Penultimate day of X-CAT Series cancelled

Fujairah “It would be unwise to put the drivers and crews of the boats at risk with the winds gusting to nearly 25 knots,” Mohammed Hareb, Race Director, told media after taking a decision to cancel all planned activities on the water for yesterday. With weather conditions showing a drastic change through the day, race officials weighed options before them before announcing that the Speed Cat Run could not be held due to the gusty winds that reached more 20 knots which is very critical for boat stability. However, they did go ahead with the parade of the boats that went through the city centre and along the Corniche in Fujairah later in the evening. Hareb later said that race officials were monitoring the weather conditions on an hourly basis, given the fact that winds speeds are predicted to increase on Friday. “We have various options before us and we will take a decision closer to the race,” Hareb said. “We have at least three options before us: either we run the race as per the time-table or we bring forward the time of the race by an hour or we use the lay day on Saturday as the weather forecast is much better,” the race director stated. On Friday, action will get under way at 9.30 am when the eleven participating teams will be involved in the Official Pole Position run till 11 am. The fifth and final round of the 2012 UIM X-CAT World Powerboat Series will be run from 3.30 pm over 12 laps. Going into the final round, the Fazza duo of Aref Al Zaffain and Mohammed Al Marri are comfortably placed at the top of the overall standings with 1217 points, well clear of the chasing duo of Mouawad (1050 points) and early leaders Qatar Team (920 points). The Fujairah Grand Prix – the fifth and final race on the 2012 season hosted by the Fujairah International Marine Club – is being held under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Hamad Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah.