Pierre Pennec and his men keep a cool head.

“It’s been a really positive day for us as we’ve had pretty much the same wind conditions as yesterday, but we managed to get the boat making better headway. That enabled us to get a few more points between ourselves and our direct rivals, but given the number of races that remain tomorrow, it’s not yet enough. The level is so similar and the boats are so close that nobody is safe this evening!” explained Pierre Pennec. The waltz of positions in the ranking and the arrival of Red Bull and the New Zealand team in the top four, when they were respectively in 5^th and 7^th place last night, supports the view of the skipper of Edmond de Rothschild Group.

This afternoon’s racing was packed with tension. After four days of competition, the sailors’ bodies are beginning to show a few signs of weakness, though it’s the nervous rather than the physical fatigue that is really taking its toll. Evidence of this lies in the numerous penalties awarded on the Omani race zone today, with the crews getting worked up as they battle even more fiercely for precious points as the Grand Prix draws closer to its conclusion. “One of the keys to success is to find the right balance between aggressiveness and caution. Indeed, if we’re overly cautious in the start phases, we fall behind, but by the same token, if we are too aggressive, there’s always the risk that we will be awarded a penalty. Today we managed to find the right balance for the bulk of the afternoon, though perhaps we weren’t quite so successful in the last two races” admitted Thierry Fouchier on his return to The Wave Muscat Marina, before casting his mind forward to the day that awaits them tomorrow: “We’re making mistakes aboard the boat but the others are making them too and, for now, they’re making more than us as we’re still leading the ranking with a day to go until the end of the Grand Prix. Tomorrow, more than ever, we’re going to have to put up a solid performance and not let the slightest point needlessly slip from our grasp. The competition is very tight and it will be like that until the end. We’d certainly prefer to win the Grand Prix before the last race, which scores double points, but the fleet is very dense and I think we’re going to have to battle all the way to the last race. That’s also part of the beauty of the Extreme Sailing Series too though.”

Tomorrow, on the first day of the Omani week-end, the crowds are expected to come out in force to witness the final nautical jousting of this Muscat Grand Prix. The first race will begin shortly after 1400 hours (local time, which equates to 1000 hours GMT).

The crew speak out 

Cyril Ducrot, technical manager: “ Marie and I work together with each of us making use of the other’s little specialities. We’re working that way for the 2^nd year running and we’re beginning to acquire the reflexes which enable us to go a little further with our work preparing the boat. On a typical day, we spend the morning working on the list communicated to us by the crew on their return from sailing. However, I have to say that since our arrival in Muscat, they’ve been particularly careful and the jobs’ list only takes up a couple of lines. We also have a few jobs which are repeated each day, namely cleaning the hull beneath the water and doing a complete check of the appendages (rudders and daggerboards). In the afternoon I’m at the crew’s disposal on Gitana’s support rib, with water and a few biscuits, but above all the emergency equipment for minor repairs which can be effected on the water between races. I also film the races so that the crew can debrief each evening by focusing on the image and the real facts. When you spend long weeks preparing the boat, seeing her in such a good position is naturally a great source of satisfaction and motivation.”

Provisional ranking for the Muscat Grand Prix on 23 February (after 25 races)