DUBAI // Arif Al Zaffain and Nadir bin Hendi capped a flawless weekend of racing by taking the Dubai Grand Prix title and with it the overall UIM Skydive Dubai XCAT World Series.
Starting the race from pole, the Fazza duo made no mistakes on Saturday and held the lead from start to finish at Dubai International Marine Club in Mina Seyahi.
Fazza had to finish in the top three to take the championship but, by the time the 14 boats had completed the first lap, there seemed little doubt they would do that, with their nearest challengers – Mouawad and Skydive Dubai – dropping back from the start.
It was around the seventh of 15 laps that Bin Hendi said he and Al Zaffain eased off the pace slightly to ensure no mechanical hitches would stand in their way of a victory in front of the home crowd.
“Toward the end we decided to save the engines. We wanted to make sure we finished the race and that we didn’t break anything and lose,” he said. “So we took it easy on the corners and then pushed it hard in between and kept an eye on the boat in second place to make sure it didn’t come close.
“We’re obviously feeling very excited now. This is the best thing that could happen. As we said we would do yesterday, we pushed at the start to get the lead and control the pace of the race.”
In second place was the Victory Team duo of Talib Al Sayed and Salem Al Adidi, who made the most of a shaky start from Skydive Dubai to overtake them and shoot into second spot.
The Skydive Dubai team of Sultan Al Dhaheri and Jay Price eventually finished third, confirming it was the start that proved to be the problem.
“That’s where we lost it,” Price said. “We had too big a propeller and the way the start was designed, you make a slight left and then a right so the boat on the outside of us actually had a better line at the next turn and we had to cut back and go through the rooster of both boats.”
“I would have liked a greater position in the race, but it wasn’t our turn today and we’re really happy to move up a position in the world championship. That’s a fantastic situation. First time out racing XCATs and I’m already a silver medallist,” added Price, referring to the second spot he and Al Dhaheri claimed in the overall Series standings.
Skydive Dubai moved up into second place after the Mouawad team of Omar Danial and Gary Ballough struggled to sixth place. They still managed to finish the season in third overall, however.
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