Dubai: The Victory Team duo of Aref Saif Al Zafe’in and Nader Bin Hindi has vouched to get even better as the season chugs along in the 2016 UIM XCAT World Series.
The four-time defending world champions secured full points along with a bonus in Friday’s Dubai Grand Prix to maintain their hold on the top spot of the overall standings at the Dubai International Marine Club (DIMC).
Chasing early leaders Abu Dhabi Team 5 for the first few laps of the 16-lap race on the Mina Seyahi breakwaters, the Victory Team duo of Al Zafe’in and Bin Hindi maintained their cool to eventually overtake Rashid Suhail Al Tayer and Faleh Khalfan Al Mansouri with six laps remaining.
Their second consecutive top finish enabled Victory Team to consolidate their position with 78 points, leaving Swecat Racing in second with 53 points, Gold Coast Australia, with Tom Barry Cotter and Ross Willaton on board, turned in sixth to follow up with their second place at the Fujairah GP for a total of 47 points and third place overall. And breathing down their necks is Dubai 33 — with Salem Al Adidi and Eisa Al Ali on board — in fourth overall with 45 points.
“We always believed we could do it. We have a boat that is new and we have done enough testing of the new engines to go all out for victory whenever we are out there on the water,” Al Zafe’in told Gulf News.
“Two races gone and another five more to go and things are looking pretty good for our team. But we will not relax. We will be back on Sunday for some more testing before shipping to boat for the next round in Switzerland,” he promised.
With eleven of the 14 boats opting for the brand-new four-stroke Mercury engines this season — the remaining teams have a January 2017 deadline — the season is looking to be a level playing field with consistency in most boats.
“From the last two races, we have seen that things are more exciting now with nearly all teams having the same engines. But we believe that the boys will be separated from the men with the desire and focus to continue winning every time we go out there. We will never give up till the very end,” Al Zafe’in vouched.
The Dubai GP was the second of seven rounds of the 2016 UIM XCAT World Series. The third round will be held in Lugano, Switzerland on June 4-5.
