Germans under pressure in Dubai Match Race

27 January 2006

.DUBAI — Early pace-setters Germany came under pressure in the Dubai Match Race yesterday as India, Italy and one of the three UAE-based clubs battling for honours stepped up their bids for a place in Sunday’s title showdown.

After dominating the first round robin series over the two previous days, Germany began the third day of the Emirates airline-sponsored event with their eighth consecutive match victory against the Dubai International Marine Club team skippered by Frenchman Cedric Le Rest.

But Sven Erik Horsch’s crew then suffered their first two defeats in quick succession. They were beaten by the Dubai Offshore Sailing Club team skippered by Australian Mark Feilberg who had to overcome a penalty, and then lost to Italy’s Simone Ferrarese.

Horsch said: “We started with a clean sweep of eight wins but the last two results have been disappointing. But we still hope to be in first place at the end of this series.”

Feilberg’s win over the Germans was his second in a row following victory over the Italians in the day’s opening flight. But a problem with the genneker in his third match of the day brought defeat at the hands of Le Rest who recovered from an earlier loss to Italy.

With Germany still leading the round robin series overall, India skippered by Mahesh Ramchandran quickly moved level with Feilberg’s crew and the Italians on six wins.

While the Indians then outsmarted John Back’s Swedish team the all-ladies Finnish crew led by Silja Lehtinen saw off the challenge of the other DIMC boat skippered by talented young UAE contender Ahmed Shaheen.

Each of the crews were gradually becoming more relaxed as they familiarised themselves with the new V1/Lutra-30 Sport Boat built in Dubai and being used competitively for the first time this week.

“We’re all in the same boat, literally, and we’re all getting to know it better as we go on,” said Feilberg. “Normally the teams from the host club have a big advantage from sailing their home boat. But because this one is so new there’s no advantage to be had.”

As action in the Dubai Match Race continued in the lagoon fronting Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina, so did the tussle for Optimist and Laser 4.7 honours in the Dubai Junior Regatta off Dubai International Marine Club.

Overnight leader Leonardo Dubbini of Italy could manage only eighth place in the first of the day’s three Optimist races which was won by compatriot Tita Ruggero, but he was still out in front overall. Malta’s Karl Cremona took second place ahead of Sweden’s Holger Tidemand.

In the Laser class Holland’s Rolph Oudshoorn and South Africa’s Rudy McNeill continued their fascinating struggle for supremacy. Leading overnight, Oudshoorn was black flagged in the day’s opening race which McNeill won to squeeze in front.

But the young Dutchman bounced straight back to take race two from Britain’s Robin Smith and Sweden’s Cecilia Strombeck and regained the outright lead from the South African who had to settle for fourth place.