UIM C1 and V1 World Powerboat Championships, Round 3, 3-5 December 2014

[Serious News]

CHALLENGING COURSE SETS UP THRILLING SEASON FINALE IN ABU DHABI

Thursday, 6 November: For the first time since the inaugural [Class 1] Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi in 2009 teams will face a challenging and daunting circuit running around Lulu Island.

With 14 boats expected to start in Abu Dhabi at the final event of the year on 3-5 December following the news that Victory Team will run a second boat, the only viable option for officials to maintain the spectacle of C1 and V1 running in tandem was to set the course around the Island, with safety the paramount factor. “With 14 boats it would not have been possible to run them together on the inside between the island and the Corniche, it is just too tight” said H2O Racing’s sport director Marco Sala. “This circuit gives us that option.”

At every event staged in Abu Dhabi the ‘outside’ has always been a factor accommodating the rolling start, but now with multiple laps around the island the teams will face not only the challenging three Nm offshore leg and expected rough conditions, but two tight and technical sections to get into and out of the outside leg as well as a tight and technical inside section.

Victory has locked out the top step of the podium all but once in 10 races, Arif Al Zaffain and Nadir Bin Hendi have won in Abu Dhabi five times together, Al Zaffain also winning three times with Mohammed Al Marri, Bin Hendi winning once with Darren Nicholson – both winning last year, Team Abu Dhabi’s Rashed Al Tayer and John Tomlinson winning in 2010.



http://class-1.com/newsdetails.asp?id=1310

[Serious News]

VICTORY CONFIRM LINE UP OF SECOND BOAT

Friday, 14 November: Victory Team has confirmed the line-up of their second boat for the final Grand Prix of the year in Abu Dhabi on 3-5 December, with multiple World Champion Mohammed Al Marri back to team-up with Class 1 rookie Salem Al Adidi.

The four-time Champion and veteran of 97 races will guide 28-year-old Adidi in just his second outing in Class 1, his first at the Grand Prix of China in Sanya in 2013 where raced alongside Giampaolo Montavoci.

Al Marri has enjoyed an illustrious career with Victory, twice coming back out of semi-retirement when the situation demanded and each time winning a World title.

He made his Class 1 debut in 2000, winning his first World title the following year with Saeed Al Tayer. After stepping back from competitive racing at the end of 2006, Al Marri returned to the driver’s seat in Montenegro in 2008 to replace the injured Arif Saif Al Zaffain, going on to win the title with Nadir Bin Hendi, then calling time in 2010.

At the end of 2011 he again received the call-up from the team, this time to step in for Bin Hendi to partner Al Zaffain, the duo taking 14 wins to win the World Championship in 2012 and 2013.

http://class-1.com/newsdetails.asp?id=1311

[Serious News]

TOMLINSON AND BALLOUGH TO RACE IN ABU DHABI





Monday, 24 November:

Team Abu Dhabi has confirmed it will again call on the services of American aces John Tomlinson and Gary Ballough for their home Grand Prix and the final round of the Class 1 and V1 World Powerboat Championship on 3-5 December.

The duo who have been friends for 25 years but not raced together were called up for the Italian Grand Prix in Terracina in October and needed little time to get on the pace in the ‘new’ MTI in just its second outing.

For Tomlinson, who won the Class 1 World title in 1997, the Italian GP was his second call up by Team Abu Dhabi for Ballough his first and his debut outing in Class 1 and the duo were in the mix immediately, taking third quickest in both qualifying sessions.

In race 1 they grabbed a podium third and were on target to better that in race 2 when somewhat unfortunately they ran out of fuel on the final lap, but both will now be looking for a repeat of the team’s win on home waters in 2010 when Tomlinson and Rashed Al Tayer took the victory

http://class-1.com/newsdetails.asp?id=1312

[Serious News]

[Serious News]

[Serious News]

The 2014 UIM Class 1 & V1 World Powerboat Championship is set to go to Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. from 2 – 5 December 2014, The Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club (ADIMSC) will host Round 3 of the event; the team briefing and rules presentation will be given on the first day, followed by official practice and race days.

Round two of the UIM World Powerboat Championships brought prestigious C1 catamarans and V1 monohulls to Terraccina, Italy on the 17-19 October. For the C1 category, Luca Fendi and Giovanni Carpitella came out on top at the team’s home event, which included six C1s powerboats. As for the V1 race, Aquasport’s Daniel Cramphorn and Nico Huybens dominated the competition, which involved seven V1s.

