Team Abu Dhabi look to regain World XCAT title

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Team Abu Dhabi’s pursuit of more world powerboat racing success switched from Portugal’s Atlantic seaboard to the UAE’s eastern coast on Tuesday as Faleh Al Mansoori and Shaun Torrente targeted a vital XCAT win at the Grand Prix of Fujairah.

The 2018 UIM XCAT world champions aim to grab an advantage in this year’s shortened series over three races in the space of four days in Fujairah, before a Grand Prix of Dubai double header decides the outcome on December 10-11.

Just 24 hours after helping to secure Team Abu Dhabi’s fourth successive F1H2O team crown in Portugal, Torrente will link up with Mansoori for tonight’s drivers’ briefing at Fujairah International Marine Club ahead of Tuesday’s crucial first pole position qualifier.

The duo are determined to recapture the world title which they lost in dramatic style in Dubai two years ago. They want victory in Wednesday’s opening Grand Prix to give them the edge, with two more pole position qualifiers and races to follow on Thursday and Saturday.

It is a particularly demanding schedule for Torrente immediately following two F1H2O qualifiers and Grand Prix races inside four days in Portugal.

The American driver and Emirati Thani Al Qemzi captured another team title, but both agonizingly lost out to Sweden’s Jonas Andersson in the race for the F1H2O drivers’ crown, and Torrente is determined to bounce back with another XCAT triumph.

“Shaun is the ultimate professional, and his focus now is purely on working with Faleh and the rest of the team to win another XCAT world championship,” said Salem Al Remeithi, General Manager of Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club (ADIMSC).

The F1H2O team triumph in Portugal followed on from Rashed Al Qemzi’s third F2 title and a second successive world endurance championship for Team Abu Dhabi earlier this season.

Mansoori and Torrente saw their XCAT crown snatched away by Australians Tom Barry-Cotter and Ross Willaton in dramatic fashion in Dubai two years after the Team Abu Dhabi crew had won the first of two back-to-back races.