Dubai: Victory 3 flexed their muscles to sweep everything on offer in the final race of the 2011 UIM Class One World Powerboat Championship at the Dubai International Marine Club (DIMC) yesterday.
With throttleman Nader Bin Hendi banned by the UIM after a positive drugs test, his substitute Mohammad Al Merri maintained the same resolve as Victory 3 were crowned world champions for a record 11th time and took the Middle East crown along with it at the end of the SkyDive Dubai-Dubai Duty Free Grand Prix.
"I had said that our answer to the UIM would be on the water and we have spoken," a philosophical Arif Saif Al Zafein told Gulf News after leading from start to finish to win the final race and take their tally back to 103 points — where it was before the 44 points they won at the Italian Grand Prix were docked were docked following Bin Hendi's positive test.
Ten points clear
Those points were more than sufficient for the Victory Team boat to finish ten points clear of Shaikh Hassan Bin Jaber Al Thani and Steve Curtis in Spirit of Qatar 96, while their second boat Qatar 95 with Ali Al Naema and Matteo Nicolini at the helm came in third overall with 89 points.
Shaikh Mansour Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum presented the trophies to the winners in the presence of Salah Tahlak, senior vice-president of corporate communications at Dubai Duty Free, UIM president Rafaello Chiulli and Class One promoter Nicolo Di San Germano.
Rashid Al Tayer and Majid Al Mansouri celebrated their first season together as the Abu Dhabi Team came in fourth with 67 points and former F1 world champion Guido Cappellini and Giampaolo Montavoci powered their Poliform to fifth with 56 points.
‘Never in doubt'
"There is a God above and He has spoken today," Bin Hendi told Gulf News.
"They can come up with all the excuses they want to try and deny us the world title.
"But we are sportsmen and we adhere to the rules and our position as the world's best team has never been in doubt.
"And today, we have proved it with this world title after a very hard battle, both on and off the water."
In yesterday's race, Victory 3 continued from where they left off on Friday as they set a blistering pace to ensure they stayed at the top of the pack.
Long lap early
Al Zafein and Al Merri opted for the mandatory long lap very early, and then stayed the course without any risks to romp home ahead of Al Tayer and Al Mansouri in the Abu Dhabi boat and Ugur Isik and Christian Zaborowski in their Relekta vessel.
"This is our place as world champions and with God on our side, we have shown everyone that we are worthy of this title," Al Zafein said.
"This is what being number one means."
RESULTS:
SkyDive Dubai-Dubai Duty Free Grand Prix: 1. Victory Team 3; 2. Team Abu Dhabi 5; 3. Relekta 91; 4. Spirit of Qatar 96; 5. Victory Team 7; 6. Welmax 90; 7. Luca F. Fendi Racing Team 10; 8. Spirit of Qatar 95; 9. FARO.ACCIAI 23; 10. Poliform 74.
Middle East Championship Standings: 1. Victory Team 3 (80pts); 2. Team Abu Dhabi (42); 3. Spirit of Qatar 96 (40); 3. Spirit of Qatar 95 (37); 5. Luca F. Fendi Racing Team 10 (27); 6. Victory Team 7 (19); 7. Poliform (17); =7. Relekta (17); 9. Welmax 90 (10); 10. Parsonage Racing (8).
World Championship Standings: 1. Victory Team 3 (103pts); 2. Spirit of Qatar 96 (93); 3. Spirit of Qatar 95; 4. Team Abu Dhabi 5 (67); 5. Poliform 74 (56); 6. Relekta 91 (41); 7. Luca F. Fendi Racing Team (27); 8. FARO.ACCIAI 23 (24); 9. Victory Team 7 (19); 10. Welmax B 90 (17).