The Italian spectators enjoyed the amazing C1 powerboat race and seeing Fendi and Victory (as well as team Abu Dhabi) boats going head-to-head to see which team could claim victory. The show was just as good with the V1 powerboat action that had Aquasport delivering an emphatic start-to-finish victory over Chaudron and Tommy One.

As to what teams are favorites going into Abu Dhabi, overall series leader in the V1 class Chaudron is sure to be the boat to beat as it wants to grab the win and general standings; for the C1 class, overall series leader Victory will be striving for the win.

Class One powerboats are unique thanks to their design and technology; boats are made of carbon kevlar composite, which help deliver lightweight strength, stiffness and impact resistance for the craft.

The World Championshipevents in powerboating bring the audience an unprecedented show of speed on the water with two 850hp outboard engines capable of speeds in excess of 160mph-255km/h. The boats are 12-meter long for the Class One C1 and 13 meters in length for the Class One V1 that uses inboard motors only and can reach speeds in excess of over 100mph.

Class One World Powerboat Championship brings the Class 1 Catamarans and V1 Monohulls running together on a simple mirror-image circuit with separate sets of turn-buoys; Class 1 will be turning on the inside marks, whereas, V1 on the outside. Both ocean-going crafts will offer the best from international powerboat racing.

The events are organized by H2O Racing under the auspices of the UIM. The Union Internationale Motonautique (U.I.M) is the world governing body for the activities related to the Class One World Offshore Powerboat Championship. It is also the sole and exclusive worldwide television and commercial rights holder of the UIM Class 1 World Powerboat Championship.

Based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is Class 1 Promotion that is responsible for marketing activities relating to the UIM Class 1 World Powerboat Championship.

http://www.dubayblog.com/uim-powerbo...-in-abu-dhabi/

[Serious News]

[Serious News]

U.A.E. GRAND PRIX

Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. - 3 - 5 December 2014


TIMETABLE


Tuesday, 2 December 2014

11:00 Torque Sensor distribution and installation

11:00 - 13:00 Administration/Registration

12:00 - 18:00 Technical Inspections

12:00 - 18:00 Fuel Available

17:00 - 18:00 2015 UIM Class1 and V1 Rules presentation

18:00 Team Managers Briefing

Wednesday, 3 December 2014

09:00 - 17:00 Cranes Available

09:00 - 19:00 Fuel Available

10:00 - 10:30 Drivers Briefing

11:00 - 11:20 Race course inspection w/rib

11:30 - 13:00 Official Practice (on race course)

15:00 - 16:00 Official Practice 2 (on race course)

Thursday, 4 December 2014

08:00 - 10:30 Fuel Available

08:00 - 18:00 Cranes Available

09:30 Riders Briefing

10:30 - 11:30 Pole Position Race 1 - PP Trophy

11:30 - 13:30 Fuel Available (max 100 litres per boat)

14:30 All boats on the wet pontoons

15:15 All Drivers in the cockpits (White Flag)

15:20 All racing boats must leave the Pontoons (Green Flag)

15:30 - 16:15 ABU DHABI GP GRAND PRIX RACE 1

16:00 - 21:00 Fuel Available

17:00 PP Trophy & Race 1 Prize-giving Ceremony

20:00 Gala Dinner

Friday, 5 December 2014

07:30 - 18:00 Cranes Available

09:00 Drivers Briefing

10:00 - 10:30 Free Practice

10:30 - 11:30 Pole Position Race 2

11:30 - 13:30 Fuel available (max 100 liters er boat)

14:30 All boats on the wet pontoons

15:15 All Drivers in the cockpits (White Flag)

15:20 All racing boats must leave the Pontoons (Green Flag)

15:30 - 16:30 ABU DHABI GP GRAND PRIX RACE 2

17:00 Race 2 Prize-giving Ceremony

[Serious News]

UAE Victory Team wins UIM Class 1 World title

05/12/2014 10:48:01 PM

ABU DHABI, 5th December 2014 (WAM) --- H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Advisor to the UAE President, on Friday crowned Emiratis Arif Al Zaffain and Nadir bin Hendi who have delivered another racing master class to win race 2 of the Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi and claim Victory Team’s 14th World title (UIM Class 1 World Powerboat Championship) off the Abu Dhabi Breakwater.

Race 2 honours in V1 went to Bernico-New Star’s Belgium duo, Nico Bertels and Frank Hemelaer, with fourth place for race 1 winners Aaron Ciantar and Dominique Martini in Chaudron good enough to seal the V1 World Championship.

Sheikh Sultan, the patron of the Grand Prix of the UAE and Chairman of Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club (ADIMSC), congratulated the winners and dedicated the achievement to the leaders of the UAE for their unwavering support to sports people.

