Oman Sail teams aim for success in France

Three Oman Sail teams are getting ready for the next step in their European campaigns with the five-day Grand Prix Ecole Navale regatta

MUSCAT: Three Oman Sail racing teams are getting ready for the next step in their European campaigns with the five-day Grand Prix Ecole Navale regatta starting on Wednesday.

Thierry Douillard’s Diam 24 crew will be looking to continue their impressive start to the season as they build up towards their ultimate goal of a podium finish in the high-profile Tour de France a la Voile in July. Meanwhile, the Diam 24 development squad also has solid foundations to build on with improving mid-table results in the highly competitive fleet of high-speed trimarans.

Further emphasising Oman Sail’s commitment to developing talent and creating equal opportunities, the large J80 class will include a mixed Omani crew featuring three members of the ground-breaking Women’s Sailing Programme.

After winning the season opener, Grand Prix Atlantique, Douillard’s team went on to take fifth place at Spi Ouest France followed by a third place podium finish at Grand Prix Guyader.

Having put down a marker for the season, the crew will face tough opposition from a 27-strong fleet at Grand Prix Ecole Navale, held off the Crozon peninsula south of Brest on France’s rugged west coast.

Douillard will again race with his regular expert crew of British helm Stevie Morrison, fellow Frenchman Mathieu Richard on navigation and tactics, and experienced Omani sailors Ali Al Balushi and Abdulhaman Al Mashari.

“We have made a good start to the season and we will aim to stay focused and keep winning races,” said Al Balushi. “Our main goal for the year is a strong result in the Tour de France a la Voile, and every regatta is a step in that direction.”

The Diam development squad have benefited from regular racetraining sessions with their senior teammates, and will hope to maintain their consistent run of results. Extreme 40 racer Pierre Le Clainche is standing in for Cedric Pouligny at GP Ecole Navale, leading talented Omani sailors Raad Al Hadiand Haitham Al Wuhaibi.

It is Oman Sail’s J80 team which will face the fiercest competition at the regatta, with almost 50 of the sports boats registered in the largest class taking part. It is a challenge that will be relished by Ibtisam Al Salmi.

“It is going to be a tough regatta against some very good sailors,” she said.