EFG Sailing Arabia - The Tour 2014 Ras al Khaimah Inport Races
by Stuart Alexander 19 Feb 2014 07:11 GMT
9-24 February 2014
The EFG Sailing Arabia – The Tour was preparing to turn a corner in Ras al Khaimah, but not before race director Gilles Chiorri stages a trio of inshore races which produced some lopsided results.
Overall leader Sidney Gavignet won two of them and, despite having to restart, came second in the third.
At the other end, it was the turn of the Omani Renaissance team to come last in every one, perhaps because the Royal Navy of Oman failed to turn up at all until the prize giving began and lunch was being served.
Still second overall, but having a generally miserable time of things, the Plymouth University-backed crew of Messe Frankfurt managed to make a Horlicks of a spinnaker in race one and ended fourth, they were over the line at the start of the second and took a penalty turn putting them fourth again, and then they ran aground in the third.
A RIB came to their aid but that was outside assistance so they motored disconsolately back to the marina and held a debriefing huddle.
The all-woman team skippered by Kate Pettibone was enjoying itself and proving how competitive it is becoming but not competitive enough to stop Team Delft from the Netherlands taking a point off them and so pushing them to fourth overall instead of sharing third.
They, too, are looking forward to turning the corner as the next leg takes the six-boat fleet to Dibba in Oman and to do that means sailing down through the Straits of Hormuz and then turning right.
Cue two lots of navy protection, first from the United Arab Emirates and then Oman. Also cue what could be a race of two halves. The first should be straightforward if the forecast 15 to 20-knot west south-westerly materialises but Gavignet is preparing for the fleet to compress as the turn coincides with the background turning from desert to mountains, which can generate some very tricky patterns.
Still, an on time start should see an early evening finish to the 100-mile leg and Gavignet can look forward to having one hand on the trophy with just two legs, to Mussanah and Muscat, to go.
Current Standings:
1 EFG Bank (S Gavignet) 7pts
2 Messe Frankfurt (M Herrera) 13.75pts
3 Team Delft (K Heemskerk) 20.5pts
4 Bank of Muscat (K Pettibone) 21.5pts
5 Renaissance (M al Busaidi) 26pts
6 Royal Navy of Oman (A al Alawi) 34.25pts
EFG Bank (Monaco) wins Ras Al Khaimah Inport races in EFG Sailing Arabia – The Tour 2014 (from Sue Pelling, Oman Sail)
Fleet prepare for Leg 5 from Ras Al Khaimah to Dibba
Two firsts and a second place in yesterday's gripping Inport races at Al Hamra Marina & Yacht Club in Ras Al Khaimah was enough for Sidney Gavignet and team on EFG Bank (Monaco) to take the overall win.
The team, on EFG Bank (Monaco) were, once again, spot on identifying the shifts in race one, giving them an early advantage up the first beat of the tight, stadium-style course. In doing so, managed to keep Kay Heemskerk and Team Delft Challenge – TU Delft/Katie Pettibone and her all girl team on Al-Thuraya Bank Muscat, exactly where they wanted them, in second and third places respectively.
EFG Bank (Monaco) repeated their performance in race two with both Team Delft Challenge – TU Delft, and Al-Thuraya Bank Muscat challenging off the line but EFG Bank (Monaco) popped out in front again and led Team Delft Challenge – TU Delft by just five seconds at the finish.
All fired up for the final race of the day, Al-Thuraya Bank Muscat girls' team, were neck and neck with Team Delft Challenge – TU Delft off the line. EFG Bank (Monaco) suffered an OCS [over the line at the start] but they were soon back in contention and managed to out-manoeuvre the girls for second place, while Team Delft Challenge – TU Delft took their first win of the day.
Having won all four offshore legs since the start of The Tour in Baharin 10 days ago, Gavignet, skipper of EFG Bank (Monaco) was delighted to finally win the Inport races, something that has eluded the team so far this year. "It was good fun sailing in a stadium like this and to win, but it really highlights the fact it is far from finished. We need to remain focused, continue to make progress, and keep enjoying it.
"Tomorrow's offshore leg to Dibba will be tough. The challenge is not to be too tired because the race really starts once we are over the peninsula. With the wind coming over the mountains it will be very shifty and good tactics will come into play."
Kay Heemskerk, skipper of Team Delft Challenge – TU Delft in second place in yesterday's Inport races, said: "The most important thing on these small courses is boathandling and keeping it as simple as possible. We all worked well, and are looking forward to today's long leg to Dibba.
"This is the most beautiful leg of the tour and, unlike last year, we are hoping for a daylight rounding of the peninsular this time. It will be tough however, with loads of sail changes because we are sailing a lot of different angles."
Chatting about the Inport race, and the 104-mile leg to Dibba, Al-Thuraya Bank Muscat's skipper, Pettibone, commented: "We had great day and good racing against EFG Bank (Monaco). Our teamwork is coming on, but this sort of short/sharp racing really highlights any weaknesses so we have a lot to work on, but it's definitely going the right way.
"The next offshore leg is going to be downwind initially and obviously very complicated navigationally with a lot of land effects, it is a long leg, it is going to be a long overnight so we need to prepare mentally."
The prizegiving ceremony for the Leg 4 and the Inport races took place in the delightful setting of Ras Al Khaimah at Al Hamra Marina & Yacht Club. Competitors and guests were graced with the presence of Sheikh Mohammed bin Kayed Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Ras Al Khaimah Department of Economic Development.
The teams are now preparing to leave the marina for Leg 5 of the EFG Sailing Arabia – The Tour 2014, which starts at 1030 today.
This 104-nautical mile leg to Dibba is one of the most challenging and will take approximately 24 hours to complete, depending on the wind strength. This means that if the scheduled start time goes to plan, the estimated time of arrival in Dibba is between early/mid-morning on Thursday 20 February.
For more information on the race please visit www.sailingarabiathetour.com