The final preparations
The cup, named after the national symbol of the emirate of Qatar, the oryx, is the first round of regattas around the world where the fastest trimaran will compete against the fastest catamaran. It's about the question of the best design concept - and a million dollar prize money.
At around 12 noon tomorrow morning, the starting gun will be given ten nautical miles from Doha, the capital of the Emirates of Qatar, in the Arabian Gulf. It's a similar event to The Race four years ago, but with a few peculiarities:
For the first time, a regatta around the world does not start in Europe or America, but from the Arabian Peninsula. The emirate, which is also the main sponsor, aims to attract the public's attention through top-class events. So far, best known for its motorboat and horse races, Qatar will also host the 2006 Asian Games. The desert state, which lives exclusively from its oil and gas reserves, but which will continue to bubble for a maximum of 50 years, wants to orient itself more towards tourism, similar to Dubai.
For the first time, a trimaran and a catamaran will compete against each other in this regatta. The 125-foot cat “Cheyenne”, ex “Playstation”, holds the record for the fastest circumnavigation of the world (58 days), the trimaran “Cheyenne” is holder of the Jules Verne Trophy, also for the fastest circumnavigation of the world under sail. It took him 63 days. The only difference lies in the organization of the respective record runs, “Cheyenne” holds the absolute record.
The third participating ship is called “Quatar 2006” and the catamaran is none other than the former “Club Med” which won The Race. “Daedalus”, on the other hand, has no chance, although the Kat already set records under Sir Peter Blake, but is over 20 years old.
Although they are the fastest multinationals in the world, the record for the fastest circumnavigation will not fall. Because the route that will be sailed from tomorrow through the Indian Ocean, south around New Zealand, around the two capes and back to Doha, is shorter than the official record routes of Europaus and therefore not recognized. Today it was announced that the World Sailing Speed Record Council, the highest authority in matters of records, has officially recognized a new route - for the shortest time between the southern tip of New Zealand and Cape Horn.