Fazz-Tastic! Bin Hendi And Al Zafeen Are Class 1 World Champions

Al Marri, Manuzzi Escape Unscathed From High Speed Crash

 With two races remaining, the UAE’s Arif Al Zafeen and Nadir Bin Hendi yesterday (Friday) clinched the UIM Class 1 World Powerboat Championship after yet another storming performance at race two of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Piloting the black Victory Team-built cat Fazza, Bin Hendi led from start to finish to retain the title they won in such brilliant fashion in 2009 and who are now, in terms of race victories, the most successful pairing in the history of the world’s greatest powerboat racing team.

“We came here looking wrap up the championship and that’s what we’ve done,” said a jubilant Bin Hendi. “Arif is a magnificent driver, while the back up crew is the best around. It’s a tribute to their hard work and now we can go on to Dubai, relax and enjoy the last two races of the season.”

For Victory Team General Manager Gianfranco Venturelli, there is no doubt where the supreme talent lies. “Arif and Nader are in a class of their own as powerboat racers,” said the veteran Italian. “I think they are near unbeatable and would win most races even in a slower boat.”

It was a historic end to a race that had started in near disastrous fashion as two separate yet spectacular crashes involving Victory Team 2010, Negotiator and SkyDive Dubai forced race officials to stop the action less than one lap into the race off the Abu Dhabi Corniche.

Worst hit was Victory 2010, which landed heavily, spun out and overturned. Fortunately, both Mohammed Al Marri and Giorgo Manuzzi were rescued unhurt. The drivers of both Negotiator - Giovanni Carpitella and Luca Formilli Fendi – and SkyDive Dubai crew Talib Al Sayed and Abdullah Al Mehairbi were left a little bruised but relatively unscathed after a high speed impact collision between the two boats.

After the race restart, the race was a virtual procession as Fazza dominated the opposition leaving Jorn Tandberg and Kolbjorn Selmer of Norway in Welmax and Relekta’s Christian Zaborowski from Norway and Brazilian Paul Gaiser in second and third places respectively.

It had been a hard-fought battle for the minor places as the two Norwegian boats and race one winners Rashid Al Tayer and John Tomlinson from Team Abu Dhabi raced for the remaining two slots on the podium. Unfortunately for the home favourites, a one-lap penalty for missing the start/finish gate saw their chances end of making it a double triumph on home waters.

With the UIM Class 1 World Powerboat Championship wrapped in the colours of Fazza and the Victory Team once again, the season will draw to a close in Dubai next month with just the EDOX Pole Position and the Middle East Championship to play for. With Fazza once again top of the world, it promises to be a celebratory close to the season.

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