Harib bows out of powerboat scene in style

Newly-crowned Class One World Champion Khalfan Harib yesterday swept to another racing world record at the Dubai Grand Prix - then immediately announced his plans to retire from the sport.
Harib, the only Arab racer to win the Class One crown as a driver and throttleman, partnered Ali Nasser to the sixth win of the year as their Seatek diesel-powered cat Victory 1 destroyed the field in the ninth and last round of the UIM Class One World offshore Championship at the Dubai International Marine Club.
Averaging 180.21kmh in the Emirates and Dubai Duty Free-sponsored race, Harib and Nasser stormed home over a minute ahead of team-mates Saeed Al Tayer and Mohammed Al Marri whose second place in Victory 7 guaranteed them overall second place in the world championship. Third home - and securing third place overall - were Bjorn Gjelsten and Steve Curtis in Spirit of Norway.
"We tried to enjoy the race as it is my last one for the Victory Team,'' said Harib, who along with Nasser has won every major powerboat racing world title in the space of just nine months.
With the Class One and Two World Championships to his name in 2000 - plus the Time Trials world title and the Class One European Championship - Harib is at the pinnacle of his racing career.
Added to the fact that with 16 Class One wins he is the most successful pilot of the modern era, Harib obviously feels there is nothing left for him to prove.
"It is my personal decision to retire but I will listen to what the team has to say,'' he added. "I belong to all these people here and I have to ask them if they will allow me to quit. But even if I do stop racing, I would still like to manage the team and help direct their progress. I have the Victory Team in my blood.''
If yesterday's race was Harib's last in Victory colours, it was a fitting finale to a glittering offshore career. A quiet but fiercely determined pilot, Harib has been untouchable in Victory 1 all season.
Also ensuring the Dubai Grand Prix was a memorable event for the men in blue were Al Tayer and Al Marri who have proved to be an inspirational pairing.
In his first season as a driver with Victory, Al Marri has surpassed all expectations by finishing runner-up in both the Time Trials and the Class One World Championship. His partner Al Tayer - twice the drivers' World Champion - has also been a revelation in his first year as a Class One throttleman.
"We have put in a lot of hard work,'' said Al Tayer, "We struggled a lot at the start of the year but today I feel like I won my own personal world championship. it is all down to my crew - I ask for one million per cent, they give me two million. It's just fantastic for Victory Team - first and second in the world.''
One man who also enjoyed a glorious day was Italy's Edoardo Polli who single-handedly pursued Victory 1 for 10 of the 15 laps before bowing out with a fuel blockage problem.
With the Victory Team wrapping up a wonderful 1-2 in their first season as an all-Arab racing operation, it has been a memorable season for the UAE team. Now the sport goes into a winter break and a period of uncertainty, clouded by arguments as to its future direction.
But with the Victory Team enjoying its greatest season, the Dubai crews can spend the time enjoying their success of 2000...and plotting how to maintain it in 2001.

Result

1. Victory 1 - Harib/Nasser (UAE) 1h:12m:56s (Avg 180.21kmh)
2. Victory 7 - Al Tayer/Al Marri (UAE) 1h:14m:19s (Avg 176.85kmh) 3. Spirit of Norway - Gjelsten/Curtis (Nor/GB) 1h:14m:55s (Avg 175.44kmh)

Final Standings - Class One World Offshore Championship
1. Victory 1 - Harib/Nasser (UAE) 132pts 2. Victory 7 - Al Tayer/Al Marri (UAE) 86 3. Spirit of Norway - Gjelsten/Curtis (Nor/GB) 81