"Abu Dhabi deserves to be named the capital of maritime sports for organising and hosting the big marine sports. This title is well-deserved," said Sheikh Sultan adding that Abu Dhabi is an attraction for the most important maritime sports events and enthusiasts.

"This area is a unique venue for all types of races.... and a vibrant destination for visitors and tourists all year long.

Starting from pole, Victory’s newly crowned Champions’ only challenge came at the start in a drag race to the first turn with Luca Fendi and Giovanni Carpitella in LFF10, before they grabbed the advantage and disappeared off into the distance.

Today’s win, the duo’s fifth of the season, was another demonstration of their absolute superiority, going on to take the chequered flag and complete the 10 laps by a winning margin of 54.42 seconds.

In a repeat of race 1 the pace of the leaders was simply too much for Team Abu Dhabi and LFF10, the only other boats to go the distance, LFF8 stopping on lap 1 followed a lap later by Relekta-Zabo-Isiklar, with New Star-Poliform failing to make the start.

After a processional seven laps the race and the fight for the second and third steps of the podium between LFF10 and Team Abu Dhabi’s Gary Ballough and John Tomlinson ignited.

LFF10 led until lap 8 but could not shake of their pursuers and were slowly and surely hauled in by the American’s with the time split down three seconds.

At the end lap 9 and going into the final turn Team Abu Dhabi came alongside LFF10, both outfits going into the turn side-by-side and both hooking, with Team Abu Dhabi emerging in front and running out the final lap to claim second spot.

Despite the disappointment of today’s retirement Ugur Isik and Cristian Zaborowski’s season-haul of five podiums was enough to give them the runners-up slot in the World Championship, with Luca Fendi and Giovanni Carpitella in third.

Not for the first time this season the V1 teams produced some great racing, with the lead changing hands and the race for the podium places hotly contested.

After yesterday’s somewhat fraught day for Bernico-New Star’s four man squad, DQ’d from both qualifying and race 1, Nico Bertels and Frank Hemelaer came back in style to take a well-deserved win.

Champions elect Chaudron got the jump on pole-sitters Aquasport and led from the start with Bernico-New Star giving chase and keeping the gap too under eight seconds. On Lap 5 Bernico-New Star hit the front and pulled away from a struggling Chaudron to take their second win of the year.

Behind the leaders Aquasport, Karelpiu and Tommy One enjoyed and produced the best fight of the race; first Aquasport held the upper hand, then Karelpiu grabbed the advantage until lap 5 the two trading places again before Daniel Cramphorn and Nico Huybens hit trouble and dropped back, eventually finishing in fifth.

With Chaudron slowing to a crawl and limping home in fourth, the remaining podium positions went to Karelpiu’s Antonio Schiano and Federico Montanari and Tommy One’s Stefano Bonanno and Maurizio Schepici.

It was a frustrating afternoon for Hercules Sagemann’s Andreas Podolsky and Udo Gross who struggled with technical problems, completing just five laps, Silverline's Ian Blacker and Drew Langdon sidelined before the start with broken engine.

[Serious News]

December 06, 2014

ABU DHABI: The Victory 3 crew of Arif Saif Al Zaffain and Nadir Bin Hendi needed to merely finish the race to secure a record-breaking 14th 2014 UIM Class One World Powerboat Championship title.

The Dubai-based team achieved their goal in style by leading from the start to reach the chequered flag with a winning margin of 54.42sec in the second race at the Grand Prix of the UAE on Friday.

It hardly mattered in any case, because nearest rivals, Christian Zaborowski and Ugur Isik needed to win the race outright in Relekta-Zabo-Isiklar, but slowed to a crawl from the second lap before retiring.

This left the door open for the Italian duo of Giovanni Carpitella and Luca Formilli Fendi to hold second place in LFF10 for eight laps, with Team Abu Dhabi pushing them all the way and managing to sneak through on lap nine to snatch the runner-up spot for the final Class One podium of the season.

Team Abu Dhabi’s John Tomlinson and Gary Ballough rounded off their season by finishing an excellent second overall.

Chaudron held on to take fourth place and seal the V1 class world crown in a race that was won by Bernico-New Star.

The Grand Prix of the UAE was held under the patronage of Dr Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, advisor to His Highness, the Head of State and chairman of the Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club (ADIMSC). Team Abu Dhabi is supported by official carrier Etihad Airways.

