Diam 24 / French team Beijaflore crowned new champions of EFG Sailing Arabia – The Tour

French team Beijaflore were today crowned the new champions of EFG Sailing Arabia – The Tour ending a four-year winning streak for rivals EFG Bank Monaco as the regatta came to a climax in Muscat, Oman.

Credit : Lloyd Images

Diam24 / Revamped EFG Sailing Arabia – The Tour thrills in wet and wild opener - Results

The new-look EFG Sailing Arabia – The Tour got underway today with exhilarating stadium racing in breezy conditions, showcasing the action that is in store over the next two weeks.

Crédit : Lloyd Images

Diam24 / Leading teams signed-up for highly competitive 2018 EFG Sailing Arabia – The Tour

The all-new 2018 EFG Sailing Arabia – The Tour (3-17 February) has attracted a high-class international fleet of Diam 24 racers eager to test themselves against the competition and the challenges of the course along Oman’s dramatic coastline.

Credit : L Images

Regatta / EFG Bank Monaco crowned EFG Sailing Arabia – The Tour winners for fourth time

French sailing star Thierry Douillard today led his EFG Bank Monaco (MON) team to their fourth consecutive EFG Sailing Arabia – The Tour title as the Arabian classic came to a thrilling climax.

Crédit : Lloyd Images

Douillard's men sealed their victory in style by winning the final race of the event, a sprint around a short course that rounded off the Dubai in-port series.

Regatta / Big breeze baptism of fire as EFG Sailing Arabia – The Tour 2017 gets underway

The eight international crews vying to be crowned EFG Sailing Arabia – The Tour 2017 champions were today facing a baptism of fire with heavy weather lying in wait on the opening offshore leg from Muscat to Sohar.

Crédit : Lloyd Images

Farr 30 / EFG Sailing Arabia - The Tour has become the most prestigious race in the Middle East

14 February - 1 March 2017. EFG Sailing Arabia - The Tour is the only annual race of its type, with a mix of long offshore legs and intense in port racing, in the world and since it was first established in 2011, has become the most prestigious race in the Middle East with a reach and appeal that extends with each edition, among both recreational and professional sailors.

Sailing Arabia The Tour / "Sidney Gavignet is the target for everyone" said Marcel Herrera

German-born British skipper Herrera and his University of Plymouth team of rising stars claimed bragging rights on the opening day of the 2016 EFG Sailing Arabia – The Tour (SATT) yesterday by winning the opening race of the Dubai In-Port Race series.

Crédit : M Lloyd

EFG Sailing Arabia – The Tour celebrates its sixth edition with a new route and new challenges

In its sixth year, Oman Sail’s signature event, EFG Sailing Arabia – The Tour (15-29 February) has a brand new route designed not only to showcase the natural beauty of the Arabian Gulf but to level the playing field among the nine teams from across the GCC and Europe making a bid for this year’s crown.

EFG Sailing Arabia – The Tour will be back in 2016

EFG Sailing Arabia – the Tour reigning champions Team EFG Bank Monaco have confirmed they will be back in 2016 with sights keenly set on ‘the treble’ when the new look 2016 One Design race, once more sponsored by EFG, gets underway in Dubai next month.

Crédit : M Lloyd

Gripping conclusion to EFG Sailing Arabia – The Tour 2015 as Sidney Gavignet is crowned champion

A third place in the final leg was enough to confirm Frenchman Sidney Gavignet and his mixed Omani and European team overall winners of EFG Sailing Arabia – The Tour for the second year in a row. EFG Bank (Monaco) were not the only champions in Bahrain on Saturday however with the new Volvo Ocean Race Rookie Award for the top two Under 30 sailors of the event going to Team Renaissance Omani sailor, Ali Al Balushi and British sailor from the University of Plymouth team, Richard Mason.

Credit : Lloyd Images

Volvo Ocean Race supports Sailing Arabia – The Tour with launch of Rookie Award for top two Under 30 sailors

The Volvo Ocean Race has recognised EFG Sailing Arabia - The Tour (SATT) as a leading development race for young offshore sailors by launching a Volvo Ocean Race (VOR) Rookie Award for the two best under 30 sailors competing in the event.

Credit : Lloyd Images

Images / Sailing Arabia The Tour, EFG BANK (Sidney Gavignet) wins LEG 3 and strengthens OVERALL LEAD

Sailing Arabia The Tour / Intense start of Leg 1 from Oman

The 2015 edition of EFG Sailing Arabia – The Tour kicked off today in Oman with an in port race at The Wave, Muscat that saw a record 11-strong fleet of international, elite regional and young sailing talent, battle for dominance, giving spectators ashore a great show before rolling straight into leg 1 of this epic six-leg, 760 nautical mile race, which runs from 15-28 February.

Crédit : SATT [More pics, here]

Regatta / Record entries for EFG Sailing Arabia – The Tour on February 15 (Schedule)

A record number of teams will line up at the start of the annual EFG Sailing Arabia – the Tour (SATT) on February 15 and a brand new route will ensure the fleet of both professional and amateur teams all set out on an equal footing.

Credit : Lloyd Images

Sidney Gavignet and team EFG Bank (Monaco) crowned EFG Sailing Arabia – The Tour 2014 champions

A consistent performance throughout the 15 days of racing including a second place in today’s Leg 7, was enough for EFG Bank (Monaco) to be crowned overall winner of the EFG Sailing Arabia – The Tour 2014 – the region’s only long distance offshore sailing endurance race between Bahrain and Muscat.

Credit : Lloyd Images

Farr 30 / Sailing Arabia – The Tour, an exciting in port sailing race

As Qatar gears up to celebrate Qatar National Sports day on 12th February, EFG Bank Sailing Arabia – The Tour, has announced an exciting in port sailing race at The Pearl Marina involving a host of world-class crews and sailing elite from across the Middle East.

Credit : Oman Sail

15 days, seven ports, Sailing Arabia – the Tour reached their final destination in Muscat

After 15 days, 1,408 kilometers, and seven ports, the nine competing teams in Sailing Arabia – the Tour reached their final destination in Muscat, Oman today (February 27), where the French on Courrier Dunkerque were crowned Sailing Arabia – the Tour Champions, 2012.

Credit : Lloyd Images

Sailing Arabia – the Tour / Dee Caffari :"We are disappointed by the result"

Leg four of Sailing Arabia – the Tour was frustratingly slow for the nine-boat fleet but despite a lack of wind for most of the leg, the battle on the water was no less tense.

Credit : Lloyd Images

Sailing Arabia The Tour / The most challenging leg to date

Described by the skippers as the most tactically challenging leg of the tour to date, the third leg of Sailing Arabia – the Tour could have gone to any one of the first three teams home with less than ten minutes separating first to third, after a challenging 232-kilometre race.

Credit : Hamed Al Qasmi

Regata / Daniel Souben Victory in the First leg of the Sailing Arabia The Tour

The first leg of Sailing Arabia - the Tour concluded in darkness in Doha, Qatar, last night (13 February) with Daniel Souben’s Courrier Dunkerque claiming a leg one victory for the all-French team. Souben’s crew led the nine-strong fleet from start to finish, rounding the windward top mark in clear air ahead of closest rivals Bertrand Pace on Team Commercial Bank, and Cedric Pouligny, Team BAE Systems.

Souben continued to pile on the pressure in fast downwind sailing conditions and eventually crossed the finish line 31min 32sec ahead of Team BAE Systems with Team Commercial Bank finishing a close third.

The yachts started the first leg from Manama, Bahrain with a fresh 20 knot northerly promising an exciting downhill run all the way to Doha but with the wind forecast to ease throughout the race, early pace was the key and it was here Souben’s crew excelled.