Doha, Qatar: The longest leg of EFG Bank Sailing Arabia – The Tour set sail on Wednesday afternoon for the capital of the UAE. The second of the seven-stage event, that takes the nine teams clockwise around the Gulf Co-operation Council states (GCC), started from the Qatar capital of Doha to Abu Dhabi, the first of three stops in the UAE.

Earlier in the week, the forecast showed that the boats might experience as much as 30 knots, but the forecast has thankfully moderated since then.

“I am not so sure the wind will be so strong. The last forecast we got was showing a maximum of 17 knots, although it is stronger to the east,” said Bertrand Pacé, who is hoping he can follow up on Tuesday’s success when his Team AISM won all three in-port races, elevating them to third place overall behind Cédric Pouligny’s Team BAE Systems and the Sidney Gavignet-skippered EFG Bank (Monaco).

Gavignet himself was looking forward to another new challenge in the event, following the light first leg from Bahrain to Doha. “We have wind, 15-20 knots,” he said. “They have delayed the start, because they were not sure that there would be wind at the start, but now it looks like it will be a 16-19 hour long leg – this time tight reaching with the jib or reaching with a spinnaker.”

Looking forward to this leg the most was certainly the crew of Team Abu Dhabi, led by Adil Khaled, the first Emirati sailor to compete in the Asian Games, but best known for sailing around the world as part of Ian Walker’s crew aboard Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing in the last Volvo Ocean Race.

“It is a big feeling. It is the first time we are doing EFG Bank Sailing Arabia The Tour with a full Emirati crew, so it is going to be a great day for Abu Dhabi and our team. It is a very big responsibility for me and Yousef,” he said.

Competing aboard identical Farr 30 yachts, the event has attracted nine crews representing five different nations, led locally by Oman’s Team Renaissance, Royal Navy of Oman, Team BAE Systems and the all-female Team Al-Thuraya Bank Muscat. Two teams will compete on behalf of the UAE, Team Abu Dhabi and Team AISM.

After leaving Manama on February 10, the tour involves stops at Doha, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah, Dibba and Mussanah and ends on February 25 in Muscat. The racing includes in-port racing at selected locations.

Overall standings before Wednesday: 1. BAE Systems; 2 EFG Bank (Monaco); 3 Team AISM.