The Victory Team lined up ahead of Team Abu Dhabi in pole position as they set out to claim an unprecedented 14th world title in improved weather conditions on the Abu Dhabi course around Lulu island. Victory came into the 10-lap race 19 points in front of Relekta-Zabo-Isiklar, meaning just a finish would be sufficient to win the title, although both Zaffain and Bin Hendi wanted to end the season in style with another win. Zaffain was also chasing a 42nd career win, which would put him at the top of the Hall of Fame alongside British throttleman Steve Curtis.

Victory completed the first lap 10.53 seconds in front of LFF10, Team Abu Dhabi a close third and LFF8-Silverline in fourth. Relekta-Zabo-Isiklar, needing to win the race to stand any chance of taking the title, was in fifth. New Star-Poliform failed to reach the start.

Zaffain and Bin Hendi extended Victory 3’s lead to 17.39 seconds through lap two, but the field was soon reduced to three Class One boats and five V1 hulls when LFF8-Silverline and Relekta-Zabo-Isiklar were in trouble on lap two. The latter’s demise handed a 14th world title to the Victory Team.

Victory’s lead grew to 24.36sec through three laps and Team Abu Dhabi were not able to close the gap on LFF10 and challenge for second position. But Tomlinson and Ballough began to mount a late challenge and they started lap six a mere 1.48 seconds behind LFF10, as Victory 3 cut through the water like a knife to extend Zaffain’s and Bin Hendi’s lead to 48.83 seconds.

LFF10 began lap seven with a 5.5-second advantage over Team Abu Dhabi and that was reduced to 2.45 seconds through lap eight. Tomlinson and Ballough managed to pass LFF10 on lap nine to snatch second position, as the Victory Team passed the chequered flag on the next lap to seal a 14th title and a 42nd win for Zaffain.

ARIF SAIF AL ZAFFAIN (TEAM DRIVER)

Arif is the World and Middle East Champion; he has won the World title four times and holds an unequalled win rate - 26 from 39 starts.

He made a spectacular start to his Class 1 career in 2007 - winning on his debut in Athens, and then in Arendal, Constanta and Qatar to lift the Class 1 World and European Championships in his rookie season.

He was sidelined through injury in 2008 after one race, but returned in 2009 to win the World, Middle East and Edox Pole Position Championships.

CLASS 1 STATS
Class 1 debut: 2007
Races entered: 59
Race wins: 42
World Champion: 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
European Champion: 2007, 2010
Middle East Champion: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
Pole Position Champion: 2009, 2012, 2013
NADIR BIN HENDI (THROTTLEMAN)

Nadir is one of an elite group of racers to win back-to-back World titles. He made his Class 1 driving debut in 2005, switching to throttleman duties the following year.

He won the World, Middle East and Edox Pole Position Championships for the first time in 2008, successfully defending all three last year, and has won 12 Grands prix.

He competed in traditional wooden powerboat racing in the mid-nineties and the Aquabike World Championships, lifting the world title in 1995, 1996 and 2003.

CLASS 1 STATS
Class 1 debut: 2005
Races entered: 63
Race wins: 28
World Champion: 2008, 2009, 2010 ,2011
European Champion: 2010
Middle East Champion: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
Pole Position Champion: 2008, 2009

http://gulftoday.ae/portal/893f60ba-...3f4416713.aspx

[Serious News]

Victory Team claims 10th Pole Position Championship title with pole position triumph

Team Abu Dhabi’s John Tomlinson and Gary Ballough overcame difficult weather conditions to snatch third position and the final place on the podium in the first race at a blustery Grand Prix of the UAE, the final round of the 2014 UIM Class One World Powerboat Championship, on Thursday afternoon.

The Victory 3 crew of Arif Saif Al-Zafeen and Nadir Bin Hendi led from pole position to the chequered flag and looked set to secure another UIM Class One World Powerboat Championship title with one race to spare.

The pair were never troubled in a contest where Christian Zaborowski and Ugur Isik eventually claimed second place in Relekta-Zabo-Isiklar, once Guido Cappellini and Mikhail Kitashev had slipped out of contention on lap seven in New Star-Poliform.

That runner-up spot for the Norwegian-Turkish duo means that they could still deprive the Victory 3 pair of the title by a single point on Friday if they won the race outright and Victory 3 retired and failed to score a point. Al-Zafeen and Bin Hendi clinched the UIM Class One Pole Position title for a 10th time in the morning’s qualifying session.

The Grand Prix of the UAE is being held under the patronage of His Highness Dr. Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, advisor to His Highness the Head of State and chairman of the Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club (ADIMSC). Team Abu Dhabi is supported by official carrier Etihad Airways.

