Abhilash Tomy looks to conquer Golden Globe Race on his second attempt

Indian sailor Abhilash Tomy believes the upcoming race is his second chance to achieve one of his greatest dreams. (File/AFP)
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Updated 03 September 2022
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Abhilash Tomy looks to conquer Golden Globe Race on his second attempt

  • On Sunday, the Indian sailor and retired navy commander will enter the third running of the race, having almost lost his life in the 2018 edition

The ocean has always been a place of solitude for Indian sailor Abhilash Tomy. 

On Sunday, the former navy commander will return to sea as he sets off on his second attempt at the world’s toughest and longest sailboat competition, the Golden Globe Race. 

“When I am at sea, there are no distractions, no external stimulations…I always look forward to it,” 43-year-old Tomy told Arab News during an interview via Zoom. 

The solo, non-stop, around-the-world yacht race, which was first held in 1968-1969 as the “Sunday Times Golden Globe Race,” made a welcome return in 2018 on its 50th anniversary as a tribute to the original event and its achievements.

For its third edition, kicking off on Sept. 4, 2022, competitors will stick to the established rules of using basic boats and equipment and avoiding modern technology to complete their journeys.  

Following the exact route traveled in the first edition, sailors will set off from Les Sables-d’Olonne in France and make their way around the world via five Great Capes before returning to the starting point. 

“I will be out of touch with my kid and my family for around eight to nine months, but it’s an added anxiety that you just come to terms with,” said Tomy.

“If a negative thought enters your mind, it stays there for many days,” he said. “So, I make a conscious effort to keep my mind healthy during those many months of solitude.”

Looking back at his first attempt at the GGR in 2018, a feat that nearly killed him, Tomy believes the upcoming race is his second chance to achieve one of his greatest dreams.  

“The 2018 GGR was a very difficult time, but I never blamed the sea for what happened.

“I was in third position when the storm happened, and out of the three boats that encountered this storm, two were lost,” he said. 

Tomy was sailing the Thuraya, an exact replica of the boat Suhaili used by the race’s first winner of 1968, Sir Robin Knox Johnston, when he faced an extreme storm that dismantled his yacht 80 days into the race.

“I had a couple of knockdowns in the storm. 

“The first knockdown broke my mizzen boom, a few antennas and the wind generator,” he said. “The boat was a complete mess inside.”

While hand steering the boat in rocky waters halfway between Australia and South Africa, Tomy encountered severe winds that flung him into the water, separating him from his boat and pushing him deep underwater. 

“When the boat straightened, I was on top of the mizzen mast, which is about 9 meters high. From there, I fell, my back hit the boom and that’s when I fractured my spine,” he said.

Tomy, who was not aware of the extent of his injury at the time, tried to clean up his boat, repeatedly attempting to stand up before finally buckling at the knees.

“While I was injured and lying in the bunk for three and a half days, I was already making plans to take part in the next GGR,” said Tomy.

After reaching out to the race control and turning his emergency position-indicating radio beacon on, he was finally rescued on day 83 of the race and underwent a two-day spinal surgery over a week later. 

His short journey at the GGR 2018, however, came five years after one of his life’s greatest accomplishments. 

On March 31, 2013, Tomy became the first Indian and second Asian to complete a solo non-stop circumnavigation around the world on a boat. 

Sailing 23,000 nautical miles from India, the championed sailor crossed the Indian, Southern Pacific and Atlantic oceans, rounding three Great Capes: Cape Leeuwin in Australia, Cape Horn in South America and Cape of Good Hope in Africa.

After 151 days at sea, Tomy was greeted with a ceremonial reception by Shri Pranab Mukherjee, the president of India at the time.  

This time around, Tomy aims to complete his sail around the world for the second time and cross the GGR finish line, traveling close to 56,000 km. 

“I’ve decided that if at all I go into a similar storm, I am going to stay inside the boat and try to save myself at the very least,” he told Arab News. 

Since his accident, Tomy has undergone extensive physiotherapy to rebuild his strength and improve his fitness levels for the 2022 race.

He also retired from the Indian navy after serving for 24 years, leaving an environment he was very familiar with, having spent much of his childhood on bases across the country since his father was in the Naval Police. 

“It was important that I transitioned, but it was a very emotional moment for me,” Tomy said. “You really can’t take the navy out of me.”

This year, Tomy has solely focused on preparing for the GGR 2022, recently crossing the English Channel over a distance of 2,000 nautical miles to qualify for the race.

On Sunday, he will be sailing a UAE-flagged boat sponsored by Bayanat, an AI-powered geospatial intelligence company, and contributing to the company’s ongoing scientific work. 

“This race takes you to the corners of the Earth that are not really visited by ships or humans, and I am going to be collecting water samples all along the way so that Bayanat can eventually study the microplastic content in them,” said Tomy.

The samples will be sent to one of the company’s healthcare labs to undergo multiple assessments, Hasan Hosani, CEO of Bayanat, told Arab News.

“The target is to publish the data and contribute to learning more about the environment,” said Hosani. 

