Dubai: Going on past experiences, the Dubai leg of the Louis Vuitton Trophy will have an altered racing schedule when it's staged at the Dubai International Marine Club (DIMC) later this year.

One of the major concerns for the 10 participating teams during last week's round held in La Maddalena, Sardinia was the time spent outside the water, due to unfavourable sailing conditions, especially during the preliminary rounds.

"It was time for some minor changes and we sat down, deliberated and then made the required alterations in league with promoters WSTA [World Sailing Team Association], sponsors Louis Vuitton and the television production partners at the end of the La Maddalena round last week," Sid Benselah, General Manager, DIMC told Gulf News after his return from Italy.

With Bensaleh as the 18th man on board the Emirates Team New Zealand boat, the Kiwis fought back from a 0-2 deficit to stage a remarkable recovery and win the second round of the Louis Vuitton Trophy last weekend.

Reserve days

Teams are expect ed to arrive for the Dubai round in the first week of November and round-robin match racing will actually start from November 15. "They have adequate provisions for reserve days and in addition we have incorporated a special regatta for junior sailors," Bensaleh said.

"The changes have been made to ensure that the excitement and quality of sailing in this competition is maintained. One of the significant observations we have made after witnessing sailing in Nice, Auckland and Sardinia was the need to understand the needs and specifications of the promoters, sponsors and the sport at large," Bensaleh added.

One of the highlights for the Dubai Louis Vuitton Trophy will be the strong element of tradition and heritage on display during the course of the event. "

This will not be a classic Louis Vuitton race per say as we plan to use the stage to depict the true spirit, heritage and culture of the region."

The style of racing at the Louis Vuitton Trophy is match racing: an exciting discipline of sailing that has been used in the America's Cup for more than a century. It pits two crews against each other in a mano-a-mano battle.

The most exciting time of a match race is during the three-minute pre-start, the period that involves fascinating jostling involved as one crew tries to gain control over its opponent.

"Whatever the conditions, we're sure to make the Dubai Louis Vuitton round a success."

A dramatic twist to end to the match-racing season stretched the tactical play on the water to its limits at Dubai International Marine Club in the Traditional 22ft Dhow Match Race finale on Thursday. Lahoub came out as the clear winner after a protest hearing knocked the favorite Shamardel into second place out of the four match race finalists with Dahees coming third followed by Rejam.

The picture was very different at the start, Mohammed Abdullah Mohd. Marzouqi on Lahoub pulled away from the line with good boat speed and left the other three boats struggling. Sultan Saeed Harib on Shamardel was left at the back of the pack after a poor launch.

At the first mark it was Lahoub, Rejam, Dahees and Shamardel to turn in order with over ten boat lengths between the top two. The pattern changed on the downwind leg with though with Sharmardel going deeper at the turn and claiming two positions by evaluating the breeze perfectly. But the downwind turn bought problems for Dahees as the fickle wind detuned the dhows speed and caught the boat head to wind leaving it stationary. Three attempts to turn lost valuable ground and what looked like an impossible return. With Shamardel now in second place the excitement grew as skipper Harib caught Lahoub at the top mark where confusion rained as Lahoub dipped on the same tack and crossed very closely in front of Shamardel who protested loudly. The questionable maneuver by Lahoub cost Shamardel the match as they fell below the mark having to turn and go back to go round losing irreparable time. Lahoub got away and although Shamardel put up a fight to the finish the race was over and Lahoub crossed the line first. ‘We tried our best and after a poor start we sailed really well, my crew were great but we are disappointed with the result. But that’s sailing,’ said Sultan Saeed Harib after the protest hearing.

‘We are very happy to win, there was some controversy but we used a tactical move to our best advantage,’ said the skipper of Lahoub, Mohammed Abdullah Mohd. Marzouqi. ‘It is a great end to the season for us.’

Results: Position, Boat Number, Boat Name, Skipper, Owner

1^st 77, Lahoub, Mohammed Abdullah Mohd. Al Marzouqi

2^nd 1, Shamardel, Sultan Saeed Harib, Sh. Majid Bin Mohd. Bin Rashid Al Maktoum

3^rd 2, Dahees, Hassan Abdullah Al Marzouqi

4^th 88, Rejam, Khalid Tarish Al Qubaisi

In a meeting held by the Committee of the annual Al Gaffal long distance Sur Bin Na’air 60ft Traditional Dhow Race it was declared that the race is now twenty years old and is stronger now than ever. ‘This race is now embedded in the history of the UAE,’ said Saeed Harib, CEO of Dubai International Marine Club, (DIMC) the race organiser. ‘It never occurred to me in 1991 when the boats set out on the first race that twenty years later there would be over three thousand people involved in the same race. I am very proud to have been part of it,’ he added. The race was started after a request from Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum who wanted to make sure that the region didn’t lose its rich seafaring history and he has been a strong supporter of the race ever since.

