ontheWATER
Extreme Sailing Series 2014 The Extreme Sailing Series graced the shores of Singapore from 21 to 23 February this year. A globally recognised sport organised by OC Sport, elite sailors from all over the world gathered at the Race Village held at The Promontory@Marina Bay for an unforgettable weekend. This award-winning event recognised by the International Sailing Federation included Singapore as one of its eight iconic host venues spanning three continents, including Europe and West Asia, and lasts eleven months with the same number of teams representing seven nations. Singapore’s very own Scott Glen Sydney and Justin Wong flew the Singapore flag for Team Aberdeen Singapore in this Extreme Sailing Series Singapore Act 1. For adrenaline seeking spectators, The Extreme Sailing Series, established in 2007, is known as the original stadium-style racing circuit designed for audiences. It promises to deliver stunning performances in high definition, as close to the fans as possible. Interestingly, guests are allowed to race onboard at selected timings during the races, while extensive television coverage provides on-the-dot update to sailing fans from around the globe. Valued at €27012.8 billion, it is no wonder the circuit’s premium partners include the iconic Land Rover. Not only were many world renowned skippers present for the press conference, but also teams from Russia to France, while sea captains like Roman Hagara from Austria represented the Redbull Sailing Team. There, SAP conducted an hour and a half long Sailing Analytics demo on how state-of-the-art analytics technology both enabled sailing teams to improve their performance on the water and brought fans closer to the action. Then have the offroad driving experience of your life onboard a racing boat at the Land Rover Terrapod Challenge Zone. Glamourised with live music and entertainment, the shoreside Race Village was open to the public daily with free admission – a truly one-stop destination for the whole family, promising to provide entertainment for all ages. Educational games were played at The World of Haribo, while the mature crowd wined and mingled at a doublestorey bar provided by No.5 Emerald Hill. Starry-eyed mechanic fans also had the chance to test Land Rover’s capabilities firsthand in the Land Rover Terrapod Challenge Zone. The Happy World of Haribo educated the kids on the science of sailing thrugh the use of educational exhibits. This was translated into hands-on activities where they were delighted to learn how to tie various knots and inspected many parts of the boats. The science was accompanied by boundless fun in the Happy World, which included a bouncy castle and a paddle boat pool. Other children were entertained by the colourful face-painting booth and game stalls. This truly brought excitement to kids of varying interests and personalities, engaging in activities that best suited the fun they wanted. In contrast, the older crowd relaxed with a drink, facing a spectacular view of the races from the bespoke double-storey bar. The view of the racecourse was one-of-a-kind, with the backdrop of the financial district and Singapore’s tourist icons. The Rudy Project’s Technically Cool Zone also provided the much-needed shade from the tropical Singapore sun, bringing Weekendin 108