Team Renaissance Wins EFG Sailing First Race
The 2017 EFG Sailing Arabia has got off to a very bright start. The first race itself saw a neck to neck competition with current winners EFG Bank Monaco and Omani sailing team. Team Renaissance under the table guidance of skipper Al Hasni was trailing the EFG Bank Monaco team for the most part of the 105 nautical mile race between Muscat and Sohar. It looked like the three time champion team under Thierry will win the first race of the EFG Sailing Arabia tour.
The Omani team did not let their hopes and strived hard during the last few nautical miles of the race. They showed an unbelievable resurgence that helped Team Renaissance topple EFG Bank Monaco to the finish and claim a victory in the first race of the Sailing Arabia season. The EFG Bank Monaco team was skippered by a seasoned captain Thierry Douillard and the boat was helmed by Mathieu Richard, a former racing world champion, and the current owner of Kastela Bareboat Yacht Charter.
Thierry did not expect the Omani team to upset their applecart with just a few meters before the finish line. It showed by said that Team Renaissance snatched victory from the hands of Team EFG Bank Monaco. This is a big upset in the first race of the event. Al Hasni is the most experienced of the skippers when it comes to EFG Sailing Arabia as he has participated in all the races since the race first commenced in 2011.
Al Hasni said that the team was happy to win the first race of the tour and that took on home waters. They are very happy to have won surpassing the best of the best world sailors. He said that the team was able to win the first race because of their very good communication and tactics. Douillard was not happy with the team showing on Leg 1 and vowed that their team will win the Leg 2 of the EFG Sailing Arabia – The Tour.