Class One Doha 2007, The Qatar Grand Prix – Saturday, November 17th, 2007
Pleasure boat races – Class C and Class A
For immediate release
Saturday, November 17th, 2007
EISSA AHMED ALI TAKES SURPRISE WIN IN
CLASS C PLEASURE BOAT RACE IN DOHA
Mohammed Al-Nasser survives early challenge to win Class A race in Doha Bay
DOHA (Qatar): Talented Qatari Ali Al-Namaa was the class of the 10-boat field in the Class C pleasure boat race that supported the Qatar Grand Prix on Saturday afternoon. Al-Namaa led from start to finish and almost lapped eighth-placed Faisal Alhumaimi on his final lap, but he missed a buoy on the opening lap and the penalty he was awarded handed the win to Eissa Ahmed Ali and Jassim Ahmed Ali.
“I am driving very well at the moment,” said Al-Namaa. “I like winning. Maybe in the future I can move up in the sport. Maybe next month, maybe next year, maybe in three years… We wait and see. Insha’ Allah.”
At the helm of the Qatar-liveried boat, with team mate Statish Kumar, Al-Namaa finished the seven-lap Class C race (maximum 300hp) over a minute clear of Hamad Jassim Zaed and Abdelaziz Ahmed Al-Jaber, who snatched second position when Saeed Abdelrahman Al-Kuwari and Ali Mohammed Al-Muhannadi lost time and slipped to third with two laps remaining. But time penalties were awarded to crews who missed buoys by event officials and Hamad Jassim Zaed eventually took third position.
Hamal Al-Suwaidi and Rashid Al-Muhanadi and Abdel Aziz Khalfan and Edward Estoris were forced to retire, but former UIM Qatar Team F1 racer Mohammed Al-Ali continued his rehabilitation from serious injury by finishing seventh overall.
In the Class A race, pre-event favourite and Class One test driver Mohammed Al-Nasser was beaten out of the first turn by Abdelaziz Shaheen, but Al-Nasser and co-pilot Nasser Al-Nasser made amends by leading at the end of the first lap. They gradually extended their advantage over the remaining laps to finish 7.75 seconds ahead of Shaheen and his team mate Eisa Mohammed Al-Naja in the nine-lap race.
Five boats started the Class A (above 400hp) event in ideal racing conditions, with Abdel Aziz Al-Haram and Edward Storish finishing third. Jassim Mubarak Al-Malki and Waleed Mohammed Al-Khukaifi were a distant fourth and fifth, one and two laps behind respectively.
Ends
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