SuperFoiler Grand Prix: Glenn Ashby glitters in clean sweep of home regatta
by Nick Vindin 11 Feb 2018 08:28 GMT
9-11 February 2018
Euroflex - 2018 Superfoiler Grand Prix, Geelong - 9 February 2018 © Andrea Francolini
Glenn Ashby has praised his Euroflex team-mates Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen for vaulting him to victory and a clean sweep of his home regatta in Victoria.
"Hats off to the boys today. I don't know how many kilometres of rope we would have moved today or how many thousands of times Nathan was pressing on those buttons (on the tiller)," said Glenn Ashby the winner of the SuperFoiler Grand Prix event in Geelong, "I am just stoked for the win and really happy for the boys." The 'dream team' continued their winning ways in Victoria – extending their unbeaten run to 15 races in a row.
"It was awesome to do it in Geelong. We had a lot of knowledge from Glenny," said Euroflex bowman Iain Jensen, "He knows just about everyone down here so it makes the victory even sweeter."
Euroflex Skipper Nathan Outteridge has his eye on more glory, hoping that his team-mate can return the favour when it comes time to racing in New South Wales. "We have been here in his home venue and it was really great to sail the way we did in front of his friends and family," said the Olympic Gold medallist who knows the challenge is going to click up a gear on the Gold Coast, "The gap is closing and we expected that, they are incredibly difficult boats to sail."
There were five races on a supercharged Sunday, with Euroflex scooping all of them. Although Pavement and tech2 showed shades of cracking the blue bolter's so far impenetrable armour with both machines leading the races for long periods of time before being reigned in.
"We hit 33 knots out there, we were absolutely sending it. It's just a matter of time before one of these boats finish over the top of Euroflex," said Pavement helmsman and second-place finisher Steve Thomas.
Astoundingly the machine that missed an entire weekend of racing at the Adelaide regatta and needed major repairs to take to the start line in Geelong, tech2, was able to round out the podium. "We are stoked to be able to get through all the races and prove we're mixing it up with the front group," said tech2's Skipper Luke Parkinson who finished the regatta in third.
Euroflex leads the series (12 points) ahead of Pavement (9), tech2 (6), iD Intranet (6), Record Point (5) and Kleenmaid (5).
About SuperFoiler
The SuperFoiler Grand Prix is contested over five weekends at five iconic marine locations across Australia (South Australia, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and New South Wales) from February 2018. The circuit now heads to Queensland's Gold Coast for nine scheduled races from February 16-18, 2018.
The Summer series will see the best sailors from around the world compete onboard six SuperFoiler's for the Ben Lexcen Trophy. The Grand Prix series runs from February to March and will be livestreamed on Plus7 with immersive post produced coverage airing on 7mate.
Fan Zones and Corporate Hospitality experiences are also available for live viewing - here