Ian Williams makes solid start in Extreme Sailing Series

A solid start for Ian Williams’ GAC Pindar team put them in third place at the end of the first day of the Extreme Sailing Series regatta in Qingdao.

“Overall it was a good day though we tailed off a bit at the end and definitely left some points out there. But it is a solid base from which to attack the stadium sailing tomorrow,” said Williams, who will also be defending his world match race title this season.

Leading is the Red Bull team skippered by Roman Hagara while there is a second British skipper, Leigh McMillan, just three points behind Hagara with The Wave team from Oman.

In Itajai, Brazil, the Team New Zealand-managed Spanish challenger Camper has completed the fifth leg of the Volvo round the world race and immediately started a round of checking and repairs ahead of the inshore race on Saturday and start of the sixth leg to Miami on Sunday.

The Abu Dhabi boat, Azzam, has yet to arrive by ship from Chile and has repairs to the hull which will take an estimated 72 hours.