Class 1 Powerboat Middle East Championship - Victory 3 clinch title

by Nigel Quilter on 10 Dec 2011 Skydive Dubai and Dubai Duty Free Grand Prix, the fourth round of the UIM Class 1 World Powerboat Championship, is being held from 8th to 10th December 2011.

Arif Al Zafeen and Mohammed Al Marri produced a command performance to win the first race of the event and clinch the UIM Class 1 Middle East Championship.

The Victory 3 crew were simply in a class of their own and led the 12 lap, 56.20Nm race from start-to-finish to win by over a minute and put themselves right back into contention in the fight for the World title having wrapped up the Middle East title. 'I think we showed people something very special today and what Victory Team is all about,' said Arif Al Zafeen. 'Mohammed did a great job. To be quickest in qualifying and to win our first race together and a title is great for everyone involved with the team.'

Ali Al Neama and Matteo Nicolini, who earlier in the day lifted the Edox Pole Position Championship, simply had no answer to the pace and performance of Victory 3 and could only watch as they disappeared into the distance, but today’s second place – their fifth podium of the year – has moved them into the lead in the overall standings. 'This was the best we could do,' said Nicolini. 'Victory is untouchable and even after a change of throttleman they are still super competitive. We are still a long way from matching them but our overall performance was good.'

Giorgio Manuzzi and Pal Virik Nilsen produced one of the best outings of the afternoon to finish on the podium in Victory 7, a boat they are competing in for the first time, and after qualifying in fifth place. 'This is racing. Yesterday we had a problem with the ECU which the team sorted out and today we are on the podium,' said throttleman Pal Virik Nilsen. 'We made a poor start but then picked up the pace. Abu Dhabi pushed us all the way to the finish but we had it under control.'
There was bitter disappointment and frustration for Sheikh Hassan and Steve Curtis who started the penultimate race of the year leading the World Championship by 12 points from their teammates, but an electrical problem on lap seven ended their hopes of a podium finish, dropping them from third place with the Spirit of Qatar 96 pairing eventually limping across the finish line in tenth place to pick up a solitary point.

Team Abu Dhabi’s Rashed Al Tayer and Majed Al Mansoori marked their return to racing together with a solid fourth place to finish ahead of Guido Cappellini and Giampaolo Montavoci in Poliform, who were unable to match their impressive fourth place in qualifying due to an electrical problem that temporarily shut down one engine.

An electrical problem also blighted Relekta’s race dropping Ugur Isik and Christian Zaborowski from fifth place to finish in eighth behind Welmax and Fendi Racing, with FA.RO ACCIAI finishing ninth.

Today’s result sets up a tantalising final race of the season for the coveted World title with just seven points separating the top three.

Skydive Dubai and Dubai Duty Free Grand Prix, Race 1 – results
1. 3 Victory - A Al Zafeen (UAE) / M Al Marri (UAE) 00.35.06,43
2. 95 Spirit of Qatar - A Al Neama (QAT) / M Nicolini (ITA) + 01.27,78
3. 7 Victory - G Manuzzi (SMR) / P V Nilsen (NOR) + 01.56,77
4. 5 Team Abu Dhabi - R Al Tayer (UAE) / M Al Mansoori (UAE) + 02.00,97
5. 74 Poliform - G Cappellini (MON) / G Montavoci (ITA) + 02.37,78
6. 90 Welmax (B) - B Jacobsen (NOR) / K Olsen (NOR) + 1 LAP
7. 10 Fendi Racing - L Formilli Fendi (ITA) / G Carpitella (ITA) + 1 LAP
8. 91 Relekta - U Isik (TUR) / C Zaborowski (NOR) + 3 LAPS
9. 23 FA.RO. ACCIAI - T Polli (ITA) / L Nicolini (ITA) + 3 LAPS
10. 96 Spirit of Qatar - H Al Thani (QAT) / S Curtis (ENG) + 3 LAPS

UIM Class 1 World Powerboat Championship - after race 6
1. 95 Spirit of Qatar - 86pts 2. 96 Spirit of Qatar - 84pts 3. 3 Victory - 79pts 4. 74 Poliform - 52pts 5. 5 Team Abu Dhabi - 50pts 6. 91 Relekta - 29pts 7. 10 Fendi Racing - 23pts 8. 23 FA.RO. ACCIAI - 20pts 9. 90 Welmax (A) - 14pts 10= Welmax (B) - 12pts 10= 7 Victory - 12 pts 12. 50 Parsonage Racing - 8pts 13. 69 ferskfisken.no - 5 pts 14. 18 MITI Tech Power - 4pts

Middle East Championship - after race 3
1. 3 Victory - 60pts 2. 95 Spirit of Qatar - 34pts 3. 96 Spirit of Qatar - 31pts 4. 5 Team Abu Dhabi - 27pts 5.10 Fendi Racing - 23pts 6. 74 Poliform - 17pts 7. 7 Victory - 12pts 8. 50 Parsonage Racing - 8pts 9= 91 Relekta - 5pts 9= 90 Welmax (B) - 5pts 11. 18 GiorgiOffshore - 4pts 12. 90 Welmax (A) - 3pts 13. 23 FA.RO. ACCIAI - 2pts

Class 1 World Powerboat Championships website