Expr3ss! SuperFoiler Grand Final sets froth level to high
by Nick Vindin 22 Mar 2018 05:29 GMT
23-25 March 2018
Euroflex - SuperFoiler Grand Prix 2018 © Andrea Francolini
With all six SuperFoiler teams in contention for a place on the season podium it is all to play for at the Expr3ss! SuperFoiler Grand Final on Sydney Harbour this weekend.
Championship front runner Euroflex heads into the series finale with a two-point cushion but for the first time in five regattas they will be without their regular bowman Iain Jensen who is being replaced by Harry Mighell.
"We are probably a lot less prepared for this event than we would want to be but I have all the confidence in the world that we will be able to get the job done," said Euroflex skipper and Olympic Gold medallist Nathan Outteridge.
"I get the feeling whoever wins this event will win the overall series. It is not going to be as easy as it has looked over the last few events. Everyone has had more times in the boats but we had a head start on our training so that is why we were quite dominant at the first few events," said Outteridge who steers alongside America's Cup champion Glenn Ashby.
Tech2 heads into the Sydney final in a rich vein of form having clinched the regatta in Western Australia and are highly rated as the SuperFoiler most likely to knock Euroflex from her pedestal.
"After winning in Busselton the boys and I are at maximum froth level. We are just keen to get going here. We have a few extra tricks in the book for the last event and we are all in and ready," said tech2's skipper Volvo Ocean Race winner Luke Parkinson.
"We are on the up, we are trying to peak at the right time of the year. We have been studying hard all our mistakes and everyone else's mistakes to find the points. Hopefully all our hard work and homework will pay off," said Parkinson who will link with regulars Ayden Menzies and Auld Mug winner Sam Newton.
Pavement lurk just three points behind the series leader and will head into the final with the most sea miles under their boots.
"This my stomping ground I spent eight months testing the SuperFoiler breaking everything known to man, the points are close enough for us to take out the series so we have got a little extra motivation knowing we can still win and we feel like we are at our full-strength team and that's the edge we need," said Pavement's Sydney to Hobart winning skipper Steve Thomas who unites with his steady line up of Dan Morris and Rhys Mara.
Record Point pulled off their first win of the series in Busselton and are looking for more glory, this time at the Shark Island course.
"We are here in Sydney to light it up. We are pumped and ready to go. We are aiming for a podium overall and if we can get on the podium here in Sydney we will be in good shape," said Match Racing World Champion Phil Robertson who will link back with Neil Hunter and Sam Phillips for the series finale.
Paul Campbell-James's iD Intranet outfit will also see their squad return to full strength with the return of Ed Powys to their sailing line-up alongside mainstay Fang Warren. Currently in fourth position the iD crew are confident they can climb onto the top step on Sunday.
"We are in one of the best places for sailing in the world and the forecast looks awesome and really looking forward to getting out there and getting a bullet in this regatta and finishing on the podium overall," said America's Cup campaigner and iD Intranet skipper Paul Campbell-James.
For Olivia Price who clambered onto the podium for the first time in the penultimate regatta, the Grand Final is a chance to race on home waters. The London Olympic silver medallist is looking to make the most of that opportunity – sailing alongside World Champions Harry Morton and Josh McKnight.
"Sydney being the Grand Final we will give it our all. We are definitely not going to leave anything out on the racecourse. If there are a few thrills and spills so be it, we are here to win," said Olivia Price.
For Expr3ss! The naming rights partner of the SuperFoiler Grand Final, the excitement of seeing the machines undertake their first training run on one of the world's most famous waterways was a moment to savour, "They are powerful, they are amazing and they are using disruptive technology – very similar to Expr3ss. Importantly we are both proudly Australian run and owned businesses," said Expr3ss! National Accounts Manager Dianna Helou.
The Expr3ss! SuperFoiler Grand Final - Sydney will reach its epic conclusion on Sydney Harbour across Friday 23rd, Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th of March 2018 when the first winning trio of the Ben Lexcen Trophy will be crowned.
Championship Standings: (following the Busselton Regatta)
Euroflex, 19pts
Tech2, 17pts
Pavement, 16pts
Record Point, 12pts
iD Intranet, 11pts
Kleenmaid, 10pts