Sunday, Dec 15, 2013

Dubai: XCat world champions Fazza are braced for any challenge that may come their way in the defence of their crown next season.

Arif Al Zafein and Nadir Bin Hindi powered Fazza to the top spot in the Dubai Grand Prix in the Mina Seyahi waters off Dubai International Marine Club (DIMC) after leading from start to finish on Saturday.

The win saw the Victory Team boat end seven rounds of the competition with 1,901 points and leave stable-mates Jay Price and Sultan Al Dhaheri in Skydive Dubai second overall with 1,431 points. Omar Danial and Gary Ballough in Mouawad were third with 1,385 points.

“This is Fazza,” throttleman Bin Hindi told Gulf News. “We know the worth of being first and it is always our endeavour to end at the number one spot.

“We put in a lot of effort at testing during the course of the season and when we achieve world titles like this, we know we have not worked in vain.”

Victory team manager Ragesh Elayadeth, who took the ‘best manager’ award, was thrilled with the season finale. “This caps yet another superb year for the Victory Team set-up following our wins in class one racing earlier this month,” he said. “We owe much of this success in Victory Team to the tireless effort of all the staff and crew.”

The Skydive Dubai duo of Al Dhaheri and former F1 world champion Price were pleased with they had achieved during the course of the season. Skydive Dubai got off to a slow start, but wins in Italy and China put them as serious challengers to Fazza’s might along with Danial and Ballough’s Mouawad.

“We could have pushed and challenged for a place in the Dubai Grand Prix, but we chose to go for the podium in the overall championship,” throttleman Ballough said. “We are happy with what we have achieved this season and we will be back as a challenger — brighter, faster and aiming much higher.”

Ballough’s teammate Danial was pleased Mouawad’s achievements this season. “The good thing is that we are still a podium team and I think we will continue being so next season,” Danial said.

Skydive Dubai’s driver Al Dhaheri was also waiting expectantly for the new season, which is scheduled to start with its first race at the DIMC in the last week of January.

“The slow start at the beginning of the season cost us valuable points, but we are more wiser now and we will be among the challengers for sure,” Al Dhaheri said.

By Alaric Gomes Senior Reporter

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