Tzanov starts on winning note

Dubai: Kristian Tzanov made a smooth transition from the Class 1 World Powerboat Championship to the Maktoum Sailing Trophy as he enjoyed a triumphant start to the 2006 series.

Tzanov, better known as the Bulgarian-born throttleman in Class 1 challenger Ceramiche Flamina, made it two wins out of two for the Pal Zileri Sailing Team.

He won the first of the opening round's two short course races off Dubai Offshore Sailing Club and followed it up in the afternoon when the 44.7 Beneteau beat Horizon FCB into second place.

It was an impressive start to the four-round race series for the team's 44.7 Beneteau which beat defending champions Horizon FCB, skippered by Frenchmen Christophe Vanek and former Offshore World Champion Alain Fedensieu, into second place.

David Rostant skippered Switchblade to third place, his overall position in the first edition of the Maktoum Sailing Trophy, with Paul Dilworth claiming fourth spot in GoodrichSerdal, the newly named runner-up from last year's Maktoum series.

Victory in the opening race underlined Tzanov's versatility and competitive spirit. He is a former motocross rider who competed at world championship level in the 125cc and 250cc classes.

In 1999 he swapped bike sport for powerboat racing by making his Class 1 debut, and has also raced in Class 2 and Class 3 in the Middle East Championship.

The opening round of the Maktoum Trophy, which is organised by Dubai International Marine Club, attracted an entry of 16 Class 1 and Class 2 boats, and racing got under way with a north westerly onshore breeze of around 10 knots.

After dominating the series last year, Horizon FCB started as the strong favourites to retain their title.

Their crew has been strengthened by three other experienced Frenchmen, Nicolas Magnan, Philippe Naudin and Tanguy Livet, as well as three Italians, among them Mauro Piani, an Azzura teammate of Vanek in the 1983 and 1987 Americas Cup.

But Pal Zileri quickly took the initiative in the day's opening race to suggest that they could be the most serious challengers to Horizon's hopes of a repeat win this year.

In the first edition of the Maktoum Sailing Trophy, John Rose in Insatiable had been even more dominant than Horizon on his way to a convincing overall success in Class 2 category.

However, Rose had to settle for the second place in the first race of the 2006 series, behind Gill Smith in Blitzem.

John Atherton and Lyndon Thomas took Al Awal to the third place, ahead of Binker, skippered by Ben Trenouth.

Standings

Overall positions after two races: Class 1:

1. Pal Zileri Sailing Team (Kristian Tzanov) 2pts.

2. Horizon FCB (Christophe Vanek / Alain Fedensieu) 4pts.

3. Switchblade (David Rostant) 6pts.

4. Goodrich Serdal (Paul Dilworth) 8pts.

5. Southern Cross (Patrick Cahill) 12pts.

6. Victory (Jeroen Leenen) 13pts.

6. Tissaheel 2 (Robert Weight) 13pts.

8. Twister (Karen Rowlands) 15pts.