The Committee includes members from the Government including the police, coastguard, civil defense and medical services, the Westin Hotel catering, TV and aviation as well as the management team of DIMC. The operation is on a grand scale with up to one hundred dhows competing with over one hundred dhow support boats plus boats from the race officials. As well as all the above there are spectator boats and this year spectators from Dubai Marine Yacht Club and Dubai Offshore Sailing Club will join in a flotilla to watch the race. Some of the organizers head out to the Island a week in advance to prepare for the traditional celebrations and games and to arrange utilities and sleeping areas. There is an advance party from the TV and virtual eye to organize the satellite coverage. Rashid Amiri, Director of Dubai Sports Channel, asserted during the meeting that the channel would make all the necessary efforts to make the event a success and provide good coverage.

The logistics have moved on somewhat since that first race and so has Dubai with the backdrop for the arrival of the boats on Saturday May 29^th in Mina Seyahi nothing like it was for that first race in 1991.

DUBAI // Delma Marine flourished in the perfect conditions at Dubai International Marine Club yesterday to win a thrilling race, their second victory in as many heats of the Dubai Wooden Powerboat Championships.
Drivers Ahmed Ali Jabir Hamli and Ahmed Ateeq al Qumzi finished a good eight seconds ahead of the Extreme Marine pairof Salim Fadhel al Hamli and Ahmed Mohd Hassan al Suwaidi.
Driven by Khalifa Humaid bin Thaiban and Ahmed Humaid bin Thaiban, Al Fajr Marine were a close third.

“It was close and we had to push really hard to keep our lead,” said Ahmed Ali Jabir Hamli of Delma Marine.
“The new rules are working well, the course length is better and the turns make the race not just about speed but more about technique as well. I know the next round will be tough in Abu Dhabi.”
The top three boats took an early and convincing lead as they stretched away from the rest of the fleet, widening the gap on each lap and finishing almost half a lap in front of Al Haj Group, who came fourth driven by Hassan Ali al Shamsi and Khalid Saif al Shamsi.

For the next places there was a fierce battle between Al Noubi Racing, Al Malek and Raheeb 1 with a dash at the end where Raheeb 1 scooped fifth, Al Malek sixth and Al Noubi Racing had to settle for seventh.
Organisers were pleased that the race went so smoothly after the first heat was stopped briefly on the second lap, as there was a man overboard.
“We’ve softened the turns by making them wider and shortened the straight sections of the course to control the speed,” said Sid Bensalah, the general secretary of the World Professional Powerboating Association. “The nature of the new course also means that rescue cover is deployed more efficiently.”

The next heat is on April 25 at the Abu Dhabi International Marine Sailing Club.

By Ahmed Rizvi. The National. Rashid al Marri and Salem Fadel al Hamli turned in a dominant performance to win their second race of the UIM XCat Middle East Championships at the Dubai International Marine Club.
Their boat, Extreme Marine, struggled to complete a lap in Friday’s practice but zoomed ahead from pole position yesterday and finished five seconds ahead of Victory Team’s Fazza 3, while the Abu Dhabi Racing Team 1, with Ahmed and Rashid al Hamli on board, finished third.

The first three finishers are all from the UAE. “We want to be No 1 in every race,” said the Extreme Marine pilot al Marri, who was also top of the podium in Tuesday’s first contest and dominated yesterday’s race with speeds in excess of 160kph.
Fazza 3, which limped out of the first race on Tuesday with gear problems, did well to move into second after starting from 19th in the 21-boat field and their world champion crew of Nadir bin Hendi and Arif al Zafeen were pleased with the podium finish.

“We haven’t had much time to work on the boats,” said al Zafeen. “We didn’t think we would be able to race until half an hour before the race started. So we are really pleased to have done so well.”
Victory’s second boat, Fazza 33, had to retire for the second race in succession after developing technical problems on the first lap.
“It’s frustrating, but the crew did everything to have the boat ready and were working on the motors late into the night,” said Fazza 33’s Abdullah al Mehairbi.

“Taleb [al Sayed] and I would have loved to have been involved right to the finish, but it wasn’t to be and we’ll now focus on the next two races in Abu Dhabi.”
The four-race championship will move on to Abu Dhabi for the final two races on April 25 and 29.
The double-header in Dubai was the first powerboat race there after a tragic accident in December during the Class One World Powerboat Championships, which claimed the lives of Mohammed al Mehairi and Jean-Marc Sanchez.

Following an investigation into that accident, new guidelines and rules were developed and implemented for the XCat Series, with the cockpit area being strengthened to protect the pilots.
But there was still some fears towards the finish of yesterday’s race, which brought the red flags out. The Nicolini Offshore and Decomania boats brushed each other while negotiating a corner on the final lap, and the impact caused Nicolini Offshore to overturn. Pilots Luca Matteo and Luca Nicolini emerged unscathed.

