Serdal wins season's dhow sailing honours

Serdal, a boat owned by President His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, clinched the Overall Championship in the 60-foot Traditional Dhow Sailing races for the season 2000-2001.

Serdal finished fourth in the 11th Dubai Open Sir Bu Naair 60ft Traditional Dhow sailing race, the third and final leg of the season, which was won by Barraq here yesterday afternoon. Though Barraq earned 400 points for yesterday's win, Serdal, skippered by Ahmed Thani M.G Al Rumaithi, garnered 169 points for it's fourth place effort.

The three races for the overall championship comprise of two short distances races along the Jumeirah coastline before culminating in the Sir Bu Naair to Dubai long-distance race. Serdal, which was placed fourth (169 points) in the first race in February, had won the second short race on May 3 to gain 400 points.

With yesterday's finish, The His Highness Sheikh Zayed-owned boat, totalled 738 points ahead of Al Zeer in second place with 696 points. Yesterday's win boosted Barraq's total to 622 with its earlier points coming from a fifth and sixth place finish in the first two races respectively. Barraq finished third overall.

Skippered by Ahmed Mohd. R Al Rumaithi, Barraq, a traditional dhow owned by Musabbeh Rashid M. Al Fathan, reached the Dubai International Marine Club-Mina Seyahi harbour first after 89 dhows started the race early yesterday morning.

The 54-nautical mile race, held under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance and Industry, was a tremendous success this year as more boats carrying more young nationals figured in this popular race.

The race, in which 12 sailors including their skipper set up their sails at 6.30 am, started at the Sir Bu Naair Island and finished at the DIMC harbour in Dubai. Each boat of 12 sailors had six nationals while the remaining six could be from other GCC countries.

Perfect conditions