Al-Thuraya Bank Muscat all-female sailing team skippered by Dee Caffari before the start of a race in Bahrain on Febraury 10. Also seen are Sarah Hornby, Elizabeth Bayliss, Katherine Pettibone, Basma Al Nofali, Raiya Al Habsi, Rajaa Al Uwaisi, Ibtisam Al Salmi, Tahira Al Yahyaee and Asrar Al Ajmi. Picture: Lloyd Images
Doha: Bertrand Pacé and his Dubai-based Team AISM dominated the first day of in-port racing at the EFG Bank Sailing Arabia The Tour at the Pearl Qatar here yesterday.
Pace’s team stole the showwinning all three races in front of a large crowd enjoying Qatar’s National Sport Day.
The Doha in-port races were the first of three in-port races to take place during the 15-day race between Bahrain and Muscat.
BAE Systems Oman, which won the first race from Bahrain to Qatar, leads the overall standings after the first leg in Qatar. EFG Bank, Monaco are in second spot, followed by Team AISM.
In contrast to the calm of the opening days, Day 3 of the third edition of the region’s only long distance sailing race was fast and frantic.
After yesterday’s short course sailing series, the nine crews will be setting their sights on the longest leg of The Tour, covering 160 nautical miles between Doha and Abu Dhabi, the first stopover in the UAE.
Nine world-class crews are competing aboard identical Farr 30 yachts in the competition which involves in-port races and offshore racing.
The Tour has attracted nine crews representing five different nations, led locally by Oman’s Team Renaissance, Royal Navy of Oman, Team BAE Systems and the all-female Team Al-Thuraya Bank Muscat. Two teams are competing on behalf of the UAE, Team Abu Dhabi and Team AISM. International crews include EFG Bank of Monaco, Team Delft Challenge – TU Delft of Holland and the Team Messe Frankfurt of European Union.
Taking in four countries and eight ports of call, EFG Bank Sailing Arabia The Tour is a showcase of everything that the Gulf has to offer in terms of state-of-the-art facilities and idyllic sailing conditions
The Tour, which left Manama on February 10 and reached Doha on Monday will make calls at Doha, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah, Dibba and Mussanah ports. The Tour will end on February 25 in Muscat. For more information on the race one has to visit: www.sailingarabiathetour.com.the peninsula