In parallel, the data collection company will also utilize satellite imagery and synthetic aperture radars to capture images of various locations throughout Tomy’s journey in the GGR. 

“We will be creating an imagery book of captured images across the globe in different resolutions and angles using remote sensing once the race is complete,” said Hosani.

Praising Tomy’s passion for sailing and perseverance, Hosani ensures that Bayanat’s tasks will not interfere with his focus on completing the race safely — and possibly winning it.  

Eagerly looking forward to his time at sea, Tomy says he is not worried about feeling bored.

“Sailing a boat is mostly like running a kitchen; every day you have some repairs to do and chores to keep up with,” he said.

According to him, sailing is a sport that brings about a lot of character development. 

“It makes you patient, self-sufficient and gives you time to read books,” said Tomy. “I will have a lot of work to do.”


Slot not surprised by flying start at Liverpool

Updated 08 November 2024
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Slot not surprised by flying start at Liverpool

  • Slot appeared to have a tough ask to follow Jurgen Klopp
  • The Dutch coach has won 14 and drawn one of his 16 matches in charge

Liverpool: Arne Slot said he is not shocked by a stunning start to life in charge of Liverpool as the Reds have stormed to the top of the Premier League and Champions League.
The Dutch coach has won 14 and drawn one of his 16 matches in charge in all competitions as the holders have also progressed to the League Cup quarter-finals.
Slot appeared to have a tough ask to follow Jurgen Klopp.
But he has built on the solid foundations left by the German after Liverpool finished third in the Premier League behind Manchester City and Arsenal last season.
“Surprise isn’t the right word I’d use because I knew the quality of our team. But quality is one thing, to be consistent is a second thing,” said Slot at his pre-match press conference ahead of hosting Aston Villa on Saturday.
“From the moment I started working with them I saw how much energy they put in on a daily basis and that is I think the reason you can be consistent.”
Liverpool were inspired by the power of the Anfield crowd to come from behind to beat Brighton 2-1 last weekend to move two points ahead of City at the top of the Premier League.
A similar atmosphere helped blow Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen away 4-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Slot is keen to keep his players’ feet on the ground but is happy for the fans to get excited about the possibility of just a second league title in 35 years.
“If the end result of them being excited is to bring the atmosphere of the second half against Brighton and the whole game against Leverkusen, I am hoping they will keep being excited because that atmosphere helped us a lot,” added the former Feyenoord boss.
Diogo Jota remains sidelined but should return after November’s international break.


Pakistan’s Muhammad Asif wins IBSF World Snooker Championship in Qatar

Updated 08 November 2024
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Pakistan’s Muhammad Asif wins IBSF World Snooker Championship in Qatar

  • Asif defeated Iran’s Ali Ghareghozlou 5-3 to clinch the title for 3rd time
  • PM Shehbaz Sharif promises to set up world-class facilities for sportsmen

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has congratulated Pakistani cueist Muhammad Asif for winning the International Billiards and Snooker Federation (IBSF) World Snooker Championship in Qatar for the third time, Pakistani state-run media reported on Thursday.
Asif defeated Iran’s Ali Ghareghozlou 5-3 to clinch the title in a thrilling final on Nov. 6. He outclassed Ali 5-3: 70-25, 7-87(84), 82(56)-8, 106(106)-08, 82-12, 43-91(58), 0-118 and 93(80)-4.
“Asif made the entire nation proud by winning the international championship for the third time,” PM Sharif was quoted as saying by the Radio Pakistan broadcaster. “The talented youth of Pakistan are highlighting the country’s name in the fields of sports.”
The IBSF, founded in 1971, is the governing body for billiards and snooker worldwide. It represents 85 member countries and is recognized by the World Confederation of Billiard Sports and the International Olympic Committee.
Asif, 42, first won the IBSF World Snooker Championship in 2012 and went on to win it again in 2019. His victory ties him with India’s Pankaj Advani who has also won the World Snooker Championship thrice.
The Pakistan prime minister said Asif’s family and coach also deserved recognition, adding that providing quality facilities to Pakistani players was top priority of his government.
“The government is making all possible efforts to provide international standard facilities to the players,” he added.
 


Raphinha’s evolution into a more versatile scorer is a big part of Flick’s great start at Barcelona

Updated 08 November 2024
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Raphinha’s evolution into a more versatile scorer is a big part of Flick’s great start at Barcelona

BARCELONA: Raphinha knew he would have a hard time getting off Barcelona’s bench with the soccer world enthralled by teen phenom Lamine Yamal and the club eyeing to sign another hot prospect in the attack.

Instead of pouting, he evolved.

While the entire Barcelona team improved under new coach Hansi Flick, no player has made such a leap forward this season as Raphinha.

His 12 goals and team-leading 10 assists across all competitions are a big part of why Barcelona is playing its best soccer since the exit of Lionel Messi more than three years ago.

But if one player looked to be on the out when the season started, it was the Brazil forward.

Raphinha seemed destined to become a second-choice right-side winger after 17-year-old Yamal helped Spain win the European Championship in dazzling style. To make matters worse, the club was heavily linked to a possible transfer bid to pry Spain left-side winger Nico Williams away from Athletic Bilbao.

