagara and Carolijn Brouwer believe the Extreme 40 class is the future of multihull racing. Brouwer: “Today’s kids want action, sensation and speed. That is exactly what the Extreme 40 offers, so we should not stick to slow monohull dinghies. This is the course to be followed. I don’t think it could be an Olympic event though, because you need at least four people to sail this boat and we have to go back to 380 athletes at the Olympics. But it is a perfect circuit for former and current Olympic sailors.”
In case the rumors about the eleventh medal are true and the multihull does get a second chance for the 2012 Olympics, Hagara hopes the Tornado stays in: “That is my personal favourite, including some changes in class rules. It should be more one-design like the Extreme 40 is, so less costs for the teams. That means the same sail maker and boat manufacturer for everyone. The Code Zero for Qingdao for instance, cost a lot of money and for nothing in the end.” Strict rules would not only save budget, but also time. Hagara: “They should go out sailing and training. It also makes it easier for younger people to enter the Olympic multihull circuit.”

VOR Grand Prix coming up
On October 6th, the Holmatro Extreme 40 will line up for the first series of the Volvo Ocean Race Grand Prix 2008-09, to be started in Alicante. That will be Carolijn Brouwer’s coming back after het Olympic break: “I look forward to getting started again. This week, I skippered for our guests, which was a good warming up. It is a bigger boat than I am used to, so you need some time to get back into it. Fortunately, I may join an experienced crew.” Andreas Hagara will be tactician and main sail trimmer, Mark van Gelderen (NED) trims the jib/gennaker and Gerd Habermüller (AUT) is back on his position as bowman.
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