MEDIA INFORMATION
2015 UIM XCAT WORLD SERIES
Gold Coast Grand Prix, round 4 – August 21-23
TEAM ABU DHABI’S AL-TAYER AND AL-MANSOORI SUFFER TITLE
SETBACK WITH SEVENTH PLACE AT AUSTRALIA’S GOLD COAST GRAND PRIX
XDubai’s Al-Zafeen and Bin Hendi extend UIM XCAT series lead with victory in Australia
T-Bone Station’s Carpitella and Nicholson win Dubai Duty Free Speed Cat Run
GOLD COAST (AUSTRALIA): Sunday, August 23rd: Team Abu Dhabi’s Rashid Al-Tayer and Faleh Al-Mansoori suffered a setback to their challenge for the 2015 UIM XCAT World Series when they finished seventh overall in the Gold Coast Grand Prix off the Queensland coast of Australia on Sunday.
The Emirati pair needed to stay in front of XDubai’s Arif Saif Al-Zafeen and Nadir bin Hendi to snatch the series lead, but the race was interrupted when Dubai’s Salem Al-Adidi and Eisa Al-Ali flipped for the second time in two days and XDubai controlled the race from the restart. They stayed out in front to reach the chequered flag 6.32 seconds ahead of the local Gold Coast Australia pairing of Tom Barry-Cotter and Ross Willaton.
The Italian duo of Matteo Nicolini and Tomaso Polli claimed the final podium position in Six/Hoorsenbuhs and Serafino Barese and Alessandro Barone were fourth in Marine Investimenti Sud. Jay Price and Shaun Torrente brought Lady Spain home in fifth place and Francois Pinelli and Saul Bubacco rounded off the top six in Yacht.
XDubai’s Gold Coast success means that they head to the remaining rounds of the series in the autumn with a 26-point series lead over Team Abu Dhabi. Nicolini and Polli hold third place, a mere two points behind Al-Tayer and Al-Mansoori, and Swecat Racing and Marine Investimenti Sud are tied for fourth.
Italy’s Giovanni Carpitella and Australian team-mate Darren Nicholson claimed victory and eight additional championship points for taking victory in the traditional shootout for the Dubai Duty Free Speed Cat Run in T-Bone Station. Dubai’s Salem Al-Adidi and Eisa A-Ali had qualified sixth for the race and emerged unscathed from a spectacular flip during their Speed Cat Run. T-Bone Station pipped the Marine Investimenti Sud crew of Barlesi and Barone in the final. Team Abu Dhabi was knocked out by the eventual winners in their second round heat.
Team Abu Dhabi is based at the Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club (ADIMSC) and is supported by Etihad Airways as official carrier and sponsor. The team 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 ADIMSC.
2015 Gold Coast Grand Prix -result:
1. XDubai 31min 14sec
2. Gold Coast Australia @ 6.32sec
3. Six @ 12.75sec
4. Marine Investimenti Sud @ 15.56sec
5. Lady Spain @ 18.57sec
6. Yacht @ 22.23sec
7. Team Abu Dhabi @ 26.86sec
8. Swecat Racing @ 29.86sec
9. Global Marine @ 32.37sec
10. Team Saracen Australia @ 38.31sec
11. Raheeb @ 1min 50.29sec
12. T-Bone Station 1 lap behind
13. Cantiere Postiglione /Videx 6 laps
14. Dubai 6 laps
2015 UIM XCAT WORLD SERIES – positions after round 4:
1. XDubai 131 pts
2. Team Abu Dhabi 105 pts
3. Six/Hoorsenbuhs 103 pts
4. Swecat Racing 67 pts
4. Marine Investimenti Sud 67 pts
6. Dubai 64 pts
7. Yacht 54 pts
8. T-Bone Station 48 pts
8. Lady Spain 48 pts
10. Team Saracen Australia 44 pts
11. Videx 39 pts
12. Gold Coast Australia 31 pts
13. Mouawad 50 24 pts
14. Raheeb 23 pts
15. Global Marine 22 pts
– 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.xcatracing.com
www.adimsc.ae