With Frenchman Sidney Gavignet at the helm the team, which includes two local Omani sailors crossed the finish line in Doha at 18:59 beating the ever-threatening Messe Frankfurt Sailing Team, who led the fleet for most of the breezy run, by just 25 seconds.

Gavignet is no stranger to the high profile racing world having raced at the highest levels including the America’s Cup and Olympic Games for many years, but he certainly had his work cut out in the Tour’s opening race, with the young Messe Frankfurt Sailing Team leading the charge downwind until the final sprint to the finish.

In this, the region’s only long distance offshore sailing endurance race between Bahrain and Muscat, Messe Frankfurt’s Marcel Herrera demonstrated just how important it is to train consistently for an event like this. He and his team, which comprise a variety of sailors from the UK with an average age of 26, have been training hard in Plymouth for the majority of the year and this impressive first leg result is a reflection of the work the team has put into its campaign.

The results of EFG Bank (Monaco) and Messe Frankfurt Sailing Team are even more impressive considering they both ran aground sailing close to the shore trying to keep out the 3kts of tidal stream. EFG Bank (Monaco) also suffered jib failure on the start line and was last to start.

Commenting on his win and how he and his team managed claw their way up the fleet, Gavignet commented: “I think the key to our win today was boatspeed. After our jib problem, when the tack ring blew out we came back from behind, and eventually overtook the leaders. Interestingly, they managed to stick with us because they used our boatspeed as a reference, so it was hard to get rid of them.

“As for the grounding on the beach, well, basically in an effort to avoid the strong tidal current we pushed it a bit too hard. It was more shallow than it indicated on the chart.”

The timing of The Tour's arrival to Qatar couldn’t be been better, coinciding with Qatar National Sports Day celebrations. With crews preparing for their first in-port racing off Doha’s West Bay today, those enjoying the public holiday will get the chance to see the fleet in glorious race action. 

Marcel Herrera skipper of second placed Messe Frankfurt Sailing Team said it was a tough opening race, but incredibly rewarding: “I think it was Sidney’s

[Gavignet] experience that was the winning factor today. He would have been in lots of situations like this before and he knew how to deal with it. Our experience was bit lacking so he managed to turn that into a positive for him and show us how to do it properly.”

In third place was Team Delft Challenge – TU Delft, skippered by Kay Heemskerk. This team also demonstrated huge potential right from the start. After a short, yet testing first beat, the team led at the first mark and was always in contention.

Heemskerk commenting on what lessons the team learned from the race, said: “We had a good start and it was close racing almost to the end. The most important lesson we learnt today was to stay focused all the time. That is something we’ll take with us in the next race.”

The impressive skyline, showcasing Qatar’s finest architecture, will be remembered by crews for a long time, particularly those who are visiting the region for the first time. The fleet is based in The Pearl, the prestigious marina location off the coast of Doha’s West Bay for the next two days, giving crews the chance to experience the delights of this spectacular location.

Katie Pettibone, American skipper of Al-Thuraya Bank Muscat, who finished fourth today said although she has sailed into Doha before the approach never fails to impress: “It was epic sailing today, and our approach to Doha was truly amazing as always. It was actually really enjoyable to sail in the daylight for a change because the last two years we have arrived in the dark.”

This annual public holiday was initiated in 2012 to promote a healthy lifestyle among the population in Qatar, and the fact that sailing is one of the region's fastest growing sports, it is a golden opportunity for the city to really embrace the sport

Held from February 9-24, EFG Sailing Arabia The Tour is now in its fourth year and offers 15 days of intense sailing with a mix of in-port and offshore races to test the skills the region’s best sailing talent and a selection of elite world class sailors.

The 760-nautical mile course spans over four countries from Bahrain to Oman, with eight of the region’s premier marinas playing host as stopover venues during the seven legs of the course.