VICTORY TEAM IN ALL OUT BATTLE TO RETAIN UIM CLASS ONE TITLE

For the past three years, the extreme sport of offshore has been dominated by the blue liveried catamarans of Dubai ’s Victory Team and their stable of stars. This year, their determination is just as focused in their quest for the top honors, but the season has not been all that they anticipated and they find themselves in what may be a last fight to retain their crown and ensure their status as 2003 World Champions.

From the 10 boats that will line up in the Gulf waters off the coast of Qatar this weekend (Friday 11^th October), only Spirit of Norway and Victory 7 are in with a chance to take home the sports most prestigious prize- the UIM Class One World Offshore Championship trophy.

Taking up the task from 2001 World Champions Al-Tayer and Al Marri to ensure that the UIM Class One flag is flying the UAE colours at the end of the year, Ali Nasser and Ali Al Qama certainly marked their intentions during the last round by winning not only the Fujairah Grand Prix Pole Position but also the race. However, the pairing will be hard pushed to make a dent in the 22 points deficit with only two heats till it’s the final curtain call and the end of the show. Even if they are able to place first for the next two heats to make it two straight blue winning weekends, it will still not be enough. For once, Victory Team will have to rely on the rest of the pack to also beat Curtis and Gjelsten- a feat that has so far alluded all other boats this year apart from the Victory Team stable.  

World Champions in 1998, Gjelsten and Curtis know that all they have do is finish the season off with two fairly safe fourth place finishes that will secure them with enough points to ensure that their names are on the title for 2003. Up to date, the pairing have had a phenomenal season that has seen them on the podium after every race, but the question is, will their run of top podium placings hold along with their 100% record of reliability. Only time will tell.

Steve Curtis will also be on a personal quest to become the first man in Class One powerboating history to secure a record breaking four Championship titles; a fact that may see the Englishman play smart for the upcoming two races rather then jeopardize his chances with any last minute mechanical hiccoughs.

The normal three way battle between the top gunners in the series is this year being challenged by the Detroit diesel powered engines of the Australian 43 foot Tencara boat, Riviera, and with podium placings so far this season, the team from down under certainly look determined to break up the Lamborghini league.

Although Riviera may not prove a serious thorn in the side of the championship leaders - Spirit of Norway and Victory 7- the big boat is certainly causing considerable discomfort to Victory 1. With a one point lead that puts Riviera in third place ahead of Victory 1, Bill Barry-Cotter and Peter McGrath are quietly confident for a third place in the championship series.

However, with a season behind Al Tayer and Al Marri that has so far seen the World Champions beset with problems, the popular pairing will be looking to the two upcoming races to show offshore that although they may have lost their crown, they have certainly not lost their fight.  Not content to settle for a place off the podium at the end of the series, a fierce and formidable battle can be expected from the Dubai duo to secure the maximum speed and points to clinch that third place.

Middle East Championship.

With the introduction into the series of the Middle East Championship this year, a new edge is introduced to the countdown that may pose a dilemma for some competitors. Current leaders in the Middle East Championship, Victory 7’s 5 point lead over Spirit of Norway may well be the pushing point for the Anglo/Norwegian pairing to pick up the pace and not play it safe. Currently Spirit of Norway are leading in the pole position, have taken the European Championship title and are set for the Class One Championship; but the question is, will they take the tantalizing challenge and risk their safe and steady tactics in answer to the challenge of making it a complete and utter sweep of title trophies this year. Time will tell, and one way or the other, Victory will be waiting.

In the rest of the pack, Jotuns early season bad luck was officially put in the past when the Fujairah Grand Prix saw them on the podium again in 3^rd place. Currently, they stand in 3^rd place in the Middle East Championship and in 5^th place in the World Championship. The ever reliable GFN Gibellatto will be looking for an upward move in the ranks of the Class One Championship points standings from their present place in 7^th just behind yellow boat Damas in 6^th place with 25 points. In the Middle East championship it is Damas who hold the advantage of 5^th place just ahead of GFN Gibellato in 6^th. The red boat Highlander comes into the championship with 8th place but an impressive 4^th place in the Middle East Championship. ECS lead over Binautica by one point in the Championship puts them in 10^th place, but in the Middle East Championship it is Binautica who place ahead in 9^th place after an early retirement saw the ill fated ECS boat out of the running during the Fujairah Grand Prix. In last place in both the overall Championship and in the Middle East Championship will stay Reverie after a decision in the third heat of the season saw them pull out of the championship series.

The 7^th Heat in the UIM Class One race series is scheduled to power off on Thursday the 10^th of October at 3:30 pm with the Pole Position race. The Qatar Grand Prix race will take place on Friday the 11^th of October at 3:30 pm .