December 12th 2009. On a day, which should have seen the conclusion of the 2009 Class One season and end of the Sea Dubai Watersports Festival, the skies stayed grey and the mood sombre. Over night the festive flags were removed as DIMC was engulfed in mourning for two of it’s own, Mohammed Al Muhairi and Jean Marc Sanchez the Victory team pilots who met tragedy yesterday in a fatal high-speed crash during race one of the Dubai Grand Prix.

Mohammed was laid to rest early this morning and the teams followed to Mohammed’s home to pay their respects to his family. It was a day for quiet times and personal remembrances and working towards a final tribute lap to the two pilots by friends, colleagues, teammates and loved ones.

At two o’clock Fazza, Victory 7, Wellmax 90, Maritimo 11, Foresti & Suardi-Roscioli Hotels 8, Sea Dubai-C.A.M 10 and Giorgioffshore 18 left the dock, cockpits open and pilots and teams on the deck. More boats filled with everyone involved in the organisation and friends followed in an armada of grief and headed to the site of the crash. On board with Saeed Harib, Managing Director of DIMC and President of WPPA, was Sara Sanchez, the wife of Jean Marc. At the crash site flowers were given to the sea and the sad flotilla applauded the memory of their friends, lost to a sport, which they loved and had lived for. Sara Sanchez waived to the crowd and bravely acknowledged the warmth and support for her and the respect and love shown to her husband Jean Marc Sanchez and Mohammed Al Muhairi.