2009 ABRA Unlimited Hydroplane World Championship
Oryx Cup World Championship, Doha – November 19th-21st
For immediate release
Thursday, August 27th, 2009
TEN UNLIMITED HYDROS BEGIN PREPARATIONS FOR DOHA ORYX CUP
· World’s fastest boats will head to Doha at the end of September
· Sheikh Hassan and QMSF relishes new ABRA race challenge
DOHA (Qatar): The American Boat Racing Association (ABRA) has completed its North American tour and 10 boats are being prepared in preparation for the final race of the ABRA Unlimited Hydroplane World Championship in Doha on November 19th-21st.
The final round of the thrilling high-speed series has been put together by His Excellency Sheikh Hassan bin Jabor Al-Thani, president of the Qatar Marine Sports Federation (QMSF) and American Boat Racing Association (ABRA) chairman Sam Cole. A contract to host and run the Oryx Cup World Championship race was signed at a recent race meeting in Seattle that was attended by Sheikh Hassan and Abdullah Al-Sulaiti.
“We are honoured to be making this trip and showing our series champion in a country that we want to become the international capital of our sport,” enthused ABRA chairman Sam Cole. “Sheikh Hassan Al-Thani and the Qatar Marine Sports Federation have shown so much confidence in our sport by hosting this event and we are looking forward to very competitive racing in a world class location.”
Of the 11 boats that raced in last weekend’s Thunder on the Ohio in Evansville, only the U-3 Master Tire boat, owned by Ed Cooper Junior, will be unable to make the trip to Qatar. Cooper’s unlimited hydroplane suffered severe damage in the final heat of last Sunday’s race when a propeller broke.
“We have had a great season of competitive racing with three different race champions and we are taking these boats to Qatar,” added Cole. “Now we have the opportunity to showcase the fastest race boats in the Middle East for the first time.”
The boats will leave Jacksonville in Florida, via cargo ship, on September 28th and they are scheduled to arrive in Doha on October 28th. Several team transport drivers will arrive early in Qatar and take the hydroplanes from the Doha port to a secure location where they will be kept until the rest of the team members arrive in November.
“This is a massive undertaking, but it is not unlike the days when teams prepared to race in Hawaii,” said Cole. “It is truly another world class destination for our race teams and it is actually 7,500 miles further than going to Honolulu!”
Cole expects 15 or so ABRA officials to make the trip to Doha, where they will join forces with Sheikh Hassan’s experienced team from the QMSF to host the first race of its kind in the Middle East. “There should also be between six and 10 team members per boat.”
“It’s going to be great fun and a new, exciting experience for everyone,” added Sheikh Hassan.
Ends
For further media information about the QMSF:
Neil Perkins, NDP Publicity Services, Mobile: + 44 7831 123153, E-mail: ndppublicity@googlemail.com. www.ndp-publicity.com (press releases).
For further information about the American Boat Racing Association (ABRA):
Bruce Madej, E-mail: brucemadej@gmail.com or Steve Montgomery, E-mail: scm@montgomerymarketing.com.
www.qmsf.org