SailRaceWin: Arabian Hopefuls : Superb Images from Bahrain by Christophe Launay/SeaLaunay

Wednesday 29 June 2011

Arabian Hopefuls : Superb Images from Bahrain by Christophe Launay/SeaLaunay

by Lia Ditton

The 3rd GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) Sailing Championships, at the Bahrain Sailing Club near Al Jazayer Beach in Zallaq brought together 55 sailors in total, from 6 countries: Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, UAE and Qatar, sailing in 4 classes: Laser "Standard", Laser 4.7, Laser Radial and the Optimist.

1 Shaikl Khalifa bin Abdullah Al Khalifa (the BMSA - Bahrain Maritime Sports Association's president) welcomed the sailors from across the Gulf region.

5 sailors from Team Oman competed in: 3 of the classes: Laser Standard, Laser Radial and Laser 4.7. 1 of the Team Oman sailors, Ahmed al Mashari went home proudly, with a bronze medal and impressive trophy for his successes in the Laser Standard!

At most the wind was light: a dusty 5-10 kts with hopeful postponements until mid-afternoon. Temperatures were high, 45 degrees C (113 degrees F) with only a slightly cooler 33 degrees C water (91.4 degrees F). Nonetheless, the haze made for some beautifully soft-edged marine photography.