sport
EXTREME
SAILING
SERIES
If high speed races on
the water float your
boat then count yourself
lucky, as the Extreme
Sailing Series returns
to Cardiff Bay. James
Ayles gets onboard
with the race so far.
IN line with its burgeoning tradition of hosting
grand sporting events, with everything from the
Six Nations to Olympic football matches, Cardiff
will once again host the fifth act of the increasingly
popular Extreme Sailing Series.
Now in its eighth year, this adrenaline-fuelled
award-winning inshore boat race returns as part of
Cardiff Harbour Festival. The series itself boasts
some of the highest profile sailors in history,
including the Olympic gold medal winning Sir Ben
Ainslie and former ISAF World Sailor Of The Year
Anna Tunnicliffe.
The race covers eight venues in three different
continents, allowing hundreds of thousands of fans
across the world to witness this much-heralded,
white-knuckle spectacle first hand.
This series has become a showcase for some of the
world finest sailors, as the 14 teams boast numerous
Olympians and World Cup champions.
At 40ft long, with 62ft masts, the Extreme 40 boats
raced by each team will provide an astonishing sight
as they tear through Cardiff Bay at speeds exceeding
25 miles an hour. Following on from the phenomenal
success of British crews in both international and
Olympic competitions over the past decade, the
Extreme 40 Racing Series provides an incredible
opportunity to witness such a fine balance of brutal
power and elegant finesse first-hand.
Currently Swiss outfit Alinghi top the leaderboard,
having triumphed in three of the four races to
date. However a victory on home waters for Sir Ben
Ainslie’s British team, currently in sixth place, would
see them close the gap on the leaders.
With last year’s event a highly popular draw for
daytrippers and sailing buffs alike in Cardiff Bay,
expect this year to bring significantly more fans to
witness one of the most scintillating and engaging
events in the modern sporting calendar.
Extreme Sailing Series, Cardiff Bay,
Fri 22-Mon 25 Aug. Admission: free.
Info: www.cardiff-festival.com
PARALYMPIC SPORTS COME TO SWANSEA
With the Paralympic Athletics
European Championships coming
to Wales for a week this month,
James Sidwell has a closer look at
how this event is shaping up both
on and off the field.
IF everyone’s feeling a bit of a sporting void at
the receding form of the World Cup and don’t
fancy taking a trip all the way to Glasgow for
the Common Wealth Games, you need look no
further than our very own Swansea – which
will be playing host to this year’s International
Paralympic Committee’s (IPC) Athletics European
Championships. This is the first time ever the
event has been held in Britain, and the place is
going to be buzzing.
The London 2012 games brought Paralympic
sports to the forefront of British athletics, and
the IPC championships is set to be this year’s
paralympic highlight. Around 560 athletes from 49
countries are expected to compete and there will
be a large variety of events taking place: everything
BUZZ 44
from jumping and javelin throwing to
sprinting and shot puts.
On of those taking part is local boy
Aled Davies. Hailing from Bridgend,
and currently a student at Cardiff
Metropolitan University, this incredibly
talented young athlete took gold in both
discus and shot put during last year’s IPC
World Championships in Lyon, France,
and is looking a strong contender for a
title on his home turf.
The organisation of the whole event has
a thoroughly heartfelt feel to it as well;
the official song, performed by Mal Pope
and composed by Andrew Griffiths, was
inspired by inviting young people with disabilities
from around Wales to tell their stories through poetry
and artwork, which in turn provided the basis for the
final composition. This competition, then, promises
to exhibit Welsh culture and Welsh heart in the very
best light.
It’s also an opportunity for Swansea University to
show off its extensive state-of-the-art sports facilities,
which will provide the venues for the various
disciplines, both for training and competition.
It’s right by the seaside as well, which, weather
permitting, could really round out the experience!
If you want to, head on down and see some of
the best athletes in the world slug it out in the
background of a famous Welsh university. This is a
sporting event that presents a great opportunity to
celebrate diversity, nationality, and excellence.
IPC Athletics European Championships,
Swansea University International Sports
Village, Mon 18-Sat 23 Aug. Tickets: £3£7. Info: www.swansea2014.com