French team embarks on XCAT campaign

22 January 2014, Dubai - A total of 15 teams will line up for the start of the first round of the UIM Skydive Dubai XCAT World Series this weekend, after French team Yachts joined the campaign. The duo of Francois Pinelli from Corsica and Saul Bubacco from Italy will race under the French flag at DIMC Mina Seyahi this weekend, eyeing out the competition for the season ahead. “It will be already a great victory for us just to participate in the next two races and to finish the races,” explained team manager Giampaolo Maschietto. “We are working to set up the boat and drivers to be competitive in a really hard-fought championship.” Pinelli agreed saying: “I don’t know. For the first race, we will only participate and after that we’ll see because we don’t know what the level of the other boats is. So for the first race we’re only here to see and understand what we can do.” This will be the first time that Pinelli and Bubacco are racing together. “Usually I race with Michel Karsenti but he couldn’t come to this race so this is a new pilot. So we have only practised together, never raced but I know he is a very, very good pilot so it won’t be a problem,” said Pinelli. Bubacco has been racing since 2004, in the Offshore3000 Italian Championship and was 2005 Class3 2LT World Champion alongside Angelo Bianchini while Pinelli’s first racing experience was in 1984. Asked what they’re expecting from their participation in the race in Dubai, Maschietto said: “Competition, adrenaline, improvement of the boat’s performance and cooperation between two very experienced drivers from completely different backgrounds and marine educations.” Racing in the 2014 UIM Skydive Dubai XCAT World Series gets underway at DIMC on Thursday, January 23 with the first Official Practice at 2.30pm. The race for EMAAR pole position will take place at 9.45am on Friday, January 24 while the head-to-head Dubai Duty Free Speed Cat Run will be contested at 3pm that same day. The main race, the Dubai Grand Prix, will take place at 3.30pm on Saturday, 24 January. Entrance is free to the general public. Once again there will be plenty of activities on offer for the whole family, with a dedicated kids zone, food and beverage on sale and breathtaking Flyboard and Skydive Dubai exhibitions on offer in between the racing.