The Dubai moth GP 2009 took place end of February, Glenn Raphael who finished 9th at the Weymouth worlds was not competing as he had ripped out his vang plate the week before.
The forecast was for nothing on Friday and blowing hard off the desert on saturday. Seven boats were out for the friday racing, two races around an upwind down wind course.
Chris Graham got off the line best with Jonny Marshall in close pursuit, with marginal foiling breeze Chris opened up a gap over Jonny with Marcus O Connell in third. Chris cruised round the rest of the course with no more place changes.
The second race was closer, all boats on the start line and boat end bias. Jonny lifting in front of Chris with a dying breeze. Kerstin the Dubai foiler chick was going well as was marc Brugger from Abu Dhabi and Jon Peats with his umpteenth foil underneath his boat. Chris pulled a gack up the first windward to stay foiling while jonny could not foil out of his tack, Marcus O Connel stayed in third.
Second lap was all change with Chris finding a hole and not being able to foil in the light stuff with his new secret foil and rig set up. Jonny foiled away and won comfortably winning the day courtesy of countback. Chris coming in Second and Marcus O connell in third.
Saturday was what is becoming a tradition around the world day in the breeze. 9 am rolled round and it was already gusting 29-30 off the desert with visibility down to about 200 meters.
Chris went out, set up with a few tweaks to his rig set up and a few other changes. Mark Brugger and Jon peats also foiled out and started for round the world. Jon pulled the plug early and was content just to go for top speeds. Mark snapped his stay and his mast so was also out for the day.
Chris had ten second average of 24.5 knots and was out the top in 14 minutes before breaking his foil. He came back in and tried again and again but went through two more foils, needless to say the set up is fast but putting a lot of pressure on his foils!
Jonny Marshall came down in the afternoon and also Kerstin came out, doing some tuning runs with the boys.
Star of the weekend was new comer Jonny Marshall who is getting quick and showing good pace. Jon Peats boat has changed hands to a 16 year olds hands and it also looks like Andrew Browns boat might be heading this way.
The Dubai fleet is growing fast and getting faster and faster. Web Master Doug Culnanae is out in the sandpit on a holiday next week also so moth central is very busy...
So much for real work.
1st - Jonny Marshall - 3pts
2nd - Chris Graham - 3pts
3rd - Marcus O'Connell - 6pts
4th - Kerstin Sommer
Thanks to Chris Graham our 'Guy in Dubai' for the update.
Enlarge
Enlarge
|
