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Sailing: Team Abu Dhabi forced to sit out home race
The all-Emirati crew aboard Team Abu Dhabi were forced to sit out Saturday's in-port racing held off the Abu Dhabi Sailing & Yacht Club after the rudder of their boat suffered severe damage en route to the UAE capital.
And, while they will also not be able to start Leg 3 of the EFG Bank Sailing Arabia – The Tour, which commences today, organisers said Team Abu Dhabi would resume racing in Ras Al Khaimah on Tuesday after a new boat is delivered.
Adil Khalid and crew were sailing to Abu Dhabi on Thursday when rudder damage caused them to run aground to the north of Halat Tinah island, some 73 miles from the UAE capital.
They were unable to get their boat off and because of the depth and unfavourable weather conditions, the UAE coastguard was asked to assist. Some five hours after the incident the crew were successfully transferred to their life raft from where they were airlifted to safety.
“It was a difficult leg,” admitted Khalid. “When I knew I had no control of the rudder I directed the team to go below deck to ensure their safety and we waited for the helicopter to airlift us.
“I’m just happy the crew is safe and there were no injuries,” Khalid, who was among Ian Walker’s crew aboard Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing in the last Volvo Ocean Race, said.
“We are a young team and our goal before we started was to win a leg or an in-port race and we hope that goal is still achievable.”
The other eight crews continued without Team Abu Dhabi yesterday, playing a cat-and-mouse game over three in-port races.
The first race was won by EU student team Messe Frankfurt, the youngest crew in this year’s competition. Skipper Marcel Herrera, 19, who has lived in the UAE for 13 years, credited the win to his extensive local knowledge of the area, but also praised the teamwork on board.
Race 2 was clinched by Dubai’s Team AISM, who also won all three in-port races in Doha before leading the fleet to Abu Dhabi and seal Leg 2.
The final race of the day was won by the EFG Bank Monaco Team, led by former America’s Cup and Olympic Games sailor Sidney Gavignet.
AISM are now on 8.5 points, just 0.25 behind the Cedric Pouligny-steered BAE Systems, who have so far managed a 1-2 finish after the first two of seven legs on the Tour.
“That is very close, but the offshores will decide who wins this event,” said AISM skipper Bertrand Pacé.
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