Maktoum Sailing Trophy: Feilberg aims for late winning start to Maktoum Trophy

Maktoum Sailing Trophy leaders Pal Zileri have been warned that their impressive winning run in the Gulf’s top fleet racing series could come to an abrupt halt in Dubai at the weekend.

Australian Mark Fielberg, runner up in the inaugural Maktoum Trophy last year, makes his first appearance in the 2006 series this weekend at the helm of his new Grand Soleil 37 yacht Art Marine 2, and he is eager to start with a win.

"Our team has not sailed in the first two rounds for various reasons, but we’re looking forward to giving the new boat its first race in round three at the weekend," said Feilberg. "I expect us to be on the podium, and that we’ll give the Pal Zileri team a real run for their money for first place."

While Pal Zileri have dominated the first two rounds of short course racing, Feilberg believes his crew is well equipped to end their winning run in the 24-hour non-stop offshore event which gets under way from Dubai International Marine Club on Thursday morning.

"I’ve done many offshore miles in my 20 years of offshore overnight racing in Australia in some of the toughest conditions seen anywhere in the world," he said. "My crew this weekend are all experienced sailors, and I believe we have one of the most experienced teams in the series."

Feilberg expects important contributions from key crew members Yousef Bin Lahej, the team’s tactician and the first UAE national to qualify for an Olympic sailing event, trimmer Chris Graham and navigator Alan Skennerton, a former UAE rally champion.

At the weekend they will be joined by another Aussie, leading sail designer Matt Pearce, who assisted Feilberg in last year’s Dubai-Muscat race. He flies in to Dubai to make another guest appearance, with Feilberg saying: "There might be a few other surprises on the team."

Enthusiasts can follow the Maktoum Sailing Trophy on the official Dubai International Marine Club website at www.dimc-uae.com/sailing/mst

As the third round takes the boats through the night on Thursday, concentration and ability to shake off tiredness will be crucial, and the crew of Art Marine 2 will not be the only ones waiting to pounce on any mistakes by Pal Zileri.

Frenchmen Christophe Vanek and Alain Fédensieu, joint skippers of defending champions and currently second-placed Horizon FCB, have certainly not conceded the title. They will be aiming to exert pressure on the leaders, as will third placed Switchblade skippered by David Rostant.

Feilberg says: "These races are won and lost based on tactics and we will not be revealing ours until the race is over. Let’s just say there might be a few surprises for the leaders. My crew is well prepared. There will be no need to adapt as we are going to be sailing hard all night just as we would if we were racing for an hour or two. There will be no sleeping."

Among those hoping for better fortunes the weekend is Rob Weight, skipper of Tissaheel 2, the boat owned by Saeed bin Drai and currently sharing seventh place in the Maktoum Trophy with Karen Rowlands’ Twister.

Weight describes his team’s performances to date as "poor", and blames "too many equipment issues, such as the sails blowing out."

He says: "Our hopes for round three are high - if we get our new sails in time. I think we may be better as a team now that we’ve settled down, and with a crew of seven, a rotation system of four hours on and four hours off will work well.

While Weight is full of praise for the way Pal Zileri have performed so far, he believes the race for the Maktoum Trophy is far from over. He said: "They have shown how a professional outfit should be run, although I suspect Horizon FCB can still give them a run for their money."

1. Pal Zileri Sailing Team (Kristian Tzanov) 12pts
2. Horizon FCB (Christophe Vanek / Alain Fédensieu) 21pts
3. Switchblade (David Rostant) 29pts
4. Goodrich Serdal (Paul Dilworth) 51pts
5. Southern Cross (Patrick Cahill) 61pts
6. Victory (Jeroen Leenen) 62pts
7. Twister (Karen Rowlands) 75pts
7. Tissaheel 2 (Robert Weight) 75pts
9. Virgo Bellica (Cedric Le Rest) 81pts
10. Get the Mina Effect (Peter Eldridge) 96pts
11. Vacheron Constantin Team Racing (Mark Devitt) 105pts

1. Blitzem (Gil Smith) 10pts
2. Insatiable (John Rose) 20pts
3. Al Awal (John Atherton / Lyndon Thomas) 40pts
4. Binker (Ben Trenouth) 45pts 

1. Mark Feilberg – aiming to give the Pal Zileri team a run for their money in the third round of the Maktoum Sailing Trophy.

2 & 3 Concentration and ability to shake off tiredness will be crucial as the boats head through the night, with the Maktoum Trophy still up for grabs.

- Tony Lewis, Narayana Marar, TOTAL COMMUNICATIONS DUBAI -