Francesco Bruni has relished every challenge he has faced in rising to the pinnacle of sailing in his native Italy. He was, after all, the driving force behind establishing Team Azzurra as a force in the current series of Louis Vuitton Trophy regattas.
Today, however, Bruni faces tidal-wave-sized obstacles when he and his crew - some of whom met for the first time only last week - start their campaign to rule the seas of the Gulf and lord it over five other of the world's finest helmsmen. It is likely to be his toughest task yet.
The collapse earlier this year of Azzurra - crewed entirely by Italians who had been hand-picked by their skipper - came as a crushing blow to Bruni. The pain, however, was short-lived because unrest in the rival and predominantly Russian Synergy camp led to the removal of Karol Jablonski, their Polish captain, and Bruni being parachuted in as a replacement.
Consequently, Bruni arrived at the Dubai International Marine Club, host venue for the two-week yachting spectacle, needing to shake hands for the first time with several of the 16 teammates who will race with him in two series of preliminary matches to decide which four of six teams will survive to the semi-finals on November 26.
"Time is not on our side," said Bruni in advance of today's opening clash with the Swedish entry Artemis, the first of a programme of 15 round-robin races facing each of the crews. "We have had only three days to prepare ourselves to compete against some of the top crews in the world, and that is obviously going to be a big problem for us."
Bruni believes that a crew who performed nobly under their ill-fated captain at the last regatta at La Maddalena, Sardinia, when they led the eventual champions Emirates Team New Zealand 2-0 before losing the five-match final, will adapt to his different style of leadership.
"I am in charge of a very good bunch of sailors," he said. "But at the moment I have not yet been able to integrate fully with them. I know we will gel together before long. We are just hoping that we do that before it is too late because we don't want to fall out of the competition at the first stage." Bruni and his crew, including five Russians, are helped by the new scoring system of this regatta, in which one point will be awarded to the winners of races in the first-round robin with two points on offer in five second-phase pairings.
That adjusted format is designed to help slow-starting crews get into a groove without losing too much ground on their opponents. It obviously is welcomed by Bruni.
"The longer we spend on the waters here the stronger we will become, because this crew have proved that they are without doubt a match for all the others here," Bruni said. "I am a good helmsman and I know the other guys are all accomplished in their various roles. It is all a chemistry between the skipper and the crew and that comes with time.
"But I have never seen a team give such a nice welcome to somebody new coming on board like me and then working as hard as they have done to create that chemistry."
After today's first two races against Artemis, Synergy will take on, in an order to be determined, Team Emirates New Zealand, the American-backed BMW Oracle, the Franco-German entry All4One and Italy's Mascalzone Latino Audi.
Emirates Team NZ are brimming with confidence, having won three of the past four Louis Vuitton regattas and finished runners-up in the other. Dean Barker, their skipper, and his crew made up almost entirely of fellow Kiwis, are keen to continue their dominance through to the end of an era in his sport.
Barker knows that there will be an extra edge between rival teams due to the sleek, 24-metre yachts racing here for the last time competitively. "It is going to be sad to see these boats go," he said. "We would love to get another good result to mark the passing of this era in style."
That view was endorsed by rival skippers, led by James Spithill, who led BMW Oracle to their historic America's Cup victory over the defenders Alinghi in Valencia in February.
Spithill and his crew are confident of making a smooth transition from that revolutionary trimaran to monohull racing, and are aiming for a major international double.
Jochen Schumann, the All4One skipper, was on the losing Alinghi side in that America's Cup battle. He is relishing a return to UAE waters after training with the Swiss-backed Alinghi team in Ras al Khaimah last winter.
"We all enjoyed our time here then," he said. "The conditions are great here and we have made the most of them over the last few days to be well-prepared for this competition."
Gavin Brady, in command of the Mascalzone team, admitted to being slightly less prepared than he would have liked for today's opening race against the formidable Team New Zealand. Like Bruni, however, he feels he and his colleagues will improve with each day.
wjohnson@thenational.ae
SCHEDULE
What: Louis Vuitton Trophy
When: Today-November 27.
