ABU DHABI: The exciting concept of a Kilo Run gave teams a break from competing in three races for the UIM Class 1 World Powerboat Championship title at the Abu Dhabi Breakwater on Wednesday afternoon and followed an action-packed morning’s practice session.
A spectacular crash for Team Abu Dhabi 5’s Rashed Al-Tayer and Majed Al-Mansoori dampened local spirits, despite the fastest time of that session falling to Team Abu Dhabi 6’s John Tomlinson and Gary Ballough. The stint also marked the first official XCAT appearance of triple UIM F1 H20 World Champion, Alex Carella, in Team Abu Dhabi 55.
With races two and three in the UIM Class 1 World Championship scheduled for Thursday and Friday, officials at the Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club (ADIMSC) included the Kilo Run in the timetable. Boats ran in reverse order from how they finished pole position qualifying on Tuesday and their maximum speed was measured by radar between a designated buoy and a gate. Each boat was permitted three runs to determine their highest speed.
Victory 3’s Arif Saif Al-Zafeen and Nadir Bin Hendi left it until their third run to confirm victory. They ran an opener of 137mph to cancel out Team Abu Dhabi 6’s first run of 134mph, but John Tomlinson and Gary Ballough hit back with a 139mph second run with the pair of Mercury QC4 turbocharged V8’s rev limiters set at 6,350rpm.
Victory 3’s second attempt was deemed null and void after the Dubai crew passed the wrong side of the flying finish gate. Team Abu Dhabi 6 couldn’t better their 139mph attempt with a final run of 137mph, however, and that opened the door for Victory to snatch the win with a flying final sprint of 142mph, the Victory V12s screaming their way down the straight.
Nico Huybens and Daniel Cramphorn had been the first on the water in Aquasport 99 and laid down the gauntlet with a speed of 132mph on their first run. They clocked 130 on run two and then an engine issue meant that they missed run three and needed to be towed back to the pontoon.
Italian Giovanni Carpitella and England’s Ian Blacker suffered an engine issue from the start in Relekta 91 and clocked runs of 123mph and 122mph before aborting their final run to return to the pits in fourth place.
Team Abu Dhabi 5’s spectacular spin that forced the boat to overturn at the top end of the course by the Marina Mall approach road in the morning meant the Emirati duo missed the Kilo Run, while team personnel set to work to ready their American-built MTI for Thursday’s action.
Team Abu Dhabi’s team manager Randy Scism was realistic after the crash. “If it was just a case of drying everything out that would be perfect, but salt water, electrics and engines don’t go together. It will be a re-rig, two new motors and, hopefully, by tomorrow!”
Team Abu Dhabi is sponsored by Etihad Airways and runs under the patronage of His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Al-Nahyan, adviser to the Head of State and chairman of the board of directors of the Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club (ADIMSC).
2016 UIM Class 1 World Championship – Kilo Run result:
1. Victory 3 – Arif Saif Al-Zafeen (UAE)/Nadir Bin Hendi (UAE) 142mph
2. Team Abu Dhabi 6 – John Tomlinson (USA)/Gary Ballough (USA) 139mph
3. Aquasport 99 – Nick Huybens (BEL)/Daniel Cramphorn (GBR) 132mph
4. Zabo Racing-Relekta 91 – Giovanni Carpitella (ITA)/Ian Blacker (GBR) 123mph
Team Abu Dhabi 5 – Rashed Al-Tayer (UAE)/Majed Al-Mansoori (UAE) DNS
2016 UIM Class 1 World Championship – Official practice times (C1):
1. Team Abu Dhabi 6 – John Tomlinson (USA)/Gary Ballough (USA) 2min 44.322sec
2. Team Abu Dhabi 5 – Rashed Al-Tayer (UAE)/Majed Al-Mansoori (UAE) 2min 48.187sec
3. Zabo Racing-Relekta 91 – Giovanni Carpitella (ITA)/Ian Blacker (GBR) 2min 58.557sec
4. Aquasport 99 – Nick Huybens (BEL)/Daniel Cramphorn (GBR) 3min 30.088sec
Victory 3 – Arif Saif Al-Zafeen (UAE)/Nadir Bin Hendi (UAE) DNS
XCATs
1. Dubai 33 – Salem Al-Adidi (UAE)/Eisa Al-Ali (UAE) 3min 03.205sec
2. Team Abu Dhabi 55 – Alex Carella (UAE)/Faleh Al-Mansoori (UAE) 3min 06.895sec
3. Raheeb 17 – Abdullatif Al-Omani (KWT)/Ahmed Al-Suwaidi (UAE) 3min 25.899sec
A spectacular crash for Team Abu Dhabi 5’s Rashed Al-Tayer and Majed Al-Mansoori dampened local spirits, despite the fastest time of that session falling to Team Abu Dhabi 6’s John Tomlinson and Gary Ballough. The stint also marked the first official XCAT appearance of triple UIM F1 H20 World Champion, Alex Carella, in Team Abu Dhabi 55.
