Oman- Sailing Arabia The Tour: Al Mouj looks to pull off a few surprises

2/14/2016 4:33:43 AM

(MENAFN- Muscat Daily)

Al Mouj is new to the EFG Sailing Arabia-The Tour (SATT) but an experienced crew packed with spirit and talent is hungry for success with plans to spring a few surprises in the 2016 edition.

The Omani-French crew is skippered by French navigator Nico Lunven who has Volvo Ocean Race Tour de France a Voile Figaro and RORC miles under his belt.

He also knows how it feels to win the SATT having been navigator on board Sidney Gavignet's triumphant EFG Bank Monaco in 2015. To add to Al Mouj's pedigree Lunven has seasoned campaigner Gilles Favennec a member of Oman Sail's MOD70 and M34 crew on board as co-skipper.

Gilles Favennec Al Mouj co-skipper

'This team was put together by me and Gilles and we decided to try to build it to be happy working together during this month' said Lunven.

The crew comprises two Omani sailors Abdulaziz al Obaidani veteran of four SATT and Haitham al Wahaibi as well as three other French sailors Christian Ponthieu Gregory Gendron and Thomas Rouxel - all offshore specialists. With the changes to Tour de France a la Voile the SATT was the obvious choice for the crew looking to keep up their racing and training during the winter months when the inclement weather across Europe prevents a full outdoor programme.

'In Europe at this time there is nothing like this. We have done a lot of Tour de France a la Voile events but now there is only this race if we want to do high-level competitive offshore sailing' said Favennec.

Busy schedules have prevented any intensive training so the crew have gathered for the first time in Dubai UAE where the first inshore race starts on February 15 before the fleet of identical Farr 30 boats set off on the first leg to Abu Dhabi UAE.

They are big fans of this year's new route with the second upwind leg to Doha Qatar and the marathon third leg to Khasab Oman offering them a chance to shine. This is where they hope to rack up the points and are serious contenders for a podium place with ambitions to dislodge hot favourite EFG Bank Monaco from the top spot.

A file photo of Abdulaziz al Obaidani

'We would like play for the first place' said Lunven. 'We are especially looking forward to competing against Sidney Gavignet's team EFG Bank Monaco.'

Earlier this year Team EFG Bank Monaco Team Mangold Dutch team Delft Challenge Bienne Voile of Switzerland Averda Zain Kuwait the all-women's Oman Airport-Al Thuraya team and Renaissance Services announced they are going to participate in the 2016 edition. Crew: Gilles Favennec Nico Lunven Haitam al Wahaibi Abdulaziz al Obaidani Christian Ponthieu Thomas Rouxel Gregory Gendron.

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