Three-time champion Khalfan Darwish Al Mansouri of Abu Dhabi was again crowned king of the hill on the opening night of the Red Bull Reach the Top challenge despite a fierce test from rival rider Mansour Al Qubaisi.
The start of the two-night competition - staged under the patronage of Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Presidential Affairs, with the backing of the FIA, the FIM and the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE saw 63 bikes and quad riders take on the awesome assault of the towering 300-metre Moreb Hill on the fringe of the Empty Quarter. But on a night when the cold desert winter had the competitors shivering in the pits, the action was red hot in the head-to-head shoot-out in the Open Quad category, which capped a night of extreme motorsport.
Mansour Al Qubaisi representing the team of Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan threw down the gauntlet to defending champion Al Mansouri by storming to the peak of the 60-degree slope in a stunning 9.853 seconds. But Al Mansouri was in no mood to give up his crown and responded with the type of performance that has seen him win the title on three previous occasions.
Riding the 780 Rotex, Al Mansouri completed the sprint in a stunning time of 9.391 seconds.
In the Quad Class One category, Ahmad Omer Al Mashquni was delighted to take the title in a time of 9.916 seconds with none of the other 11 competitors able to break the ten second barrier.
Second fastest was Mohammad Al Falahi in a time of 10.029, while Saudi Arabian Prince Saud Bin Turqy Bin Saud Bin Abdul Aziz came third on his titanium Superbike in 10.189 seconds.