Race 1

Al-Zafeen and Bin Hendi began the slightly delayed race from pole position, ahead of LFF10, Newstar-Poliform and Team Abu Dhabi and gained an advantage of 12.64 seconds over Newstar-Poliform through lap one. LFF8-Silverline moved up to third and Team Abu Dhabi slipped to fifth behind Relekta-Zabo-Isiklar. LFF10 had already fallen into the group of chasing V1 racers, headed by Chaudron, at the rear of the field.

Victory 3’s lead grew to 18.59sec through lap two and Team Abu Dhabi climbed to fourth at the expense of a struggling LFF8-Silverline, which was passed by LFF10. The Dubai boat’s lead over New Star-Poliform was extended to 27.29sec after three laps but the leading quartet held station and continued in that formation into lap five but LFF8-Silverline stopped after two completed laps.

There were no changes to the running order through five laps, with Victory heading Newstar-Poliform by 35.16sec and Relekta-Zabo-Isiklar, Team Abu Dhabi and LFF10 trailing in third, fourth and fifth positions. New Star-Poliform lost second place on lap six and their demise lifted Relekta-Zabo-Isiklar and Team Abu Dhabi into the remaining two podium places heading into lap seven.

Victory’s lead was 67 seconds after seven laps and the other three surviving Class One boats were running in procession in second, third and fourth overall, with Chaudron leading the way amongst the V1 hulls. There were no late dramas and Victory 3 reached the chequered flag 1min 19sec in front of Relekta-Zabo-Isiklar, with Team Abu Dhabi in third, 1min 52sec behind the winners.

Pole position and practice

Strong north-westerly winds blowing in from the Gulf and gusting to more than 20mph hampered progress in Wednesday’s afternoon’s first free practice session and forced the cancellation of the morning stint. The course was revised as well to run inside Lulu island and avoid the rougher offshore section of the course.

“It was a smart decision by officials to switch the course inside the breakwater. It was pretty rough out there and we need to keep the boats in one piece for the next two days,” said Team Abu Dhabi’s Gary Ballough after he and Tomlinson had posted the third quickest time.

Victory 3 topped the times with a lap of 4min 21.91sec, but Relekta-Zabo-Isiklar suffered drop box issues and faced a fight against time to make the start of qualifying on Thursday morning.

Al-Zafeen and Bin Hendi claimed pole position and duly clinched a 10th Pole Position Championship for the Dubai-based team. They outpaced LFF10 by nine seconds to claim the top spot for the start of the race. Gusting winds and rough seas were prevalent again and the course inside the Breakwater was used for the second day. Team Abu Dhabi qualified in fourth place.

A second pole position session is scheduled for 11.00hrs on Friday morning and race two at the Grand Prix of the UAE takes centre stage from 15.30hrs.

2014 Grand Prix of the UAE – race 1 result:

1. Arif Saif Al-Zafeen (ARE)/Nadir bin Hendi (ARE) Victory 3 8 laps
2. Ugur Isik (TUR)/Christian Zaborowski (NOR) Relekta-Zabo-Isiklar 91 @ 1min 19sec
3. John Tomlinson (USA)/Gary Ballough (USA) Team Abu Dhabi 5 (2) @ 1min 52sec
4. Giovanni Carpitella (ITA)/Luca Formilli Fendi (ITA) LFF10 @ 2min 42sec
Guido Cappellini (ITA)/Mikhail Kitashev (RUS) Newstar-Poliform 74 DNF L3
Alfredo Amato (ITA)/Miles Jennings (GBR) LFF8-Silverline DNF L6

2014 Grand Prix of the UAE – pole position result:

1. Arif Saif Al-Zafeen (ARE)/Nadir bin Hendi (ARE) Victory 3 4min 20.22sec
2. Giovanni Carpitella (ITA)/Luca Formilli Fendi (ITA) LFF10 4min 29.27sec
3. Guido Cappellini (ITA)/Mikhail Kitashev (RUS) Newstar-Poliform 74 4min 31.49sec
4. John Tomlinson (USA)/Gary Ballough (USA) Team Abu Dhabi 5 (2) 4min 35.27sec
5. Ugur Isik (TUR)/Christian Zaborowski (NOR) Relekta-Zabo-Isiklar 91 4min 43.34sec
6. Alfredo Amato (ITA)/Miles Jennings (GBR) LFF8-Silverline 4min 52.44sec

