F1H2O Powerboat Nations Cup - Double victory for Team UAE
by Philippe Stiernon on 19 Nov 2011
F1H2O Nations Cup Singapore 2011 F1H20 Nations Cup
F1H2O Powerboat Nations Cup Match Race was held on Marina Bay in Singapore today, 19th November 2011. Ahmed Al Hameli backed up his pole position in qualifying to win this afternoon and complete an impressive double for Team UAE.
And for the second time today Team Qatar’s Khalid Al Shamlan had to settle for second place behind the UAE driver, just missing out in a closely contested final shoot-out.
The two-hour match race saw 16 drivers go through from qualifying to go head-to-head in a straight, knockout elimination, with Al Hameli coming out on top to match his success in the President’s Cup Match Race in Kyiv back in July.
A relatively easy route to the semi-final saw Al Hameli first dispose of Team Brazil, and then rather surprisingly, ease past Team South Africa’s Mark Sheperd.
Al Shamlan’s route appeared as effortless, taking the younger of Team Hungary’s Vo brothers, Viktor, in the first round and then Team Finland’s Risto Painio.
The semi-finals saw the UAE driver outpace Team Malaysia’s Kane Fernandez – who was gifted third overall after Team Brunei’s Ismail bin haji Kabon was disqualified – with Al Shamlan running solo around the course due to Kabon’s DQ.
The Match Race final brought together the two fastest men on the water, with Al Hameli having to work hard to just get across the line in front of Al Shamlan.
F1H2O Nations Cup – Match race result/points
1. 6 UAE / Ahmed Al Hameli – 25pts
2. 4 Qatar / Khalid Al Shamlan – 22pts
3. 16 Malaysia / Kane Fernandez – 20pts
4. 14 Finland / Risto Painio – 18pts
5. 12 Singapore / Larry Chua Wen Zheng – 16pts
6. 7 South Africa / Mark Shepherd – 15pts
7. 10 Brunei / Ismail bin Hj Kabon – 14pts
8. 22 Hungary / Viktor Vo – 13pts
9. 18 Brazil / Paul Gaiser – 12pts
10.= 11 Singapore / Laurence Wong Seong – 11pts
10.= 21 Hungary / Kornel Vo – 11pts
12. 15 Malaysia / Robert Fernandez – 9pts
13. 13 Finland / Meeri Painio – 8pts
14.= 3 Qatar / Khalid Al Kuwari – 7pts
14.= 19 Saudi Arabia / Naeem al Kedawi – 7pts
14.= 5 UAE / Majed Al Mansoori – 7pts
17. 17 Brazil / Lebos Chaguri – 4pts
18. 8 South Africa / Tomthy Fetherstonhaugh – dns
18. 9 Brunei / Nordin bin Haji Mohamad - dns
(NB – positions below top three determined by times / or position in qualifying if driver did not qualify for match race)