Saturday, Dec 14, 2013

Dubai: The Fazza team of Nadir Bin Hindi and Arif Al Zafein led from start to finish to make a clean sweep of all honours on offer at the Dubai Grand Prix — the seventh and final round of the 2013 UIM Skydive Dubai XCAT World Series off the Mina Seyahi waters of Dubai International Marine Club (DIMC) on Saturday.

By winning the final round of the competition, Fazza not only successfully defended their world championship crown, but also took the Dubai Duty Free Speed Cat Run title along with the Emaar Pole Position honours to bring up a complete dominance in this inaugural international year of XCAT racing.

Shaikh Majid Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, watched the race along with Diego Maradona,legendary footballer and Sports Ambassador of Dubai, and other top officials from the Dubai Government.

Maradona was later joined in presenting the trophies by Saif Al Ketbi, Director-General, Office of the Crown Prince of Dubai; Major General Khamis Mattar Al Mazeina, Dubai Police Chief, Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman and Executive Director or RTA and Vice-Chairman, Dubai Sports Council; Saeed Hareb, Vice-President, DIMC, and Raffaele Chiulli, President, UIM, among others.

“Fazza is here to rule. We will never be satisfied with anything less than being number one,” Bin Hindi told Gulf News after the race.

“We are all very excited with the sheer dominance we have shown this year. This is the best thing that could have happened in return for all the hard work that we’ve put in to be where we are today,” he added.

Fazza was followed by the Victory Team 33 boat with Salim Ali Al Adidi and Taleb Al Sayed at the helm, while Jay Price and Sultan Al Dhaheri in Skydive Dubai followed in third to complete the podium for the Dubai Grand Prix.

After needing at least a podium finish to make up for two dismal successive rounds in Italy and China to defend their world title, the Fazza duo of Al Zafein and Bin Hindi did not look behind as they led from the start, and by the time they completed the mandatory 15 laps of the race they were ahead by a clear 20 seconds of Victory 33.

The win also sealed a successive world crown for the Dubai boat as they reigned with a total of 1,901 points, while third place for Skydive Dubai enabled them to take second overall in the championship pushing Mouawad in third.

By Alaric Gomes Senior Reporter

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