CLASS 2  Middle East championship Round 1 of 4    

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VICTORY TEAMS SAEED AL TAYER AND MOHAMMED AL MARRI TAKE FIRST ON THE PODIUM   

Heat one of the Class II and III 6 liter UAE International Championship took to the waters yesterday, defying this week’s continuing stormy weather conditions in the Gulf.  

With a heavy swell, 25-knot winds and waves reaching 8 foot, competitors would have been forgiven to enter into these turbulent waters with a hint of trepidation. But not it seems the Victory Team boys who showed that when it comes to the rough, they like to play tough. 

Victory Teams Saeed H. Al-Tayer and Mohammed Al Marri in M7 were first to cross the finish line and claim the Class II chequered flag ahead of Kristian Tzanov and Luca Nicolini in Sea Racer, M8 leaving Khalfan S. Al Muhairi and Matteo Niccolini in Sea Racer 32, M9 a third place on the podium. But it was Ali Nasser and Ali Al Qama who appeared to have the race in the bag and were dominating till the ninth lap of the ten lap course saw them come to a disappointing stop when a water pick up snapped clean, flooding the engine and banishing them from a top place on the podium. 

In Class III it was the successful pairing of Rashid Al Jabber Al Hamli and Ahmed Ali Jaber Al Hamli in ADIMSC, S4 that took first place closely followed by Christain Rivolta and Giovanni Carpitella in G-One, S101 and lying in third, Mohammed Mubarak Al Qam and Majid Al Mansouri in Abu Dhabi Racing Team, S45. 

In what many believe were the worst sea conditions that Offshore has seen in Abu Dhabi, the decision was made to change to a storm course. Spectators were fortunate to witness the start of the race in front of the Cornice and along the smoother side of Lu Lu Island out of the worst of the sea waves. “We took the decision to not to run the full course because the safety could not be guaranteed outside the breakwater.” said Richard Ridout, UIM Commissioner for Offshore “This was the first time that we have run the race in side the breakwater but this still gave us two ends that were very rough.”  

“Conditions were really tough out there, but fun. This is the first time that we have raced under such conditions here in Abu Dhabi. We started the race carefully to see how the conditions were and took it from there.” said Mohammed Al Marri in Victory Teams M7. 

Victory Teams M7 played a tactical race today but amazingly still saw speeds in excess of 121 MPH on the more sheltered side of the breakwater.  “I knew that the race was going to be an interesting one and we needed to survive the first race of the season. There were some dangerous spots at the entrance to the breakwater with a funneling effect causing a potential hazard.” said Saeed H. Al-Tayer, adding. “Also the velocity of the wind was picking up and I wanted to keep every thing tight to ensure the boat survives for the second race of the Championship series. We were lying comfortable in second place. There were occasions when we could have taken over but from what I could see in front of me, I thought it was better to hold off a little. We were the lucky boat at the end of the day and I am very grateful for that.” 

With the first five laps witnessing the boats desperately vying for first place and with sea conditions as they were, boats seemed to alternate between near stuffing’s and high lake offs.

 Kristian Tzanov was ecstatic with his second place on the podium and aims to better his performance in heat two of the UAE Championship scheduled to take place at the Dubai International Marine Club on the 25^th of January, 2002. “It was a really great race out there today and we hope to improve for the next heat in Dubai.”