2014 UIM Class 1 World Pole Position Championship – final positions:

1. Arif Saif Al-Zafeen (ARE)/Nadir bin Hendi (ARE) Victory 3 60pts
2. Giovanni Carpitella (ITA)/Luca Formilli Fendi (ITA) LFF10 50pts
3. Guido Cappellini (ITA)/Mikhail Kitashev (RUS) Newstar-Poliform 74 33pts
4. John Tomlinson (USA)/Gary Ballough (USA) Team Abu Dhabi 5 (2) 21pts
4. Ugur Isik (TUR)/Christian Zaborowski (NOR) Relekta-Zabo-Isiklar 91 21pts
6. Alfredo Amato (ITA) /Miles Jennings (GBR) LFF8-Silverline 19pts
7. Faleh Al-Mansoori (ARE)/Rashid Al-Tayer (ARE) Team Abu Dhabi 5 (1) 5pts

http://www.automobilsport.com/race-c...e-UAE,news.htm

[Serious News]

Team Abu Dhabi's Tomlinson and Ballough end season with 2nd in GP of UAE
05.12.2014: 2014 UIM CLASS ONE WORLD POWERBOAT CHAMPIONSHIP Grand Prix of the UAE, December 3-5, 2014

Team Abu Dhabi’s John Tomlinson and Gary Ballough rounded off their 2014 UIM Class One World Powerboat Championship season by finishing an excellent second overall in the second race at the Grand Prix of the UAE off the Abu Dhabi Breakwater on Friday afternoon.

The Victory 3 crew of Arif Saif Al-Zafeen and Nadir Bin Hendi needed to merely finish the race to secure a record-breaking 14th title for the Dubai-based team and they achieved their goal in style by leading from the start to reach the chequered flag with a winning margin of 54.42sec.

It hardly mattered in any case, because nearest rivals, Christian Zaborowski and Ugur Isik needed to win the race outright in Relekta-Zabo-Isiklar, but slowed to a crawl from the second lap before retiring.

This left the door open for the Italian duo of Giovanni Carpitella and Luca Formilli Fendi to hold second place in LFF10 for eight laps, with Team Abu Dhabi pushing them all the way and managing to sneak through on lap nine to snatch the runner-up spot for the final Class One podium of the season.

Chaudron held on to take fourth place and seal the V1 class world crown in a race that was won by Bernico-New Star.

The Grand Prix of the UAE was held under the patronage of His Highness Dr. Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, advisor to His Highness the Head of State and chairman of the Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club (ADIMSC). Team Abu Dhabi is supported by official carrier Etihad Airways.

Race 2

The Victory Team lined up ahead of Team Abu Dhabi in pole position as they set out to claim an unprecedented 14th world title in improved weather conditions on the Abu Dhabi course around Lulu island.

Victory came into the 10-lap race 19 points in front of Relekta-Zabo-Isiklar, meaning just a finish would be sufficient to win the title, although both Al-Zafeen and Bin Hendi wanted to end the season in style with another win. Al-Zafeen was also chasing a 42nd career win, which would put him at the top of the Hall of Fame alongside British throttleman Steve Curtis.

Victory completed the first lap 10.53 seconds in front of LFF10, Team Abu Dhabi a close third and LFF8-Silverline in fourth. Relekta-Zabo-Isiklar, needing to win the race to stand any chance of taking the title, was in fifth. New Star-Poliform failed to reach the start.

Al-Zafeen and Bin Hendi extended Victory 3’s lead to 17.39 seconds through lap two, but the field was soon reduced to three Class One boats and five V1 hulls when LFF8-Silverline and Relekta-Zabo-Isiklar were in trouble on lap two. The latter’s demise handed a 14th world title to the Victory Team.

Victory’s lead grew to 24.36sec through three laps and Team Abu Dhabi were not able to close the gap on LFF10 and challenge for second position. But Tomlinson and Ballough began to mount a late challenge and they started lap six a mere 1.48 seconds behind LFF10, as Victory 3 cut through the water like a knife to extend Al-Zafeen’s and Bin Hendi’s lead to 48.83 seconds.

LFF10 began lap seven with a 5.5-second advantage over Team Abu Dhabi and that was reduced to 2.45 seconds through lap eight. Tomlinson and Ballough managed to pass LFF10 on lap nine to snatch second position, as the Victory Team passed the chequered flag on the next lap to seal a 14th title and a 42nd win for Al-Zafeen.

Pole position and practice

Only four boats took part in Friday morning’s free practice session and the second pole position qualifying for the afternoon race. A broken water pump had sidelined New Star-Poliform on Thursday afternoon and engine issues took their toll on LFF8-Silverline.

