ABU DHABI Team Abu Dhabi will be keen to carry on their good work and maintain their top position as they prepare for the third round of the UIM XCAT Powerboat World Series set to take place in the stunning town of Cascais for the first time.
Rashed Al Tayer and Faleh Al Mansoori of Team Abu Dhabi sit on the top of the table with 70 points after their first-round victory in Fujairah and a second finish in round two in Dubai in February.
Championship lead
“We are excited to race in Portugal and are looking to defend our championship lead,” Al Tayer told XPRESS. “I’m feeling much more comfortable in the boat now because Faleh is doing better than before and I think we make a very good team together. Things have changed very much since our first XCAT race together at the end of last year and we understand each other more and more,” he added.
A total of 13 international teams will begin racing on June 12, with the main race, the Cascais GP, taking place on June 14. Chasing Team Abu Dhabi for the top spot are teams from Italy, Sweden, Australia and the UAE and with 35 points on offer for victory in Cascais, there’ll be plenty on the line.
“We would like to win the championship. We are really looking forward to putting together a strategy to collect points. We want to win the race but we are more interested in collecting points – that’s the secret to winning the series. So far this season has gone very well in the first two races. We hope to continue and eventually finish the season with the same results and attitude.
“The team is not concerned about anything and is ready to race,” Al Tayer added.
On taking on last year’s Series champions XDubai (formally Fazza), he said: “We are looking forward to racing against XDubai. Arif [Al Zaffain] is a very good example for us because he has been racing for such a long time, but we are looking to beating them in the next race.”
WPPA’s newly appointed CEO Ronan Morgan said: “We are thrilled to be taking XCAT racing to Portugal for the first time. So far, we have had extremely fruitful discussions with all the parties concerned, planning is on track, and we’re looking forward to a spectacular event.
“The race village and race course will be set up in such a way that everything is within walking distance,” added Morgan.
