Youngsters face Maktoum Trophy test

Dubai: Ten UAE youngsters hoping for the chance to battle for Asian Games medals in December have the chance to press their individual claims when the Maktoum Sailing Trophy reaches its climax over the next two days.

Ahmad Shaheen and Yousuf Khalid will skipper two all-UAE national crews who face close scrutiny in the fourth and final round of the Maktoum Trophy which gets under way at Dubai International Marine Club today.

The 10 were selected from a 20-strong UAE squad to contest last month's ISAF Nations Cup regional qualifying event in Dubai, and all are now competing for places in the five-man sailing team which will represent the Emirates at the Doha Asian Games.

While the Maktoum Trophy is a fleet racing event, compared with the Nations Cup and Asian Games which both feature head-to-head match racing, this weekend's two days of competitive sailing will be an important part of the UAE team's Doha build-up.

Competing in Class 2 in two Beneteau 7.5 yachts, their performances will be studied closely by Italian coach Raymondo Tonelli and Sid Bensalah, sailing director at Dubai International Marine Club, which created a UAE squad through its youth sailing programme launched seven years ago.

"This is another good examination for some of our best young sailors as they're stepping up into a very competitive senior level, and it is all part of their sailing education," said Bensalah.

"Several of them have competed in the Maktoum Trophy before by helping out as individual crew members, but this is the first time that they have gone into an event to compete as teams and it will be interesting to see how they work together. There is still a distance to go before the team for the Asian Games is selected, and the squad will be taking part in two training camps in Italy in the summer.

"But what happens at the weekend could tell us a lot about the leadership abilities of the two skippers and the team spirit in their crews."

Ahmad Shaheen, the first UAE sailor to contest the Optimist World Championships and the favourite to skipper the Emirates' team in Doha, takes charge of a crew including his brother Omar.

Standings
Class 1 (after three rounds):

1. Pal Zileri Sailing Team (Francis Carr) 13pts.
2. Horizon FCB (Christophe Vanek & Alain Fedensieu) 23pts.
3. Switchblade (Will Ramage, Cam Price, David Rostant 32pts.
4. Goodrich Serdal (Paul Dilworth) 52pts.
5. Victory (Jeroen Leenen) 64pts.
6. Twister (Glywn & Karen Rowlands) 75pts.
7. Tissaheel 2 (Rob Weight) 77pts.
8. Virgo Bellica (Cerdric Le Rest) 85pts.
9. Get the Mina Effect (Peter Eldridge) 103pts.
10. Yo! (Toby O'Connell) 108 pts.
11. Vacheron Constantin Team Racing (Mark Devitt) 113pts.