The best breeze of the day filled in for the final three races producing some extreme racing – close calls, collisions, penalties and a nail-biting, final double-points race – entertaining the 10,000 strong crowd lining the IJ-Haven, Amsterdam.

There were seven different race winners in this penultimate event, that was more about tactics than boat handling. Gitana Extreme sailed brilliantly under pressure to win the penultimate iShares Cup Amsterdam event ahead of Oman Sail Renaissance, whilst Groupama fought back to win the final race and fill the last spot on the podium in third.

Overall series leaders, Oman Sail Masirah, put their day one disaster behind them, finishing fifth in Amsterdam to retain their overall lead, ahead of Gitana Extreme – Groupe LCF Rothschild and Oman Sail Renaissance, going into the final iShares Cup event in Almeria – only two weeks away.

The penultimate round of the six-stage European iShares Cup series, held on the confined IJ-Haven canal in Amsterdam, saw predominantly light airs but finally yesterday afternoon, a good 8 knot breeze filled in to see the 40-foot catamarans lifting their hulls.

The final round of the 2009 iShares Cup takes place in the Andalucian city of Almeria over the 10-12 October. For more visit isharescup.com .