Dubai: A chance meeting in Munich between UAE sailor Obaid Al Tayer and former world champion Joerg Moessnang will result in Germany becoming the first-ever non-UAE participants in the Al Gaffal 60ft dhow race between Sir Bu Na’air Island and Dubai on Saturday.

The Al Tayer family was on holiday in Germany way back in 1995 and Obaid, who is another of the 103 entrants in the 23rd edition of the race, happened to meet some sail-makers in Munich. Being an established sailor in the UAE, he met the man who was in charge of the business and even sold him 3,000 metres of cloth.

Today, 18 years later, Germany will enter the UAE’s watersport history books as the first foreign country to participate in a traditional sailing race.

But the story doesn’t end there, as the German crew will be skippered by Royalty in the shape of Prince Luitpold of Bavaria.

Moessnang will have the honour of being crew manager for Saturday’s 54Nm race and he said: “We’ve been trying hard to get an entry into this race and this year it is finally a reality.”

Mohammad Suhail Butti Al Ayali, a Dubai International Marine Club (DIMC) board member, has been friends with Moessnang much longer than that chance meeting between Al Tayer and the German sailor, who became a world champion in the Soling Class in 1973.

This week has been emotional for all three friends as they see their lasting friendship come together on the waters of the Arabian Gulf. Al Tayer has been generous in offering one of his dhows for the Germans to compete, while Al Ayali has played host during their stay.

“I’ve been a regular visitor to Munich and we have been sailing there each summer since 1984,” Al Ayali told Gulf News.

“He always wanted to be a part of this day, when he would fly the German flag in our very own traditional sailing race. And here he is.”

But does Moessnang think he has a chance of winning the race and the cash prize put up by patron Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance? “No way,” he laughed. “Though sailing is the same all over the world, we could never pull off a win on Saturday.

“Actually I don’t want to win this race as our intention is to just connect and communicate with the people of the UAE through sport.”

The advance support staff from race organisers DIMC left for Sir Bu Na’air early on Thursday morning. The rest of the staff will head to the island on Friday in time for the pre-race press conference and Saturday’s early morning start.

The first of the dhows are expected to cross the finish line near the Burj Al Arab at about midday on Saturday.