Dubai’s Victory Team was quickest in the morning practice and claimed pole position with a fastest lap of 4min 45.11sec. It was a good morning for Tomlinson and Ballough as well in Team Abu Dhabi 5. The American duo lined up for the race in second position after carding a circuit of 4min 51.76sec. This was over five seconds quicker than the time they had recorded in the morning’s free practice.



2014 Grand Prix of the UAE – race 2 result:
1. Arif Saif Al-Zafeen (ARE)/Nadir bin Hendi (ARE) Victory 3 10 laps
2. John Tomlinson (USA)/Gary Ballough (USA) Team Abu Dhabi 5 @ 54.42sec
3. Giovanni Carpitella (ITA)/Luca Formilli Fendi (ITA) LFF10 @ 1min 12sec
Ugur Isik (TUR)/Christian Zaborowski (NOR) Relekta-Zabo-Isiklar 91 DNF L8
Alfredo Amato (ITA)/Miles Jennings (GBR) LFF8-Silverline DNF L9
Guido Cappellini (ITA)/Mikhail Kitashev (RUS) Newstar-Poliform 74 DNS

[Serious News]

Malta’s team Chaudron crowned world champions

Malta’s team Chaudron has won the V1 class of the United Arab Emirates Grand Prix earning Chaudron the sixth world title as boat builders and Aaron Ciantar, Malta’s top ambassador in this sport, the fourth.

The team, made up of Ciantar and Dominique Martini, sealed the V1 World Championship having won Race 1. The pair placed fourth in Race 2.

Race 2 honours went to Bernico-New Star’s Belgium duo, Nico Bertels and Frank Hemelaer.

The V1 teams produced some great racing, with the lead changing hands and the race for the podium places hotly contested.

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles...ampions.547013

[Serious News]

UAE's Victory Team crowns Victory Team for winning UIM Class One World Championship title

H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Advisor to the UAE President, on Friday crowned Emiratis Arif Al Zaffain and Nadir bin Hendi who have delivered another racing master class to win race 2 of the Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi and claim Victory Team's 14th World title (UIM Class 1 World Powerboat Championship) off the Abu Dhabi Breakwater.

Race 2 honours in V1 went to Bernico-New Star's Belgium duo, Nico Bertels and Frank Hemelaer, with fourth place for race 1 winners Aaron Ciantar and Dominique Martini in Chaudron good enough to seal the V1 World Championship.

Sheikh Sultan, the patron of the Grand Prix of the UAE and Chairman of Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club (ADIMSC), congratulated the winners and dedicated the achievement to the leaders of the UAE for their unwavering support to sports people.

"Abu Dhabi deserves to be named the capital of maritime sports for organising and hosting the big marine sports. This title is well-deserved," said Sheikh Sultan adding that Abu Dhabi is an attraction for the most important maritime sports events and enthusiasts.

"This area is a unique venue for all types of races.... and a vibrant destination for visitors and tourists all year long.

Starting from pole, Victory's newly crowned Champions' only challenge came at the start in a drag race to the first turn with Luca Fendi and Giovanni Carpitella in LFF10, before they grabbed the advantage and disappeared off into the distance.

Today's win, the duo's fifth of the season, was another demonstration of their absolute superiority, going on to take the chequered flag and complete the 10 laps by a winning margin of 54.42 seconds.

In a repeat of race 1 the pace of the leaders was simply too much for Team Abu Dhabi and LFF10, the only other boats to go the distance, LFF8 stopping on lap 1 followed a lap later by Relekta-Zabo-Isiklar, with New Star-Poliform failing to make the start.

After a processional seven laps the race and the fight for the second and third steps of the podium between LFF10 and Team Abu Dhabi's Gary Ballough and John Tomlinson ignited.

LFF10 led until lap 8 but could not shake of their pursuers and were slowly and surely hauled in by the American's with the time split down three seconds.

At the end lap 9 and going into the final turn Team Abu Dhabi came alongside LFF10, both outfits going into the turn side-by-side and both hooking, with Team Abu Dhabi emerging in front and running out the final lap to claim second spot.

Despite the disappointment of today's retirement Ugur Isik and Cristian Zaborowski's season-haul of five podiums was enough to give them the runners-up slot in the World Championship, with Luca Fendi and Giovanni Carpitella in third.

Not for the first time this season the V1 teams produced some great racing, with the lead changing hands and the race for the podium places hotly contested.

After yesterday's somewhat fraught day for Bernico-New Star's four man squad, DQ'd from both qualifying and race 1, Nico Bertels and Frank Hemelaer came back in style to take a well-deserved win.

