X Dubai call the shots at Cascais GP

After qualifying second for Sunday’s Cascais Grand Prix, Team Abu Dhabi went on to finish third in the Dubai Duty Free Speed Cat Run.

Boats at the start of Cascais Grand Prix off the Portuguese coast at Marina de Cascais. — Supplied photo 

Dubai — X Dubai’s Arif Saif Al Zafeen and Nadir bin Hendi claimed top honours at Sunday afternoon’s Cascais Grand Prix off the Portuguese coast at Marina de Cascais. Team Abu Dhabi’s Rashid Al Tayer and Faleh Al Mansoori finished fifth overall. The duo had been in a podium position until late technical issues cost them their place in the top three.

X Dubai’s Al Zafeen and Hendi had claimed pole position for the third round and made a good start in the difficult water conditions and began to edge away from the chasing pack. They held on to take a clear win to heap further pressure on Team Abu Dhabi in the fight for the UIM XCAT World Series title. X Dubai now leads the series by a single point.

T-Bone Station looked set to take second, before late technical issues, and that left the door open for Yacht to finish second and Hoorsenbuhs to finish third. “Obviously it was not the result we were hoping for or expecting, but we held on to reach the finish and collect some more points to keep the title fight alive,” said Team Abu Dhabi’s Al Tayer.

After qualifying second for Sunday’s Cascais Grand Prix, Team Abu Dhabi went on to finish third in the Dubai Duty Free Speed Cat Run. They were beaten in the semifinal by eventual winners X Dubai, who reduced the Abu Dhabi team’s championship lead to 16 points in the process.

But attention switched to the Cascais Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon and Al Tayer and Al Mansoori lined up behind Al Zafeen and Bin Hendi in second place, with Yacht and T-Bone Station in close attendance, as the delayed start took place in overcast conditions. Marine Investimenti Sud suffered a late scare with an engine issue on the run out to the start and was also awarded a penalty lap. X Dubai held the advantage from Yacht through the start lap, with Team Abu Dhabi and T-Bone Station close behind. T-Bone Station managed to find a way and passed Yacht to take second, but Team Abu Dhabi slipped to fourth place and then behind Hoorsenbuhs and into fifth, although the two boats became embroiled in a gripping tussle for fourth.