Team Abu Dhabi suffers setback while XDubai extends lead

Team Abu Dhabi's Rashid Al-Tayer and Faleh Al-Mansoori suffered a setback to their challenge for the 2015 UIM XCAT World Series when they finished seventh overall in the Gold Coast Grand Prix off the Queensland coast of Australia on Sunday.

The Emirati pair needed to stay in front of XDubai's Arif Saif Al-Zafeen and Nadir bin Hendi to snatch the series lead, but the race was interrupted when Dubai's Salem Al-Adidi and Eisa Al-Ali flipped for the second time in two days and XDubai controlled the race from the restart. They stayed out in front to reach the chequered flag 6.32 seconds ahead of the local Gold Coast Australia pairing of Tom Barry-Cotter and Ross Willaton.

The Italian duo of Matteo Nicolini and Tomaso Polli claimed the final podium position, Serafino Barese and Alessandro Barone were fourth. Jay Price and Shaun Torrente came home in fifth place and Francois Pinelli and Saul Bubacco rounded off the top six.

XDubai's Gold Coast success means that they head to the remaining rounds of the series in the autumn with a 26-point series lead over Team Abu Dhabi. Nicolini and Polli hold third place, a mere two points behind Al-Tayer and Al-Mansoori, and Swecat Racing and Marine Investimenti Sud are tied for fourth.

Italy's Giovanni Carpitella and Australian team-mate Darren Nicholson claimed victory and eight additional championship points for taking victory in the traditional shootout for the Dubai Duty Free Speed Cat Run in T-Bone Station. Dubai's Salem Al-Adidi and Eisa A-Ali had qualified sixth for the race and emerged unscathed from a spectacular flip during their Speed Cat Run. T-Bone Station pipped the Marine Investimenti Sud crew of Barlesi and Barone in the final. Team Abu Dhabi was knocked out by the eventual winners in their second round heat.

Team Abu Dhabi is based at the Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club and is supported by Etihad Airways as official carrier and sponsor. The team runs under the patronage of His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, advisor to the UAE President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club.