That move never materialized for Williams, but Raphinha was still left with either playing in a new position or being a backup to Yamal.

And when Flick gave him the chance to have a new role, he made the most of it.


England gives call-up to more new faces in final squad before Thomas Tuchel takes over

Updated 08 November 2024
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England gives call-up to more new faces in final squad before Thomas Tuchel takes over

LONDON: Southampton defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Newcastle left-back Lewis Hall were called up to the England squad for the first time on Thursday as interim coach Lee Carsley made his final selection before Thomas Tuchel takes charge.

Tuchel does not start until January after being hired to lead the national team’s bid to win the 2026 World Cup.

Carsley will oversee England’s final Nations League games against Greece and Ireland and has continued to look toward a new generation of players, having already handed debuts to Angel Gomes, Morgan Gibbs-White and Noni Madueke since taking over on a temporary basis from Gareth Southgate in August.

Carsley said had not discussed his selection with Tuchel.

“He hasn’t had any influence on the squad selection. I’ve spoken to him by text, but it’s literally congratulations,” he said. “I think he’s highly respectful of the job that not only myself, but the staff are doing.

“We’ve been left to it, like we always have.”

England plays Greece in Athens on Nov. 14 and Ireland at Wembley on Nov. 17.

Carsley will resume his role as England Under-21 coach after those games.


Man City seek to end mini-slump as Liverpool soar

Updated 08 November 2024
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Man City seek to end mini-slump as Liverpool soar

  • Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City have become so accustomed to success that three straight defeats feels like a major crisis
  • Ruud van Nistelrooy takes charge of his final game as interim manager of Manchester United and winless Wolves play fellow strugglers Southampton

LONDON: Injury-hit Manchester City are desperate to snap their losing streak in their final Premier League game before the international break as Chelsea aim to deepen Arsenal’s misery.

Elsewhere in the English top flight, Ruud van Nistelrooy takes charge of his final game as interim manager of Manchester United and winless Wolves play fellow strugglers Southampton.

Here are some of the key talking points ahead of the action this weekend.

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City have become so accustomed to success that three straight defeats feels like a major crisis.

Last week City, who face Brighton on Saturday, were ousted from the League Cup by Tottenham.

Their 32-match unbeaten run in the Premier League came to an end at Bournemouth before Sporting Lisbon beat them 4-1 in the Champions League — ending another long unbeaten stretch.

Guardiola’s men, gunning for a fifth consecutive Premier League title, are just two points behind league leaders Liverpool but will be wary of losing further ground.

Midfielder Bernardo Silva says the club’s multiple injury worries are not an excuse for their poor form but he admits the international break, which starts after the weekend, comes at a good time.

“At the moment with the injuries that we have and the psychological part as well, it will be good to have that rest, but before that we have a big game again,” he said.

One positive for City in their defeat to Sporting was the return of Kevin De Bruyne, who came on as a late substitute after seven weeks out of action.

If results go against them, Arsenal could find themselves eighth in the Premier League by the time they kick off against London rivals Chelsea on Sunday.

Mikel Arteta’s men have picked up just one point from their past three league games and lost their midweek Champions League clash against Inter Milan 1-0.

Arteta was upbeat despite the defeat at the San Siro, where captain Martin Odegaard made a welcome return to action after being absent since late August.

But defeat against in-form Chelsea plus a win for Liverpool would leave Arsenal, runners-up in each of the past two seasons, 10 points off top spot.

Thierry Henry said on CBS Sports that if Liverpool and City win at the weekend and Arsenal lose, his former side could be out of the title race.

“It would be extremely difficult because you (would) have too many teams to catch... I don’t see two teams collapsing,” he said.

Arne Slot has won 14 of his first 16 games in charge of Liverpool in all competitions.

The club had a relatively kind fixture list at the start of the season but they show no signs of letting up — taking seven points from games against Chelsea, Arsenal and Brighton in recent weeks and boasting a perfect record in the Champions League.

Liverpool have also beaten two Premier League teams, West Ham and Brighton, on their way to the League Cup quarter-finals.

Former Feyenoord boss Slot brushed off a question about whether he was finding his new job “easy” after Liverpool’s thumping 4-0 win against German champions Bayer Leverkusen this week.

“Every team that plays against us is in the top of their game,” he said. “And if you want to win that, you always have to be consistent in your intensity, and that’s not always easy but that is what’s needed.”

Liverpool have a tough run of fixtures coming up, starting with Aston Villa at home on Saturday, but so far they have proved they have what it takes.

Fixtures

Saturday (1500 GMT unless stated)

Brentford vs. Bournemouth, Crystal Palace v Fulham, West Ham vs. Everton, Wolves vs. Southampton, Brighton v Manchester City (1730), Liverpool vs. Aston Villa (2000)

Sunday (1400 unless stated)

Manchester Utd vs. Leicester, Nottingham Forest vs. Newcastle, Tottenham vs. Ipswich, Chelsea vss. Arsenal (1630)