 |
TURKEY, INDIA STAY ON COURSE AS UAE BATTLE ON IN ISAF NATIONS CUP
04.04.2006:
TURKEY, INDIA STAY ON COURSE AS UAE BATTLE ON IN ISAF NATIONS CUP
|

Soyer keeps Turks on winning trail as Indians cruise and Shaheen fights towards semi-finals
Dubai, UAE, 4th April, 2006: Turkey and India maintained their winning habit in the ISAF Nations Cup regional qualifier in Dubai today (Tuesday) as Ahmed Shaheen battled to keep the UAE in the hunt for a place in the semi-finals.
Orkun Soyer’s Turkish crew were again in commanding form, following up four wins on the opening day with two more victories to maintain their 100 per cent record as the first round robin series of match racing continued at Dubai International Marine Club.
After suffering their only loss on the opening day to Soyer following two earlier wins, Asian champions India won four more head-to-head matches today to draw level with the Turks at the top of the standings with six victories each.
It was a frustrating day meanwhile for Shaheen, whose all-Emirati crew is fighting for the right to represent the UAE in the grand finals of the ISAF Nations Cup in Ireland in September.
After two wins and a defeat on the opening day they suffered a second loss at the hands of India as the round-robin series resumed, before quickly bouncing back with victory over Cedric Le Rest’s crew representing the host club.
But the UAE team then failed to capitalise after taking winning positions in their next two matches and suffered defeats at the hands of Jebel Ali Sailing Club’s Christopher Graham, and India for the second time on the day.
With the first round-robin series continuing and a second round-robin series getting under way tomorrow (Wednesday) the highly rated Shaheen still held high hopes of taking the UAE into Friday’s semi-finals.
"Ahmed is very talented, and he showed it at times today," said Sid Ahmed, sailing director at Dubai International Marine Club. "At the moment he is losing out because he lacks experience, and perhaps his concentration lapses at times, but he will only get better."
The Turks have been sailing together for a year after winning their first match racing event in Italy last spring. They booked their place in Dubai this week by beating seven other crews to win the Turkish qualifying event last month.
Skipper Orkun Soyer said: "We didn’t really know what to expect this week, but we followed the Dubai Match Race on the internet in January and knew India would be strong.
"Match racing is never easy because one small mistake and the other guy is in front and then it’s very hard to get past him. For the round robin series we’re just going out to win every race, but if we get through to the final there will be more tactics involved."
"We’re trying to get used to the boat because it’s completely new to us," he added. "We’re winning at the moment but we’re talking everything over after each match because we want to improve."
The teams are competing in a daily round-robin series of match races aboard four V1/Lutra-30 Sport Boats, and enthusiasts can follow the event by visiting www.dimc-uae.com/sailing/isaf

ISAF Nations Cup regional qualifying round, second day round robin results:
India (Mahesh Ramchandran) bt UAE 1 (Ahmed Shaheen)
Turkey (Orkun Soyer) bt DIMC (Cedric Le Rest)
India (Ramchandran) bt UAE 2 (Yousuf Khalid Mohammad)
UAE 1 (Shaheen) bt DIMC (Le Rest)
India (Ramchandran) bt DOSC (Bekky Britton)
JASC (Christopher Graham) bt UAE 1 (Shaheen)
DIMC (Le Rest) bt DOSC (Britton)
Turkey (Soyer) bt JASC (Graham)
JASC (Graham) bt DOSC (Britton)
UAE 2 (Mohammad) bt DIMC (Le Rest)
JASC (Graham) bt UAE 2 (Mohammad)
India (Ramchandran) bt UAE 1 (Shaheen)