With races two and three in the UIM Class 1 World Championship scheduled for Thursday and Friday, officials at the Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club (ADIMSC) included the Kilo Run in the timetable. Boats ran in reverse order from how they finished pole position qualifying on Tuesday and their maximum speed was measured by radar between a designated buoy and a gate. Each boat was permitted three runs to determine their highest speed.
Victory 3’s Arif Saif Al-Zafeen and Nadir Bin Hendi left it until their third run to confirm victory. They ran an opener of 137mph to cancel out Team Abu Dhabi 6’s first run of 134mph, but John Tomlinson and Gary Ballough hit back with a 139mph second run with the pair of Mercury QC4 turbocharged V8’s rev limiters set at 6,350rpm.
Victory 3’s second attempt was deemed null and void after the Dubai crew passed the wrong side of the flying finish gate. Team Abu Dhabi 6 couldn’t better their 139mph attempt with a final run of 137mph, however, and that opened the door for Victory to snatch the win with a flying final sprint of 142mph, the Victory V12s screaming their way down the straight.
Nico Huybens and Daniel Cramphorn had been the first on the water in Aquasport 99 and laid down the gauntlet with a speed of 132mph on their first run. They clocked 130 on run two and then an engine issue meant that they missed run three and needed to be towed back to the pontoon.
Italian Giovanni Carpitella and England’s Ian Blacker suffered an engine issue from the start in Relekta 91 and clocked runs of 123mph and 122mph before aborting their final run to return to the pits in fourth place.
Team Abu Dhabi 5’s spectacular spin that forced the boat to overturn at the top end of the course by the Marina Mall approach road in the morning meant the Emirati duo missed the Kilo Run, while team personnel set to work to ready their American-built MTI for Thursday’s action.
Team Abu Dhabi’s team manager Randy Scism was realistic after the crash. “If it was just a case of drying everything out that would be perfect, but salt water, electrics and engines don’t go together. It will be a re-rig, two new motors and, hopefully, by tomorrow!”
Team Abu Dhabi is sponsored by Etihad Airways and runs under the patronage of His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Al-Nahyan, adviser to the Head of State and chairman of the board of directors of the Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club (ADIMSC).
2016 UIM Class 1 World Championship – Kilo Run result:
1. Victory 3 – Arif Saif Al-Zafeen (UAE)/Nadir Bin Hendi (UAE) 142mph
2. Team Abu Dhabi 6 – John Tomlinson (USA)/Gary Ballough (USA) 139mph
3. Aquasport 99 – Nick Huybens (BEL)/Daniel Cramphorn (GBR) 132mph
4. Zabo Racing-Relekta 91 – Giovanni Carpitella (ITA)/Ian Blacker (GBR) 123mph
Team Abu Dhabi 5 – Rashed Al-Tayer (UAE)/Majed Al-Mansoori (UAE) DNS
2016 UIM Class 1 World Championship – Official practice times (C1):
1. Team Abu Dhabi 6 – John Tomlinson (USA)/Gary Ballough (USA) 2min 44.322sec
2. Team Abu Dhabi 5 – Rashed Al-Tayer (UAE)/Majed Al-Mansoori (UAE) 2min 48.187sec
3. Zabo Racing-Relekta 91 – Giovanni Carpitella (ITA)/Ian Blacker (GBR) 2min 58.557sec
4. Aquasport 99 – Nick Huybens (BEL)/Daniel Cramphorn (GBR) 3min 30.088sec
Victory 3 – Arif Saif Al-Zafeen (UAE)/Nadir Bin Hendi (UAE) DNS
XCATs
1. Dubai 33 – Salem Al-Adidi (UAE)/Eisa Al-Ali (UAE) 3min 03.205sec
2. Team Abu Dhabi 55 – Alex Carella (UAE)/Faleh Al-Mansoori (UAE) 3min 06.895sec
3. Raheeb 17 – Abdullatif Al-Omani (KWT)/Ahmed Al-Suwaidi (UAE) 3min 25.899sec
