o’connel fights back to clinch jumeirah regatta hat-trick

Jubilant skipper Toby O’Connell paid tribute to his hard working crew after completing a hat-trick of title victories in the Jumeirah Regatta today.
 
Following a difficult first day aboard his 50 ft yacht Yo!, O’Connell fought back to clinch victory in Division One of the cruiser class for the third year in a row.
 
“I’m very pleased, and I have to say a big thank you to my crew because they made it happen today,” said the Dubai company director.
 
“We’ve had some problems with our performance over the last few weeks, but we’ve sorted that all out now. We didn’t have a good first day but today it was nice, clean racing all the way, practically without any mistakes. We’re all very happy because the Jumeirah Regatta is the best event of the year.”
 
Airline pilot David Rostant had taken a first day advantage at the helm of Mattafix, but had to settle for second place overall after O’Connell won both today’s races in an event which is one of the highlights of the UAE sailing calendar.
 
Christian Tzanov took Pal Zileri to third position overall helped by a second place in the opening race of the day in winds of 10 to 12 knotts off Dubai Offshore Sailing Club.
 
The Division Two title went to Calum McKie in Boracic who won both the day’s races ahead of Mace, skippered by Mike Jelfs, and Privateer entered by Ed Bowen and Matt and Bekky Britton.
 
Meanwhile the youngest crew in the cruiser class landed the Division Three title. The Team Duboats under 18 crew, which included Emirati teenagers Ahmed Ismail and Taher Al Tahar, made sure of the title with successive race victories from Tom Coldicott in
Tosser and Anthony Liddell at the helm of Mystique
 
At the end of a two-day tussle for supremacy over a course set off Mina Seyahi Water Sports Club, Connor and Mauve Ward clinched the Classic Catamarans title ahead of Charlie and Lol Robinson in second place and the father and son combination of Tim and Findley Grant in third.
 
The Catamarans Performance crown went to Peter and Carol Eldrige, with Tom Hemmingway finishing runner up and Brian Hillesdon third.
 
With many of the UAE’s brightest young sailors battling it out in the dinghy classes off Jumeirah Bach Hotel, Charles Allan was rewarded for his trip up from Abu Dhabi with victory in the Open category, while Nick Fish won the Laser Standard title and Charles Hill came out on top in the Radials.