Team Abu Dhabi claimed their first UIM Class 1 World Powerboat Championship at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as second place for Gary Ballough and John Tomlinson was enough to clinch the title.
Although it was the Victory 3 team who won the 10-lap race, the celebrations were with Team Abu Dhabi at the event at the Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club.
Ballough and Tomlinson, competing in the Team Abu Dhabi 6 boat, had taken an eight-point lead into the final round of the season, and second was enough to clinch the crown as their nearest rivals, Giovanni Carpitella and Luca Formilli Fendi of T-Bone Station, finished fourth.
But it was not a comfortable afternoon for the team as after taking the lead at the start, they suffered a water pressure problem in one of their engines that slowed them down and dropped them behind the Victory 3 pair of Arif Saif Al Zafeen and Nadir Bin Hendi.
They were able to carry enough pace to the finish, coming across the line 20 seconds behind Victory 3. Ballough, the boat’s driver, paid tribute to the role of Tomlinson, the vessel’s throttleman, for ensuring they dealt with the engine issue.
“This is the greatest day of my racing career,” he said. “I’m so proud to represent Abu Dhabi and very happy to have brought home the team’s first Class 1 world title.
“Yes, my heart was in my mouth when we lost water pressure in the one engine, but John is so experienced, he knew how long it would take to clear and stayed calm.”
Tomlinson acknowledged it had been a worrying time when they realised the engine was losing performance.
“It was nerve-wracking every lap after that,” he said. “But we managed it to make sure that we didn’t have the problem again.”
Tomlinson echoed Ballough’s statement of the title being the high point of his career.
“It feels good,” Tomlinson said. “I’m so happy to do it for Abu Dhabi, for Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club and for everyone involved with the team. It’s just a great day.”
Teammates Majid Al Manssori and Rashid Al Tayer, who were racing Team Abu Dhabi 5, finished fifth in the race and fourth in the championship table, but shared the celebratory mood.
“We’re all so happy that the team has won its first Class 1 world championship title,” Al Mansoori said. “Now for next season we’re hoping that everything will be brand new – new boat, new engine, everything.”
Al Tayer said Team Abu Dhabi’s focus was already firmly afixed on 2016.
“We’re very happy that John and Gary won the world championship for the team,” he said.
“It has been a fantastic season. Now we’re looking forward to next season already and hope to finish first and second in the championship.”
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