Extreme Sailing – Meet Pete Greenhalgh

In a long list of success stories over the 10-year history of the Extreme Sailing Series™ one name stands out – Pete Greenhalgh. The 40-year-old Brit has a unique record on the global Stadium Racing tour having won four overall titles including the very first season in 2007 as well as last year.

In fact, in the decade Greenhalgh has been competing in the Extreme Sailing Series his worst season finish was third, on every other outing he’s either won or come second. It’s a feat no other sailor can match, and is testament to Greenhalgh’s skill, determination and dedication to the Extreme Sailing Series.

“The Extreme Sailing Series means a lot to me,” Greenhalgh reflects. “The really intense short course racing that the Extreme Sailing Series offers was something that really appealed to me when it first started up in 2007. I have since put everything into it and have been fortunate to have a pretty good track record.

“In ten years my worst overall result was a third, otherwise I’ve been first or second every year. It’s something I’m very proud of. I love competing on the circuit and I’m mad keen on winning it each year. Sometimes when you get a bit of a winning streak the novelty wears off after a while but the Extreme Sailing Series is a big draw for me – I want to keep winning and winning, hence why I’m still here.”

Coming from a family of sailors it was inevitable Greenhalgh would get into the sport, and he grew up sailing with – and against – his brother Rob and sister Libby, who are also now professional sailors. Teaming up with Rob when he was 15, the pair then waged successful campaigns in a host of dinghy classes resulting in numerous successes on the race course. And the family bond continued into their late teens when the brothers went to university.

“My brother and I are only 13 months apart and when we were 15 we teamed up,” Greenhalgh said. “We sailed together for seven or eight years – I crewed, he helmed. We were a reasonable team. Then we went to the same university where we did the same course. At first we lived in a camper van together and then shared a room in the same house. We even shared a car. It was intense but great fun.”

When the Extreme Sailing Series began in 2007 it was Greenhalgh’s Basilica crew – with Rob at the helm – that dominated. Competing alongside his brother for such a long time taught Greenhalgh the importance of developing close bonds onboard.

“In professional sailing, partnerships are vital,” he said. “I sailed for four years with Leigh McMillan [on The Wave, Muscat] and we developed our partnership really quickly. It made a big difference and we went on to win three Extreme Sailing Series titles together.

“With Morgan [Larson] joining us onboard this year we’re effectively a new team again and we’re still developing our communication, our partnership. You often get honeymoon periods with sailing teams but once you get a few months in, that’s when it gets hard. We had a few events in the honeymoon period but we’re into the nitty gritty now for sure. We’re just trying to learn each other and see where we are weak and strong, and then play to the strengths.”

Greenhalgh has seen the Extreme Sailing Series continue to develop and grow, with one of the biggest changes being the move to the foiling GC32 catamaran for the 2016 season. These ‘flying’ boats are quicker and more physically demanding than their predecessor, the Extreme 40, but Greenhalgh takes the increased duties in his stride. In fact he’s renowned as one of the fittest and strongest sailors in the Extreme Sailing Series – and he’s showing no signs of slowing up.

“Physically you have to keep raising your game,” he said. “There’s a younger generation of sailors coming through, the boats are getting harder to sail, the racing is getting tighter and tighter. These boats require a lot of handling so I’ve had to keep stepping up.

“My official role onboard is mainsheet trimmer but it’s not that straightforward – I help with tactics and strategy, I help drop the boards, I help furl the gennaker, I do the traveller. The windier it is the more physically demanding it is. I’m really lucky – I don’t struggle with energy levels and physically I can still cope with the task at hand. I don’t dread waking up and thinking I’m too old for this because I don’t see it on the horizon any time soon.”

Background: The Extreme Sailing Series is in its tenth season, with this year’s eight event tour travelling through Asia, Europe, and Australia. The platform used is the one design foiling GC32 catamaran, with the format highlighting ‘stadium’ short-course racing in front of the public. ESS website: http://www.extremesailingseries.com

Source: ESS