Team Abu Dhabi Holds Tight XCAT World Series Advantage After Three-Race Shanghai Grand Prix In China

Following three competitive Shanghai Grand Prix races on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Abu Dhabi 4 teammates Shaun Torrente and Faleh Al-Mansoori, the defending Union Internationale Motonautique XCAT World Championship winners, managed to maintain their top position in the overall points standings heading into the season’s third and final stage—the Dubai Grand Prix in December—without winning any of the races held on Dishui Lake in China’s Pudong district.

Shaun Torrente and Faleh Al-Mansoori head into the final stage of the XCAT World Championship next month with a slim points advantage. Photo courtesy Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club

The Team Abu Dhabi team finished second, fifth and third in the three races and now holds a slim five-point lead over Dubai Police’s Arif Al-Zaffain and Nadir Bin Hendi, who won the first race, and a seven-point lead over Maritimo’s Tom Barry-Cotter and Ross Willaton, who won the second and third races in fine fashion.

While the Australian teammates in Maritimo were the weekend’s biggest winners, Team Abu Dhabi fared especially well considering the team’s No. 5 boat piloted by Rashed Al-Tayer and Majed Al-Mansoori took third, second and second to move into fourth place overall and because a late race director decision following an investigation into the third race repositioned the team’s No. 4 boat from fourth place to third place.

According to a release from the XCAT World Championship, the Dubai Police team was sanctioned with a 30-second penalty for dislodging and destroying a buoy, which moved Abu Dhabi 4 up one position, just ahead of Dubai Police, in turn increasing Torrente and Al-Mansoori’s championship points advantage.

Check out more images from the Shanghai Grand Prix in China in the slideshow above. Photos courtesy XCAT World Championship.

Between the Stresa Grand Prix in Italy in July and the Shanghai Grand Prix, the international class featuring canopied catamarans powered by twin Mercury Racing ROS outboard engines has proven to be exciting and, of course, extremely competitive.

Sunday’s race proved to be the most captivating even though the two Aussies dominated their second-straight race and collect 35 points in the process. (Check out the points standings here). In the first turn, the Swecat Racing team of Erik Stark and Sebastian Groth flipped after colliding with Abu Dhabi 4. The Swedes exited the cockpit immediately, unharmed and supported by the Scuba Angels rescue team. Torrente and Al-Mansoori noticed damage on the starboard sponson so they took advantage of the temporary red flag to get back to wet pits and examine the boat. Fortunately they were able to continue racing safely.

Now the fun moves to the Emirates with the Dubai Grand Prix (Dec. 12-14).

Team Abu Dhabi Holds Tight XCAT World Series Advantage After Three-Race Shanghai Grand Prix In China

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