Abu Dhabi: First blood in this year’s three-race UIM World Class 1 Powerboat Championship fell to Victory 3’s Arif Saif Al Zafeen and Nadir Bin Hendi, after Tuesday’s opening Grand Prix laid on by the Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club (ADIMSC) off the Abu Dhabi Breakwater.

Team Abu Dhabi 6’s John Tomlinson and Gary Ballough played their lap strategy in a canny fashion, but could not match the Dubai crew on this occasion. They slowed towards the end to reach the chequered flag 1 minute 50.33 seconds behind their arch rivals, who take a five-point advantage into the second race on Thursday afternoon.

Italian Giovanni Carpitella and England’s Ian Blacker belied their lack of experience together to produce a solid performance to claim third overall. A late engine change meant that Rashid Al Tayer and Majid Al Mansoori missed the start in Team Abu Dhabi 5 and their plans to join the race after the start lap were thwarted when the work took a lot longer than scheduled.

Nico Huybens and Daniel Cramphorn battled against the clock to prepare the unbranded Aquasport for the opening race. Badged and raced as Maritimo 12 by Peter McGrath and Giorgio Manuzzi in 2009 and then used by Zabo Racing for several seasons, Aquasport 99 eventually missed the opening race, although the crew will be in action over the next three days.

Team Abu Dhabi are sponsored by Etihad Airways and run under the patronage of Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, adviser to the Head of State and chairman of the board of directors of the Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club (ADIMSC).

Tomlinson said: “We posted a 2 minutes 44 seconds, but you never know. I thought we were in good shape, but we got bumped. The Victory guys are good. We are still trying to figure out the boat and get time in it. We are happy, but it would have been nice to have pole. It’s pretty close.

“Last year, the top-three boats were the same. It’s good racing. Whoever gets around that first buoy first and comes in first will be in really good shape in the race. It’s a course that is very difficult to pass on, even if you are 4-5mph faster down the straights, it is very hard to pass.”

A Kilo Race is planned for Wednesday and three XCATs from the UIM XCAT World Series will run behind the Class 1 boats in races two and three on Thursday and Friday. Dubai 33, Team Abu Dhabi 5 and Raheeb 17 are confirmed starters, although they will only run the short lap course for their race.

Admission is free for spectators and a food court and entertainment are in situ throughout race days, adjacent to the pit area, on the Abu Dhabi Breakwater.

2016 UIM Class 1 World Championship – Race 1 result (Tuesday – unofficial):

1. Victory 3 – Arif Saif Al Zafeen (UAE)/Nadir Bin Hendi (UAE) 33min 33.81sec 20pts

2. Team Abu Dhabi 6 – John Tomlinson (USA)/Gary Ballough (USA) @1min 50.33sec 15pts

3. Zabo Racing-Relekta 91 – Giovanni Carpitella (ITA)/Ian Blacker (GBR) L1 12pts

Team Abu Dhabi 5 – Rashid Al Tayer (UAE)/Majid Al Mansouri (UAE) DNS 0pts

Aquasport 99 – Nick Huybens (BEL)/Daniel Cramphorn (GBR) DNS 0pts

2016 UIM Class 1 World Championship – Pole Position result (Tuesday - unofficial):

1. Victory 3 – Arif Saif Al Zafeen (UAE)/Nadir Bin Hendi (UAE) 2min 43.234sec 20pts

2. Team Abu Dhabi 6 – John Tomlinson (USA)/Gary Ballough (USA) 2min 44.000sec 15pts

3. Team Abu Dhabi 5 – Rashid Al Tayer (UAE)/Majid Al Mansouri (UAE) 2min 54.341sec 12pts

4. Zabo Racing-Relekta 91 – Giovanni Carpitella (ITA)/Ian Blacker (GBR) 2min 57.298sec 9pts

5. Aquasport 99 – Nick Huybens (BEL)/Daniel Cramphorn (GBR) DNS 0pts

Timetable of events

Wednesday, November 23

11.00-12.00 Free practice

16.00-17.00 Kilo Run Trophy

17.30 Prizegiving on podium – Speed Run Trophy

Thursday, November 24

10.30-11.30 Pole Position Race 2

15.30-16.30 UIM World Championship Race 2

17.00 Prizegiving on podium

Friday, November 25

10.30-11.30 Pole Position Race 3

15.30-16.30 UIM World Championship Race 3

17.00 Prizegiving on podium for pole, Race 3 and overall