MEDIA INFORMATION
2015 UIM CLASS ONE WORLD POWERBOAT CHAMPIONSHIP
Grand Prix of Salerno, July 7-9, 2015
TEAM ABU DHABI FINISH FIRST AND SECOND IN
OPENING SALERNO CLASS 1 RACE OF NEW SEASON
Team Abu Dhabi’s MTis qualify second and third for opening Salerno race
Class 1 opener runs in conjunction with Venice-Monte Carlo endurance race
SALERNO (ITALY): Wednesday, July 8: Team Abu Dhabi began their campaign for success in the 2015 UIM Class 1 World Powerboat Championship in sensational style by finishing first and second overall in the first of two races being held on a unique course in conjunction with the seventh leg of the Venice-Monte Carlo race, at Salerno in Italy, on Wednesday afternoon.
The American duo of driver Gary Ballough and throttleman John Tomlinson qualified the first of the two Team Abu Dhabi American-built MTi boats in second place, with the Emirati pairing of Majid Al-Mansoori and Rashid Al-Tayer starting the race just behind their team-mates in third after the morning’s qualifying session. The two MTis never missed a beat in the race and gave the team based out of the Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club (ADIMSC) a superb 1-2 start to the season.
“It was all a bit of a rush getting the boats shipped in and everything ready for the start at the last minute, but this result goes to prove that it was all worth it and the team is on the right track for a really good challenge for the Class 1 title this year,” said Al-Tayer. “We need to keep the momentum going into the second race and try and deliver a 1-2 for Abu Dhabi again.”
Team Abu Dhabi faced a fierce challenge in Salerno from the defending UIM Class 1 World Powerboat Champions, Arif Saif Al-Zafeen and Nadir bin Hendi. Rather than use their usual boat, the Dubai-based duo leased a Victory-built hull from Mauro D’Alessio and went on to qualify for the first race in fourth position. They rounded off the podium places with third overall.
Italian Giovanni Carpitella and England’s Miles Jennings also lined up at the start in their Fendi Racing entry and claimed pole, while Swedish rookie Niclas Johansson replaced Ugur Isik and joined Christian Zaborowski in a Zabo Racing entry in the fifth boat. They qualified fifth and finished the race in fourth place.
Team Abu Dhabi is supported by Etihad Airways as the official carrier and sponsor and runs under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Khalifa Al-Nahyan, advisor to the Head of State and chairman of the board of directors of the Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club (ADIMSC).
A second pole position session follows on Thursday morning (July 9) from 11.00hrs (13.00hrs UAE time) and the second of the two Salerno races will be staged from 14.00hrs.
2015 Salerno Grand Prix – Race 1 result (Wednesday – unofficial)
1. Gary Ballough (USA)/John Tomlinson (USA) Team Abu Dhabi 6
2. Majid Al-Mansoori (ARE)/Rashid Al-Tayer (ARE) Team Abu Dhabi 5
3. Arif Saif Al-Zafeen (ARE)/Nadir bin Hendi (ARE) Victory Team 3
4. Christian Zaborowski (NOR)/Niclas Johansson (SWE) Zabo Racing 91
5. Giovanni Carpitella (ITA)/ Miles Jennings (GBR) Fendi Racing 10
2015 Salerno Grand Prix – Pole Position (Wednesday – unofficial)
1. Giovanni Carpitella (ITA)/ Miles Jennings (GBR) Fendi Racing 10
2. Gary Ballough (USA)/John Tomlinson (USA) Team Abu Dhabi 6
3. Majid Al-Mansoori (ARE)/Rashid Al-Tayer (ARE) Team Abu Dhabi 5
4. Arif Saif Al-Zafeen (ARE)/Nadir bin Hendi (ARE) Victory Team 3
5. Christian Zaborowski (NOR)/Niclas Johansson Zabo Racing 91
– Ends –
For further media information and information about Team Abu Dhabi:
Please contact: Khalid Al Saadi, Media Incharge, Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club, P.O. Box 45656, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Mobile Telephone: + 971 50 768 6761, E-mail: alsaadi@adimsc.ae.
www.class-1.com
www.adimsc.ae