Dubai: Omani skipper Fahd Al Hasni led his home side to victory in the opening leg of EFG Sailing Arabia — The Tour (EFG SATT), snatching first place from the event favourites just before the finish line in Sohar.
Al Hasni’s Team Renaissance had trailed reigning champions EFG Bank Monaco for much of the 105-nautical-mile leg from Muscat to Sohar, the first of five offshore stages that make up the 763-nautical-mile Muscat-to-Dubai race. But as the leg reached its climax, they were able to close down fellow Omani crew Team Al Mouj Muscat to move up to second.
Just a few boat-lengths from the finish off, Sohar Al Hasni’s men took advantage of a wind shift to overhaul EFG Bank Monaco, in the end beating them by just a few metres. Team Al Mouj Muscat crossed the line in third to round off the podium in what was a thrilling curtain-raiser.
Al Hasni, who has competed in every edition of EFG SATT since it began in 2011, said the win would give his crew a welcome boost ahead of the second leg to Khasab, which starts on Friday.
“It is an amazing feeling to win the opening leg of EFG SATT,” he said. “It is even more special as we are an Omani team winning in Oman. We managed to stay in good pressure, and first we overtook Team Al Mouj Muscat and then we managed to pass EFG Bank Monaco right before the line after we got a good wind shift. It was very satisfying to win like that. It’s all down to our communication onboard, which was brilliant.”
EFG Bank Monaco are favourites to win EFG SATT after taking the top spot in the last three consecutive editions. Thierry Douillard, skipper, said his crew, which includes former match racing world champion Mathieu Richard, would come back stronger in the second leg.
“The first leg was 105 miles long and up until 104 miles everything was perfect for us,” he said. “We had a very good leg and we had a good lead but unfortunately Team Renaissance managed to get a good shift and get close to us. They were faster than us and were able to pass us. It is frustrating to sail 99 per cent of the leg in the lead then come second but it’s all part of the game. We know now why we were slower and we will sort it for the next leg.”
Team Al Mouj, last year’s runners-up, took an early lead in the stage as it began in strong winds on Tuesday, but slipped back into second place overnight. Despite eventually having to settle for third, trimmer Gilles Favennec said the crew were happy with the result.
“We showed we can be strong when it’s windy which is important,” he said. “We’re happy with third in the first leg. We were leading early on then made a few mistakes, but we’re very content with our boat speed and team spirit. It is only the first leg — there are four more to go so it’s all to play for. Team Renaissance did a great job to take the win from EFG Bank Monaco. It shows the racing will be tight and that any team can win a leg.”
With only one leg down and competition still strong, fans of the racing series will be on edge to catch the inshore action in the Emirates at Emirates Palace Marina, Abu Dhabi, on February 22 and the finale in Dubai at Nakheel West Marina on March 1.
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