“The course design has been controversial and some teams are unhappy with it,” said Rory Power, the race director. “Teams want to control their own speed, which is all very well. But as organisers we are adamant that safety comes first.
“As organisers we also have to find ways to control negativity that may accompany what may seem to some as overzealous safety decisions and not overreact. The combination of strengthening the cockpit, a modified course and the red flag to stop the race are the key elements of the new rules which have already proved very effective.”

By Ahmed Rizvi, The National. Ahmed Ali al Hamli is looking to carry the confidence of his triumph in the Dubai Wooden Powerboat Championship into the UIM XCat Middle East Powerboat Championship when he lines up his Abu Dhabi Racing Team’s extreme catamaran for today’s second race of the season.

Al Hamli, who finished third in the first X-Cat race on Tuesday, warmed up for the second heat by cruising to victory in his Delma Marine, alongside Ahmed Ateeq al Qumzi, at the Dubai International Marine Club yesterday.

They finished ahead of Tuesday’s winner Salim Fadhel al Hamli, who was in the Extreme Marine with Ahmed Hassan al Suwaidi, and the Al Fajar Marine of Khalifa Humaid bin Thaiban and Ahmed Humaid bin Thaiban.

“I’ve gained so much experience driving the wooden powerboat that it’s helped me with driving the X-Cat,” said al Hamli.

“I enjoy both the X-Cat and the wooden powerboat and I’m really pleased with our win. I hope I can improve on my placing in the X-Cat heat two.”

Salem al Hamli and Rashid al Marri clinched the opening race after world champions Nader bin Hindi and Arif Saif Al Zafe’in had limped off at the first lap with a broken gear in their Fazza 3.

The second Victory Team boat, Fazza 33, also failed to complete the race because of an engine problem. With the champions out of the way, the Extreme Marine finished ahead of the Lux Media Offshore, piloted by Michael Karsenti and Mike Seebold, and the Abu Dhabi Racing Team 1.

The Fazza fleet, however, are looking to bounce back after the disappointments in the first race.

“Tuesday wasn’t exactly the start to the championship we wanted,” said reigning Class 1 and Class 3 World Champion Bin Hendi after setting the sixth fastest time in testing (2min 58.63secs) yesterday.

“But it just goes to show that everything has to be spot on to win in this sport. We’ve done very well recently in both Class 1 and Class 3 World Championship races, but the X-Cats event is a tough competition and we’ll need everything to be working perfectly if we are to do well.”

Fazza, 33, with Talib al Sayed and Abdullah al Mehairbi on board, were quicker than their Victory teammates in testing, posting 2min 57.62secs, the fifth-fastest time.The Lux Media Offshore 96 were quickest in testing yesterday with the French-American duo of Michel Karsenti and Mike Seebold averaging 155.3 kph and clocking a top lap time of 2min 51.28secs, more than two seconds quicker than Mohamad Al Rais and Mohamad Al Nasser in Qatar 94 (2min 53.55secs). The Extreme Marine struggled to complete a lap in testing yesterday, but they will start the race from pole position by virtue of their win on Tuesday, while the two Fazzas will be at the rear of the pack.

“It’s not ideal, but if we’ve managed to get the boat, engine and props right then it will be up to us to get by the guys in front,” said al Zafeen.

“X-Cats is a great format and if all 21 boats make it to the start then I am sure the spectators will be in for a great race.”

Red flag raised after Muburak Marine crew are thrown off their boat.

Dubai: New powerboat safety rules went into practice again yesterday during the first heat of the Dubai Wooden Powerboat Championship held at Dubai International Marine Club.

The red stop flag was raised when the crew of Mubarak Marine was thrown from their boat as they rounded a mark. The pair were picked up quickly by rescue teams and returned to shore unhurt and the race was restarted. However, the delay meant a quick turn around for the top three teams Delma Marine driven by Ahmad Ali Al Hamli and Ahmad Ateeq Al Qumzi, Extreme Marine with Salim Fadel Al Hamli and Ahmad Mohammad Hassan Al Suwaidi and Al Fajar Marine raced by Khalifa Humaid Bin Thaiban and Ahmad Humaid Bin Thaiban who all needed to ready themselves for the Xcat Middle East Powerboat Championships practice session.

Al Hamli is throttle man with driver Rashid Al Marri in Extreme Marine, who won heat 1 of the Xcat Middle East Powerboat Championship

"I've gained so much experience driving the wooden powerboat that it's helped me with driving the Xcat," said Al Hamli, who drives Abu Dhabi Racing Teams Xcat. "I enjoy both the Xcat and the wooden powerboat and I'm really pleased with our win today and hope I can improve on my placing tomorrow in the Xcat heat 2."

