Sharjah: A full field of 54 riders from 21 countries will line up for the final two heats of the Grand Prix of Sharjah — the fifth and final round of the 2016 UIM-ABP Aquabike World Championship along Sharjah’s Buhairah Corniche on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Earlier on Monday, the riders went through a practice session followed by the official qualifying round that saw the riders earn their places on the start grid for the actual races on Tuesday and Wednesday.
This season’s UIM-ABP Aquabike Class Pro World Championship consisted of five stops, starting with the Otranto in Italy in June and concluding with the Grand Prix of Sharjah on Wednesday [December 21]. After the opening round in Otranto from June 10-12, the riders proceeded to Denia, Spain from June 23-25 before going to Shanghai, China for the third and fourth rounds from September 23-25 and October 3-5.
The fifth and final round in Sharjah will see some of the best riders tussle for top honours on Buhairah Corniche’s Khalid Lagoon till Wednesday when the world champions will be crowned in all four categories, namely Runabout, Ski Division men and women and Freestyle. The Runabout has the highest number of participants with 19 riders, followed by 17 in the Ski Division GP1, another ten in the Ski Ladies GP1 and eight in the Freestyle class.
Rok Florjanic of Slovenia is within distance of retaining his Freestyle title ahead of the UAE’s Rashid Al Mulla and young brother Nac Florjanic. The rider from Maribor is close to a record fourth straight world crown with a total of 191 points and needing just 16 points from the 50 on offer over the next two days of competition. The UAE rider Al Mulla is in second with 157 points and a further 17 points adrift of third-placed Nac Florjancic.
In the Runabout GP1, the battle is between defending champion Kuwait’s Yousuf Al Abdul Razzaq and British newcomer, James Bushell — with the Kuwaiti holding a 36-point advantage over his opponent. And in the Ski GP1 men’s category, Frenchman Jeremy Poret has been assured of yet another world crown as he sits at the top with an uncatchable 169 points, while Kevin Reiterer pursues him in second (117 points) and Nacho Armillas in third with 111 points.
The fight for the Ladies Ski GP1 title will also be close with Sweden’s Emma-Nellie Ortendahl within four points of a first-ever crown. The 18-year-old from Alvangen, who made her debut as a 14-year-old, has come a long way after losing out on her first title at the same venue last year. Ortendahl is at the top of the standings with 188 points, 46 clear of lone challenger and defending champion Jennifer Menard, who has just about recovered from an illness.
SCHEDULE for the Grand Prix of Sharjah
On Tuesday: (10-10.55am) Ski Division GP1; (11-11.20am) Runabout GP1; (11.25-11.40am) Freestyle Class; (2.30-3pm) Ski Ladies GP1; (3.-3.30pm) Ski Division GP1; (3.30-4pm) Freestyle; (4-4.30pm) Runabout GP1.
On Wednesday: (10.10-10.30am) Ski Ladies GP1; (10.35-10.55) Ski Division GP1; (11-11.20am) Runabout GP1; (11.25-11.40am) Freestyle class; (2.30-3pm) Ski Ladies GP1; (3-3.30pm) Ski Division GP1; (3.30-4pm) Freestyle class; (4-4.30pm) Runabout GP1.
