FUJAIRAH
“Everything is in order and I am confident Fujairah will do a fantastic job in hosting such a prestigious event,” said Mohammed Hareb, UIM Board Member, and member of the Sports Committee, Dubai International Marine Club (DIMC), after touring the club with other members of the UIM organizing committee.
Hareb and the rest of the visiting delegates were welcomed by Ahmed Ibrahim from the Fujairah International Marine Sports Club, who thanked them for the privilege of hosting an international powerboat event after a gap of ten years. “It is always the aim of the UAE leadership to ensure we work together as one unit so that the sport is the beneficiary,” Hareb said.
“The rise and success of X-Cat racing has been due to the concerted efforts and the close working relationship of all those involved from the UAE,” he added.
Earlier on Sunday, the delegation had visited the Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club (ADIMSC) which is getting spruced up to stage the third round of the X-Cat World Series on February 8-9.
Under the directions of Sheikh ADIMSC Chairman Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the team of race organizers toured the club premises and ensured that everything is in a state of readiness to stage this heat of the series. “There is so much of a willingness to do everything possible to ensure the X-Cat heat is a real success later this week,” noted Sid Bensalah from the XCAT World Series Promoter.
The third heat of the X-Cat World Series that was to be held last weekend at the Dubai International Marine Club (DIMC) had to be postponed for the first week of April due to rough seas and gusty winds last Saturday. And with the annual UIM Awards Ceremony scheduled to be held in Monaco this weekend, race organizers voted in favour of conducting the Abu Dhabi race a couple of days early.
After the first two rounds of racing held in Dubai and Abu Dhabi last month, the Qatar Team is at the top of the overall standings with 600 points, followed by the Swiss-American boat Mouawed with 450 points and Extreme Marine with 422 points. Fazza, winners of the opening round, are in fourth with 417 points and Spirit of Abu Dhabi in fifth position with 191 points.
Meanwhile, the mandatory practice session will be held from at 2.30 pm on Wednesday (February followed by next day’s Pole Position run (10 to 11.30 am) and the race at 3.00 pm. The latest updates can be obtained at www.xcatracing.com <http://www.xcatracing.com/> or follow the action on Twitter at XCATracing.