EFG Bank (Monaco) Wins Toughest Leg of EFG Sailing Arabia – The Tour. Defending champion, Sidney Gavignet, and his all-star team including world-class sailors Damian Foxall, Alex Pella, and Nicolas Lunven, are unstoppable. In winds that reached 25kts, they increased their lead overnight and, by the time a shortened course was signaled at Gate 3, they had built up nearly two-miles over second placed Team Renaissance.
Gavignet commented: “This was the toughest leg ever in the history of EFG Sailing Arabia – The Tour. It was breezy into headwinds all the way, and we had up to 1.5m waves, which is quite something for the Farr 30s.”
Commenting on how Team EFG Bank (Monaco) keeps up the momentum on such a long, overnight leg, Gavignet added: “We keep the same speed but we do lots of rotation onboard and no crew is ever on watch for more than two hours, so this helps keep up the speed and avoids struggle when fatigue sets in.”
Gavignet’s closest threat this week is the UK based Team Averda skippered by Marcel Herrera with David Kenefick, RCYC, Helm/Trimmer. Herrera, a veteran of the Tour, and runner up to Gavignet in 2014, maintained second position on Leg 5 in the early stages but Renaissance were ahead at the shortened course finish line. “It was very tough and a real test of endurance and stamina. We fought to hold onto our second place but in the early hours, just before the finish, Renaissance managed to just get ahead and keep their boat going a little bit faster, so well done to Fahad and the guys.”
Today teams will take part in the final in port race off Doha at 1230 before they set off on the final leg of the Tour (Leg 6) to Bahrain, tomorrow (Friday) at 0830.
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