Dubai Traditional 22ft Sailing Dhow Race - Round 2
by Sharon Allison 11 Oct 2011 08:09 BST
8 October 2011
Totally back on form, Team Dahees took off from the start line on Saturday to retain their lead all the way to finish first and notch up their second win of the season in the Traditional 22ft Dhow Sailing Championships organised by Dubai International Marine Club (DIMC). Shamardel came followed them across the line with Emaar filling the slot.
Taking up position in the mid section of the long start line, which had to accommodate fifty four dhows, Dahees sailed an amazing race getting clean air all the way with a convincing three to four boat lengths ahead of the fleet from the very early stages the race. The team looked confident and determined and were delighted to win again. ‘We had such a good start today and it was a really fast race, at times we felt a bit over powered and it was hard work, we needed a lot of concentration, but the result was great,’ said skipper Mohammed Abdullah Mohammed Al Marzouoqi.
Shamardel, skippered by Sultan Saeed Hareb also got off to a good start from the lower end of the start line in the boat owned by HH Sheikh Majid Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Ministry of Arts and Culture. ‘We are very happy with today’s result,’ said Sultan Hareb. ‘We came seventh in the first round, which was a bit disappointing so this has given us a real boost. The team worked very well together, it’s a great result but we still hope to do better in the next race.’
The start line was set at the top west side of the Palm Jumeirah with the race course being set towards Jebel Ali Port to the south east and covered about six nautical miles. The first boats finished the race within twenty-five minutes with the last boats taking up to thirty-five minutes.
The wind direction and strength was similar to the first race of the season two weeks ago but the sea was a bit more choppy so the race wasn’t without damages and mishaps. Boat number 2, Al Wasf finished with a broken boom and as one of the other boats crossed the finish line a crewmember fell overboard and had to be rescued but he was unhurt.
The next round of the championships is on 30th December with the final race in on 25th February 2012. Trophies and prize money are awarded for each race with the first three boats getting trophies and the first thirty awarded prize money. The next race to be hosted at DIMC is on Saturday 22nd October and is the first of the traditional 60ft dhow sailing races. Spectators are welcome and more information can be found at www.dimc.ae
Race 2 Results:
1st 18, Dahees, Mohammed Abdullah Mohammed Al Marzouoqi
2nd 7, Shamardel, Sultan Saeed Hareb, Sh. Majid Bin Mohd. Bin Rashid Al Maktoum
3rd 89, Emaar, Salim Ali Salim Adidi, Sh. Hamdan Bin Mohd. Bin R. Al Maktoum