Alaric Gomes, Senior Reporter, Gulf News, Dubai: Organisers predict a tough competition this season despite unfavourable race conditions during opening round. A top organising official from the Dubai International Marine Club (DIMC) has predicted a tough and close competition in the X-Cat Powerboat Series that got under way with the opening round at the Mina Seyahi on Tuesday.

"It's going to be close this season. Despite the unfavourable race conditions we have seen the tussle for the top spot between some of the top teams in the world. This is an indication of what is going to happen as the season goes on," Sid Bin Saleh, DIMC general manager, told Gulf News. With champions Nader Bin Hindi and Arif Saif Al Zafe'in in Fazza 3 limping off with a broken gear, Tuesday's opening race between 21 boats was thrown wide open with the PRO Marine duo of Grant Bruggemann and Gary Ballough taking the lead, chased by the Extreme Marine pair of Rashid Khalifa Al Merri and Salem Fadil Al Hamli.

Bruggemann and Ballough eventually nestled into fourth place even as the Extreme Marine went on to win the race way ahead of the Lux Media Offshore duo of Mike Seebold and Michel Karsenti and the Abu Dhabi Racing Team of Ahmad Ali Jaber Al Hamli and Rashid Jabr Al Hamli.

The second champion boat Fazza 33 with Talib Al Sayed and Abdullah Al Muhairbi at the helm were also an early race casualty with an engine failure.

"Taking pole position in the new boat was a great result for us although the race didn't quite work out as we hoped," stated Victory Team General Manager Gianfranco Venturelli.

"But these things happen in racing and our congratulations go to the winners for a great race."

Despite a difficult end to the season last year that witnessed the demise of two Victory Team members, Bin Saleh remained positive of the season ahead.

"We have worked hard to ensure enhanced driver safety from now on.... there are new procedures in place from now on," Bin Saleh said.

"We are pleased to see the response to this series from teams all over the world. All of them are competing for top honours and each one is pushing for glory. It is going to be impossible to predict a clear winner this season," Bin Saleh added.

The second round of the X-Cat Powerboat Series will be held at the same venue on April 9-10.

By Alaric Gomes, Senior Reporter, Gulf News. Al Merri and Al Hamli open powerboat series with a win in an incident-filled round at Mina Seyahi breakwaters.

Rashid Khalifa Al Merri and Salem Fadil Al Hameli, in their Extreme Marine boat, won an incident-filled opening round of the 2010 UIM X-Cat Middle East Powerboat Championship held at the Mina Seyahi breakwaters of Dubai International Marine Club (DIMC), on Wednesday.

The race — the first of four to be held this month as part of the Middle East Championships — was red flagged in the very first lap due to a false start by one of the boats.

Problems

In the re-start that occurred after a long break, pole position leaders Fazza 3 with Nader Bin Hindi and Arif Saif Al Zafein at the helm, started experiencing problems allowing Grant Bruggemann and Gary Ballough in their PRO Marine boat to take the lead.

Extreme Marine and the PRO Marine duo of Bruggemann and Ballough started a tussle at the top that was eventually won by the team from Abu Dhabi. From then on, there was no looking back for Al Merri and Al Hameli as they went on to establish a lead of nearly 300 metres from the Lux Media Offshore team of Mike Seebold and Michel Karsenti, who managed to edge the PRO pair into fourth, even as the brotherly duo of Ahmad Ali Jaber Al Hameli and Rashid Jaber Al Hameli nestled into third place.

Salem Rashid Al Rumaithi, Managing Director Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club (ADIMSC), IOTA President and UIM Commissioner Mohammad Al Jaidah and Ahmad Ebrahim from the UAE Marine Sports Federation presented the trophies to the winners.

"We are happy with the way the first race went without any incidents. Though we did have some instances, the new safety procedures in place ensured that we are prepared for any sort of eventuality," Sid Bensaleh, DIMC General Manager stated.

Al Merri and Al Hameli were pleased to open the season with a win.

"The conditions were rough out there and we have not had enough time to even test this boat.

"But we are pleased that we could get maximum points in this one due to our superior knowledge of the waters around here," Al Hameli told Gulf News.

Results: 1. Extreme Marine (Rashid Khalifa Al Merri/Salem Fadil Al Hameli); 2. Lux Media Offshore (Mike Seebold/Michel Karsenti); 3. Abu Dhabi Racing Team (Ahmad Ali Jaber Al Hameli/Rashid Jaber Al Hameli); 4. Westerlund Racing (Joakim Kumlin/Daniel Svenson); 5. Qatar Team (Mohammad Adnan Al Rais/Mohammad Al Nasser).