World Champions Fight Off Spirited Comeback From Home Favourites. World Champions Arif Al Zafeen and Nader Bin Hendi saw off a stirring fight-back by home favourites Jorn Tandberg and Kolbjorn Selmer to clinch the opening race of the 2010 BMW Norwegian Grand Prix in Arendal saturday.
The Fazza 3 crew racing for the United Arab Emirates dominated a fiercely contested race that saw the top three positions change throughout the race. But with clear water ahead of them, Bin Hendi and Al Zafeen steered Fazza 3 to an average speed of 186.63kmph and an eight second win over the Norwegian Welmax crew with Spirit of Dubai debutants Giorgio Manuzzi and Giovanni Carpitella claiming a brilliant third in their first full race together.
“The start was very competitive and we saw Fazza 1 and Relekta 91 ahead of us but Arif drove fantastically to get us a line to the first buoy – once we had the edge it was up to us to keep pushing to establish a lead over the rest,” said Bin Hendi after the fifteenth race win of his career.
“We eased back a little to save the engines but it was important to keep an eye on Welmax as they are very fast. They can easily pull you in over a longer race and with tomorrow’s race being around 20 miles longer, we’ll have to find a different strategy.”
Despite opening up a lead of around 30 seconds over Welmax, the Fazza 3 crew were happy to take the chequered flag by just eight seconds as the scarlet cat of Pole Position winners Tandberg and Selmer loomed in their mirrors.
“You can see how strong this package is when it stays together but our strength is in speed - we just don’t have any chance at the start,” smiled Tandberg after following up his pre-race EDOX Pole Position victory with second place on the podium. “We definitely need to do something smart for tomorrow.”
While Fazza 3 and Welmax were fighting it out for first place, for a while it seemed as if third place would go to the surprise package of Christian Zaborowski and Paul Gaiser who delighted the large home crowd in the Norwegian boat Relekta 91.
Unfortunately, by not completing their compulsory long lap in the scheduled time, they received a one-lap penalty that ultimately put paid to their chances of a podium finish in their first race together. The penalty allowed Spirit of Dubai to make up ground and take third place almost 90 seconds behind the race winners.
“We had a horrible start,” said a relieved Carpitella. “I started from last and went the first 20 seconds without throttles as we were in the wash of all the other boats. The race is short so our aim once we got going was to get third place and in the end we got lucky. Once we had clear water we went faster every lap.”
Zaborowski and Gaiser’s penalty lap also benefited Mohammed Al Marri and Abdullah Al Mehairbi – who were also punished for missing a turn buoy on the second of nine laps – who also pulled past to claim fourth spot in Fazza 1.
The results means Al Zafeen and Bin Hendi now lead the UIM Class 1 World Powerboat Championship on 60 points with Al Marri and Al Mehairbi in second position on 39. Tandberg and Selmer move into third place on 27. The second race in the BMW Norwegian Grand Prix will be held in Arendal later today
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