Dubai: A windless night prompted eight becalmed sailboats in the i-mate Dubai to Muscat race to retire and head back to Dubai.
Race organiser Paul Dilwirth from the Dubai Offshore Sailing Club (DOSC) said that there was simply not enough wind on Tuesday night in the Strait of Hormuz for the boats to continue.
"Last night was hell," he said from Muscat yesterday. "There was no wind anywhere."
Dilworth's own boat, Goodrich Serdal, which is being raced by another skipper during the race, made 38 miles in 24 hours before being pushed back eight miles by the current.
It retired from its class and will put in at Fujairah, refuel and then join the Rally Class, which allows boats to race under both sail and motor. "Lots of the boats actually made it through the Strait of Hormuz," said Dilworth. "But then found themselves getting pushed back in again because of the strong current and complete lack of wind."
Four other boats have followed Goodrich's example. Yesterday evening, Yo! the biggest boat in the race, was around 50 nautical miles from the finish line, with Art Marine the closest competitor.
Class 2 was being led by Algebra Capital, with Duboats Lancel, skippered by last year's winner Christophe Vanek, snapping at her heels.
And a scrap was developing in Class 3, with six boats fighting it out for the lead with 90 nautical miles to go.
Omani boats, Al Ukab and Al Bashiq, crewed by the Oman Royal Navy were neck and neck with DOSC's Wanderlust, Josh, Binker and Pererin from Abu Dhabi.
In the Rally Class, an under-motor Susan Margaret was a mere eight nautical miles from the finish line and expected before nightfall.
Dilworth said the first sail boats would cross the finish line this morning.
"Out of 27 starters we should have 16 crossing the finish line. That is our best number in the 14-year history of the race," said Dilworth.