Where: Dubai International Marine Club.
Format: Six teams in round-robin competition, followed by semi-finals and finals.
Round-robin: 45 races in two series will determine which four yachts contest the semi-finals. The teams meet twice in the first series with one point for each win. The teams meet once in the second series with two points for each win.
Semi-finals: Best-of-five series on November 26.
Finals: Best-of-five series on November 27.
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
PSA DUBAI WORLD SERIES FINALS LINE-UP
Men’s:
Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY)
Ali Farag (EGY)
Simon Rosner (GER)
Tarek Momen (EGY)
Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL)
Gregory Gaultier (FRA)
Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY)
Nick Matthew (ENG)
Women's:
Nour El Sherbini (EGY)
Raneem El Welily (EGY)
Nour El Tayeb (EGY)
Laura Massaro (ENG)
Joelle King (NZE)
Camille Serme (FRA)
Nouran Gohar (EGY)
Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG)
THE%20STRANGERS'%20CASE
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PAKISTAN v SRI LANKA
Twenty20 International series
Thu Oct 26, 1st T20I, Abu Dhabi
Fri Oct 27, 2nd T20I, Abu Dhabi
Sun Oct 29, 3rd T20I, Lahore
Tickets are available at www.q-tickets.com
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre, six-cylinder
Transmission: six-speed manual
Power: 395bhp
Torque: 420Nm
Price: from Dh321,200
On sale: now
The%C2%A0specs%20
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About Okadoc
Date started: Okadoc, 2018
Founder/CEO: Fodhil Benturquia
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Healthcare
Size: (employees/revenue) 40 staff; undisclosed revenues recording “double-digit” monthly growth
Funding stage: Series B fundraising round to conclude in February
Investors: Undisclosed
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
The specs: 2018 Opel Mokka X
Price, as tested: Dh84,000
Engine: 1.4L, four-cylinder turbo
Transmission: Six-speed auto
Power: 142hp at 4,900rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 1,850rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L / 100km
Leaderboard
63 - Mike Lorenzo-Vera (FRA)
64 - Rory McIlroy (NIR)
66 - Jon Rahm (ESP)
67 - Tom Lewis (ENG), Tommy Fleetwood (ENG)
68 - Rafael Cabrera-Bello (ESP), Marcus Kinhult (SWE)
69 - Justin Rose (ENG), Thomas Detry (BEL), Francesco Molinari (ITA), Danny Willett (ENG), Li Haotong (CHN), Matthias Schwab (AUT)
The specs: 2018 Kia Picanto
Price: From Dh39,500
Engine: 1.2L inline four-cylinder
Transmission: Four-speed auto
Power: 86hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 122Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.0L / 100km
The specs: 2018 Ducati SuperSport S
Price, base / as tested: Dh74,900 / Dh85,900
Engine: 937cc
Transmission: Six-speed gearbox
Power: 110hp @ 9,000rpm
Torque: 93Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.9L / 100km
'Lost in Space'
Creators: Matt Sazama, Burk Sharpless, Irwin Allen
Stars: Molly Parker, Toby Stephens, Maxwell Jenkins
Rating: 4/5
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
WITHIN%20SAND
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Monday's results
- UAE beat Bahrain by 51 runs
- Qatar beat Maldives by 44 runs
- Saudi Arabia beat Kuwait by seven wickets
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
BMW%20M4%20Competition
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DUBAI%20BLING%3A%20EPISODE%201
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreator%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENetflix%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKris%20Fade%2C%20Ebraheem%20Al%20Samadi%2C%20Zeina%20Khoury%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Where can I submit a sample?
Volunteers can now submit DNA samples at a number of centres across Abu Dhabi. The programme is open to all ages.
Collection centres in Abu Dhabi include:
- Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC)
- Biogenix Labs in Masdar City
- Al Towayya in Al Ain
- NMC Royal Hospital in Khalifa City
- Bareen International Hospital
- NMC Specialty Hospital, Al Ain
- NMC Royal Medical Centre - Abu Dhabi
- NMC Royal Women’s Hospital.
