Team Abu Dhabi aim to get UIM XCat World Series title bid on track at Lake Lugano

Team Abu Dhabi will be looking to get their title challenge back on track this weekend when the UIM XCAT World Series heads to Lake Lugano in Switzerland.

Faleh Al Mansoori and Rashed Al Tayer will aim to claim their first win of the season at Lake Lugano. Courtesy Team Abu Dhabi
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Team Abu Dhabi will be looking to get their title challenge back on track this weekend when the UIM XCAT World Series heads to Lake Lugano in Switzerland.

Faleh Al Mansoori and Rashed Al Tayer, the crew of Team Abu Dhabi 5, are currently seventh in the championship standings after the opening two races in Fujairah and Dubai, three points behind sixth-place T-Bone Station.

Victory Team’s Arif Saif Al Zafeen and Nadir bin Hendi won the opening two rounds and have surged into an early season 31-point lead over Swecat Racing, with Dubai a further four points behind.

Having qualified on pole in Fujairah, Team Abu Dhabi 5 were forced to retire with engine issues, although they fared better in Dubai, climbing from fifth to finish second.

While there have been plenty of reason for optimism for Team Abu Dhabi 5, the same cannot be said for Team Abu Dhabi 4 and their crew Rashed Al-Qamzi and Majed Al-Mansoori, who will not make the trip to Lake Lugano.

Al Mansoori and Al Tayer and other XCAT team members from the Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club (ADIMSC) have arrived in Switzerland, and are confident that they can challenge for podium honours.

“We had some challenging water conditions at the opening two rounds in the UAE and were obviously disappointed with our one result after setting a competitive pace at both races,” Al Tayer said.

“Lugano is an inland lake course, surrounded by mountains, and we can hopefully expect some calm water conditions and little wind. We know that we have to push and try and get pole position and press for the win. The boats will have a different set-up and the strategy may be different but the goal is still the same.”

Several members of Team Abu Dhabi have extensive experience of racing at similar venues in Italy, such as Lake Como and Lake Maggiore, and their advice could be invaluable to the crew of Team Abu Dhabi 5 this weekend.

“The whole team is looking forward to racing at this exciting new location in the heart of Switzerland,” Salem Al-Romeithi, assistant general manager of the ADIMSC, said.

“It’s been several weeks since we were in offshore action, although everyone was buoyed by the superb class win achieved by other members of Team Abu Dhabi in the demanding 24 Hours of Rouen in France at the start of this month.”

Free practice, qualifying and the Dubai Duty Free Speed Cat Runs will take place on Saturday, before further practice and the inaugural Lugano Grand Prix take centre stage on Sunday.

2016 UIM XCAT WORLD SERIES STANDINGS:

1. Victory Team: 86 pts

2. Swecat Racing: 55 pts

3. Dubai: 51 pts

4. Gold Coast Australia: 41 pts

5. Carpisa Yamamay: 39 pts

6. T-Bone Station: 35 pts

7. Team Abu Dhabi 5: 32 pts

8. Six: 24 pts

9. Fujairah Team: 17 pts

10. Lady Spain: 15 pts

11. Spirit of France: 12 pts

12. Team Australia: 10 pts

13. Raheeb: 8 pts

13. Team Abu Dhabi 4: 8 pts

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