IODA Asian Sailing Championship 2001

Dubai International Marine Club

1-6 January 2001
Only two of the scheduled three races were possible on this, the final day of the championship.

In the first light-wind race overnight leader Luca Dubbini (ITA) could place only 10th to allow his closest rival Abdul Rahim of Malaysia to close the gap. However the wind strengthened to Force 3 in the afternoon and Luca did just enough to win the Open Championship by just 2 points. Teo Wee Chin (SIN) scored two wins to place third.

Among the girls Yoko Kiuchi (JPN) had sufficient of an overnight lead to take first prize over the rapidly improving Aman Hazarita (MAS).

The regatta is also being scored as an ISAF Group I (middle east and north Africa) event. Ahmed Hareb showed his light wind skills in Race 6 to score a commendable 26th (Dubai have only had Optimists for 18 months!) but could not overtake Hanza Lboukili of Morocco.

The championship has proved a huge boost to Optimist sailing in the region with no less than 110 boats bought by Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE and Egypt.

THANK YOU, SAEED!

THE 12TH IODA ASIAN SAILING CHAMPIONSHIP has attracted 57 sailors for sixteen countries including for the first time Bahrain and Qatar.

Hosted by the Dubai International Marine Club at the venue used for the 1998 ISAF World Championship, a special air-conditioned team village has been constructed, complete with a "play room" equipped with the latest arcade games and a floodlit mini-football pitch. All boats are supplied by Winner Optimists and have already been sold on to increase the Optimist fleets in various Gulf and middle-east countries.

Following the fun UAE International Team Racing event (multinational teams of six boats per team), the championship started with the individual championship which is continuing on 4th/5th January with a total of nine races scheduled.

In the team racing event held on 3rd. January Singapore won both the Asian event beating Malaysia and the Open event beating Italy.

Socially the regatta is already a huge success with a great New Year's Eve party (musical chairs against the jury!) and a magical dhow cruise up the Dubai Creek.

Singapore v Italy
in the background the famous sail-shaped Burj Al-Arab hotel.		Nurul MaisaraMohana Al-Dosari
Bahrain is the newest member of IODA.

Last Updated on 17/9/00
By Robert Wilkes