Champions elect Chaudron got the jump on pole-sitters Aquasport and led from the start with Bernico-New Star giving chase and keeping the gap too under eight seconds. On Lap 5 Bernico-New Star hit the front and pulled away from a struggling Chaudron to take their second win of the year.

Behind the leaders Aquasport, Karelpiu and Tommy One enjoyed and produced the best fight of the race; first Aquasport held the upper hand, then Karelpiu grabbed the advantage until lap 5 the two trading places again before Daniel Cramphorn and Nico Huybens hit trouble and dropped back, eventually finishing in fifth.

With Chaudron slowing to a crawl and limping home in fourth, the remaining podium positions went to Karelpiu's Antonio Schiano and Federico Montanari and Tommy One's Stefano Bonanno and Maurizio Schepici.

It was a frustrating afternoon for Hercules Sagemann's Andreas Podolsky and Udo Gross who struggled with technical problems, completing just five laps, Silverline's Ian Blacker and Drew Langdon sidelined before the start with broken engine. –

Emirates News |Agency, WAM - http://www.wam.ae/en/news/emirates/1395273467215.html

[Serious News]

In the 2014 Class 1 World Powerboat Championship Arif Al Zaffain and Nadir Bin Hendi delivered another racing master class to win race two of the Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi and claim Victory Team’s 14th World title.

Race two honours in V1 went to Bernico-New Star’s Belgium duo, Nico Bertels and Frank Hemelaer, with fourth place for race one winners Aaron Ciantar and Dominique Martini in Chaudron good enough to seal the V1 World Championship.

Starting from pole, Victory’s newly crowned Champions’ only challenge came at the start in a drag race to the first turn with Luca Fendi and Giovanni Carpitella in LFF10, before they grabbed the advantage and disappeared off into the distance.

Today’s win, the duo’s fifth of the season, was another demonstration of their absolute superiority, going on to take the chequered flag and complete the 10 laps by a winning margin of 54.42seconds.

In a repeat of race one the pace of the leaders was simply too much for Team Abu Dhabi and LFF10, the only other boats to go the distance, LFF8 stopping on lap one followed a lap later by Relekta-Zabo-Isiklar, with New Star-Poliform failing to make the start.

After a processional seven laps the race and the fight for the second and third steps of the podium between LFF10 and Team Abu Dhabi’s Gary Ballough and John Tomlinson ignited.

LFF10 led until lap eight but could not shake of their pursuers and were slowly and surely hauled in by the American’s with the time split down three seconds.

At the end lap nine and going into the final turn Team Abu Dhabi came alongside LFF10, both outfits going into the turn side-by-side and both hooking, with Team Abu Dhabi emerging in front and running out the final lap to claim second spot.

Despite the disappointment of today’s retirement Ugur Isik and Cristian Zaborowski’s season-haul of five podiums was enough to give them the runners-up slot in the World Championship, with Luca Fendi and Giovanni Carpitella in third.

Not for the first time this season the V1 teams produced some great racing, with the lead changing hands and the race for the podium places hotly contested.

After yesterday’s somewhat fraught day for Bernico-New Star’s four man squad, DQ’d from both qualifying and race one, Nico Bertels and Frank Hemelaer came back in style to take a well-deserved win.

Champions elect Chaudron got the jump on pole-sitters Aquasport and led from the start with Bernico-New Star giving chase and keeping the gap too under eight seconds. On Lap five Bernico-New Star hit the front and pulled away from a struggling Chaudron to take their second win of the year.

Behind the leaders Aquasport, Karelpiu and Tommy One enjoyed and produced the best fight of the race; first Aquasport held the upper hand, then Karelpiu grabbed the advantage until lap five the two trading places again before Daniel Cramphorn and Nico Huybens hit trouble and dropped back, eventually finishing in fifth.

With Chaudron slowing to a crawl and limping home in fourth, the remaining podium positions went to Karelpiu’s Antonio Schiano and Federico Montanari and Tommy One’s Stefano Bonanno and Maurizio Schepici.

It was a frustrating afternoon for Hercules Sagemann’s Andreas Podolsky and Udo Gross who struggled with technical problems, completing just five laps, Silverline's Ian Blacker and Drew Langdon sidelined before the start with broken engine.

by Nigel Quilter

http://www.powerboat-world.com/usa/C...-Race-2/129665

[Serious News]

[Underdog88]

Love the course winding through the inside of the island. Just maybe ad a 10mi offshore leg out from the back stretch.

[Ratickle]

I don't know how happy a course like that would make the spectators in the US. Dang island in the way!!!