Al Hamli retains UAE wooden powerboat title

Defending champion Salim Fadhil Al Hamli yesterday retained the 2000-2001 UAE Wooden Powerboat Championship by claiming second place in the fifth and final heat at Mina Seyahi.

Driving Al Masaoud 1, Al Hamli made it two national titles in succession by crossing the line just under 10 seconds behind race winner Rashid Khalifa Al Marri in the Al Masaoud 11. Third home in the 24.8Nm race staged off the coast at the Dubai International Marine Club (DIMC) was Mohammed Majid Al Room's Al Shareef 2.

It was a fitting finish for Al Hamli who was the most consistent racer in the series, winning twice and finishing second once and third twice in the five races staged in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. His total of 1,550 points was more than 500 points ahead of Al Room who took second overall, while Marwan Suhail Al Ayali - who finished fourth yesterday - took third in the championship.

Staged in ideal sea conditions of just one-foot waves with little wind speed, yesterday's final race of the calendar saw the 35 competitors face a new race course with a start run up from the Burj Al Arab. "This is the first time we have introduced a race course of this kind and we will stick to it for all of next season's Dubai races," said Saeed Hareb, DIMC Managing Director.

"We wanted to let more people appreciate the excitement of wooden powerboat racing by bringing the race closer to the people watching from the DIMC breakwater and along the Jumeirah coastline."

In all three races were staged in Dubai this season, while two were staged in the UAE capital by the Abu Dhabi International Marine and Sports Club. After the race, the trophies were presented to the race winners and the top three finishers in the overall UAE Championship by DIMC's Saeed Hareb and Jamal bin Lahej.

In addition, Khalfan Al Qumzi of the Al Qumzi Group - sponsors of Al Qumzi 35, the boat of Ahmed Mohammed Al Suwaidi - presented special awards of recognition to the DIMC Organising Committee, to Saeed Hareb and to the overall champion.

Results

Round Five UAE Wooden Powerboat Championship

1. Al Masaoud 11 - R.K. Al Marri 21m:34.39s 2. Al Masaoud 1 - S.F. Al Hamli 21m:43.22s 3. Al Shareef 2 - M.M. Al Room 21m:45.34s

Overall UAE Wooden Powerboat Championship Final Standings

1. Al Masaoud 1 - S.F. Al Hamli 1,550pts 2. Al Shareef 2 - M.M. Al Room 1,032 3. Al Shareef 10 - M.S. Al Ayali 994