Overall standings after 11 flights of two matches each:
Turkey (Soyer) 6 wins
India (Ramchandran) 6
UAE 1 (Shaheen) 3
JASC (Graham) 3
UAE 2 (Mohammad) 2
DIMC (Le Rest) 2
DOSC (Britton) 0
1. Cedric Le Rest’s crew find the going tough in the ISAF Nations Cup qualifier in Dubai.
2. The UAE’s Ahmed Shaheen battles towards victory over Cedric Le Rest’s DIMC crew in the Nations Cup qualifying event today
3. Dean Barker, skipper of Emirates Team New Zealand, was a surprise visitor to Dubai International Marine Club en route to the Valencia for the start of the America’s Cup challenge series. He is pictured with DIMC sailing director Sid Ahmed (left), Mohammed Saifan, a member of the UAE team preparing for the Asian Games in Doha, and the UAE’s Italian coach Raymond Tonelli
4. Turkey cruising towards another victory over Cedric Le Rest’s DIMC crew
- Tony Lewis, Narayana Marar, Total Communications Dubai -
Permanent-URL:
|
ISAF NATIONS CUP REGIONAL DUBAI - QUALIFYING ROUND UPDATE - TURKEY SEND INDIA TO FIRST DEFEAT
03.04.2006
|
Turkey completed a clean sweep of victories on the opening day of the regional ISAF Nations Cup qualifying round in Dubai by sending India to their first defeat of the series.
ISAF Nations Cup regional qualifying round, full first day round robin results:
India (Mahesh Ramchandran) bt DIMC (Cedr more >> |
ISAF NATIONS CUP QUALIYING ROUND UPDATE
03.04.2006
|
In the second flight of the round robin series at Dubai International Marine Club, Ahmed Shaheen’s all-Emirati crew defeated the other UAE team skippered by Yousuf Khalid Mohammad, while Turkey beat Bekky Britton’s all-ladies crew.
India then scored their second successive win in the 2006 ISAF Nation more >> |
ISAF NATIONS CUP DUBAI - INDIA MAKE WINNING START TO NATIONS CUP BATTLE
03.04.2006
|
UAE suffer opening defeat to Turkey after light winds delay start of regional qualifier at Dubai International Marine Club
New Asian champions India made a winning start to the 2006 ISAF Nations Cup in Dubai today (Monday) while the UAE suffered defeat in the opening match race exchanges.
After more >> |
LADIES EARN GRAND FINAL PLACE AS DUBAI LAUNCHES ISAF NATIONS CUP SAILING BATTLE
03.04.2006
|
India (left) in action in Dubai last time out – they are favourites but not unbeatableDubai ladies crew earn passage to Ireland as UAE youngsters aim to upset India’s Asian match racing champions
The UAE has been guaranteed a place in the grand final of the ISAF Nations C more >> |
ISAF NATIONS CUP - YOUNG UAE SAILING STARS GEAR UP FOR NATIONS CUP BID
30.03.2006
|
Two UAE teams will be battling through a round robin series of match races for a place in the grand final of the ISAF Nations CupNational squad compete for places in regional qualifier and chance to upset Indian favourites
The cream of the UAE’s young sailing talent are being prepared for a maj more >> |
LIFESTYLE - Sailing: ISAF NATIONS CUP - INDIA AIM TO COMPLETE MATCH RACE HAT-TRICK IN DUBAI
29.03.2006
|
New Asian champions chase qualifying place for ISAF Nations Cup final
Dubai, UAE, 29th March, 2005: New Asian champions India will be aiming for a third consecutive match racing success in Dubai next week as a worldwide sailing battle gets under way for the ISAF Nations Cup.
Mahesh R more >> |
Lifestyle SAILING- UAE YOUNGSTERS AIM FOR ISAF NATIONS CUP GLORY
28.03.2006
|
Shaheen, Khalid take Dubai qualifying route towards grand final showdown in Ireland
Some of the UAE’s most talented young sailors go back into match racing action next week to fight for a place in the grand final of the ISAF Nations Cup.
Ahmed Shaheen, already in the record books more >> |
DUBAI LAUNCHES WORLD WIDE SAILING BATTLE FOR ISAF NATIONS CUP
27.03.2006
|
Dubai International Marine Club stages one of eight regional qualifiers in event to decide world’s top match racing nation
A season of top-class international sailing in Dubai continues next week when UAE teams go head-to-head with challengers from Bahrain, Turkey and India as part of a worldwide match raci more >> |
COUTTS WEATHERS THE STORM TO WIN DUBAI MATCH RACE CHALLENGE
17.03.2006
|
more >> |
COUTTS GRABS ADVANTAVE IN DUBAI MATCH RACE CHALLENGE
16.03.2006
|
America’s Cup legend edges ahead as RC 44 makes race debut at Dubai International Marine Club
Dubai: Three-times America’s Cup winning skipper Russell Coutts grabbed a narrow advantage on the opening leg of the Dubai Match Race Challenge today.
Coutts edged 2-1 ahead after three 20-minute rounds o more >> |
FREQUENT FLYER CASHES IN WITH EMIRATES TEAM NEW ZEALAND
16.03.2006
|
McGregor enjoys Skywards bonus as mastman Mason says Kiwis can deliver America’s Cup to Emirates
Dubai, UAE, March 16: When Todd McGregor signed up for Emirates Airline’s frequent flyer programme, Skywards, he was more concerned with getting an upgrade; sailing off Dubai with some of the world’ more >> |
Lifestyle - Sailing - COUTTS PRIMED FOR TOUGH MATCH RACE SHOWDOWN WITH GRAM-HANSEN IN DUBAI
16.03.2006
|
V1 backs DIMC’s drive to build world stage for sailing as RC 44 gets competitive debut in Dubai Match Race Challenge
Three-times America’s Cup winner Russell Coutts and Danish star Jes Gram-Hansen are pri more >> |
Lifestyle - DETORRI TAKES "NERVOUS" RIDE WITH EMIRATES TEAM NEW ZEALAND
15.03.2006
|
Godolphin star says Eletrocutionist is stable’s best hope for Dubai World Cup
Godolphin star Frankie Detorri is known as one of the most fearless jockeys in the world, but at Dubai International Marine Club today he was a little apprehensive about going sailing.
"I'm quite nervous act more >> |
Lifestyle - Emirates Team New Zealand : DALTON URGES YOUNG DUBAI SAILING TALENT TO AIM FOR AMERICA’S CUP PLACE
14.03.2006
|
The Emirates Team New Zealand in action in the Pro Am series in Dubai today
Emirates Team New Zealand boss says DIMC youth training programme can propel local youngsters to the top
Grant Dalton, Managing Director of Emirates Team New Zealand, today urged more >> |
Lifestyle Sailing - BMW ORACLE Racing für America's Cup: Nach 8.900 Kilometern und 13 Stunden Flug
01.03.2006
|
Neue BMW ORACLE Racing Hightech Yacht landet sicher in Valencia
Heute landete eine Frachtmaschine, Typ Antonov, mit äußerst wertvoller Ladung in Valencia. An Bord: die neue America's Cup Yacht des BMW ORACLE Racing Teams. 13 Stunden und 8.900 km nach Abflug in Seattle im US-Bundesstaat Washington wurde der 24 Meter lange Bootsrumpf aus Carbon heute nach V more >> |
Lifestyle - DUBAI IS WORLD-CLASS FOR SAILING, SAYS COUTTS IN COUNTDOWN TO NEW MATCH RACE CHALLENGE
28.02.2006
|
The Russell Coutts 44 racing boat – on the world stage in Dubai.New Zealand star backs Dubai emphasis on youth as key to helping sport grow
Russell Coutts says Dubai is on course to become one of the world’s leading sailing venues and is placing the right emphasis on youth to help the sp more >> |
28.02.2006
|
more >> |