Arendal, Norway: The Victory Team continued with their good luck affair in Arendal as Victory 77 powered its way to winning the Norwegian Grand Prix - the second round of the WPPA Class One World Powerboat Championship - ahead of Qatar 96 and teammates Victory 7 here yesterday.
The win was second in-a-row for the Dubai-based team following their season opening finish in Athens last month ahead of Victory 7 and Qatar 96.
Arendal has been a lucky hunting ground for the Dubai team as they recorded their sixth win out of the 10 races organised here so far.
Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation and Chairman of Emirates Group, was the first to send his congratulations to the team. "Thank You, Mabrook", Shaikh Ahmad said in an sms message sent to WPPA Chairman Saeed Hareb.
Home favourites
"We have kept the pressure on the defending champions Spirit of Norway. It is now time for us to consolidate further by adding some more speed to the boats before Oslo (on August 10)," Victory Team Manager Gian Franco Venturelli told Gulf News.
Much was expected of home favourites Spirit of Norway after their Pole Position win on Saturday. The six-time world champion Norwegian boat did make a promising start turning first at the first buoy. But bad luck continued to plague them as a broken propeller forced them out on the fifth lap leaving the way open for Victory 77 to take the lead. There was no turning back for the Dubai team from then on, with freshman Aref Saif Al Zafein and veteran Jean Marc Sanchez at the helm, staying firmly on course for their second win in as many races.
Qatar 96, with Shaikh Hassan Bin Jaber Al Thani and Matteo Nicolini, kept up the pressure to come in second, while Ahmad Al Suwaidi and Nader Bin Hindi took Victory 7 for a second podium finish.
"I can't believe I have won twice in two races. It is all thanks to God, to my crew, to all the people from Victory Team management who have backed us, and to all our fans," said a dazed Al Zafein. "Though Spirit of Norway was ahead of us, I was not nervous at all as I had this confident feeling we could take him on."
The race also saw as many as five boats drop out due to various technical problems.
Results
Norwegian Grand Prix, the second round of the WPPA Class One World Powerboat Championship:
1. Victory 77: Aref Al Zafein/Jean Marc Sanchez (53:59.42); 2. Qatar 96: Shaikh Hassan Bin Jaber Al Thani/Matteo Nicolini (54:43.40); 3. Victory 7: Ahmad Al Suwaidi/Nader Bin Hindi (55:05.70); 4. Foresti & Suardi 8: Giampaolo Montavoci/Marco Pennesi (56:40.81); 5. Spirit of Norway 20: Bjorn Rune Gjelsten/Steve Curtis (58:01.23); 6. Spirit of Norway 10 (52:22.59).
Did not finish:
1. Jotun 90: Christian Zaborowski/Jorn Tandberg; 2. Qatar 95: Abdullah Al Sulaiti/Luca Nicolini; 3. Veneta Marina Foresti & Suardi 2: Domenico Cirilli/Kurt Aage Olsen; 4. SeveneleveN 18: Tomaso Polli/Nicolo Giorgi; 5. Negotiator 50: Bard Eker/Chris Parsonage.
