WALEED AL SHARSHANI rounded off the Qatar International Jet Ski Championship, held under the aegis of the Qatar Marine Sports Federation, with a thrilling double at the Wakrah Port on Saturday.
An international sailor with 2006 Asian Games silver medal to his credit, Sharshani of Rip Speed Racing Team emerged the champion in the Runabout Stock and Runabout Super Stock, both being the biggest two races in the third and concluding round.
Sharshani first clinched the Runabout Stock, which he began as the pole driver and won the 10-lap race in a tight finish. He managed to beat compatriot Mohamed Abdulla al Heidous by less than two seconds and pocketed QR14,000 in prize money. Heidous got QR11,000 for his second-place finish. The third place was taken by Kuwait’s Yousuf Abdul Razak.
But the race of the day, the Runabout Super Stock, had its own twists and turns. Sharshani had placed himself at the pole of this race too on Friday. But when he turned up with a changed scooter, he was forced to begin from the last spot under the rules.
Sharshani, however, thrived in the windy and rough weather conditions, while others struggled. Slowly, he moved up the course with superb control and gained the lead. With constant attack on sharp turns, he claimed the top honours in 24 minutes and 07.84 seconds.
The victory about 46 seconds ahead of Mohamed Abdulla al Heidous, who had won the event in the second round, fetched Sharshani QR24,000. Kuwait’s Razak finished third again and repeated the Runabout Stock’s podium.
Sharshani, who had won the race in the first round, was delighted with his double effort. “I’m very pleased with my show today. I had to start the Runabout Stock from the back row as I had changed my jet ski and I did not know about the rules.
“So I’d a tough challenge in the biggest race. But since I love the strong winds and rough water, I did not have any problems in wresting the lead. As I hit the front, I was able to control the race and won it easily in the end,” added Sharshani.
“The competition level was good and I enjoyed the racing. I would have liked to have more rounds than three. But it is all up to the organisers.
Maybe next season, we’ll have more rounds to contest,” hoped Sharshani.
Rashid Ebrahim al Mannai and Thamer Ahmed Abu Faisal, both Qataris, were adjudged to have violated the start track rules and were penalised with one round penalty.
Later after the race, there were protests by Mannai and Faisal, who were promoted to the fifth and sixth spots, respectively, after a video review of the race. Khamis al Hosni, who was originally fifth, was demoted to seventh.
French driver Ludovic Caumont completed a sweep of the Ski F1 Division. The UAE-based contestant, preparing himself for the forthcoming national championship in Abu Dhabi, had clinched the first two rounds earlier.
Caumont was a comfortable winner ahead of UAE’s Rashid al Owaiss and Kuwait’s Abdulwahab Suhail Issa in 17 minutes and 46.54 seconds.
“I really liked the race conditions and feel I’ve prepared well for the UAE championships, which will be held in January, 2013.
“The weather was not ideal, not letting us maintain the balance and power of the jet skis. But technically, I had a good race,” said the 2010 UAE champion. “I hope to use the experience and preparations in Qatar and do well in the upcoming nationals. I’d like to congratulate the QMSF for holding the event in the best possible ways. I’d have also liked to have more races but I feel the QMSF will enlarge the competition in future,” added Caumont.
Rip Speed Racing Team’s Majed al Sharshani won the Runabout Stock for beginners, beating Mohammed Jassim al Obaidli to the second place by nearly three seconds. Khalid Walid al Shaya of Kuwait secured the third place.
RReesults RRunabout SStockk ((beeginneerrs)):: 1.Majed al Sharshani (Qatar) 10 laps, total time 18 min, 00.54 seconds, prize money QR10,000 2.Mohammed Jassim al Obaidli (Qatar) 10 laps, 18:04.51, QR7,000 3.Khalid Walid al Shaya (Kuwait) 10 laps, QR5,000 4.Hesham Sami Bakhsh (Saudi Arabia), 10 laps, 18:09.66, QR4,000 5.Hamad Yousuf Allanjawi (UAE), 10 laps, 18:15.92, QR2,000 6.Abdulaziz Hamad al Omar (Kuwait), 10 laps, 18:56.40, QR1,000 SSkki F11 DDivvision 1.Ludovic Caumont (UAE) 10 laps, 17:46,54, QR12,000 2.Rashid al Owaiss (UAE), 9 laps, 18:29.76, QR9,000 3.Abdulwahab Suhail Issa (Kuwait), 9 laps, 18:59.35, QR6,000 4.Fahad Najeeb al Musalim (Kuwait), 9 laps, 19:09.54, QR3,000 5.Mubarak Sultan al Sultan (Kuwait) 2 laps, 05:15.77 RRunabout SStockk 1.Waleed al Sharshani (Qatar), 10 laps, 15:41.85, QR14,000 2.Mohamed Abdulla al Heidous (Qatar), 10 laps, 15:43.04, QR11,000 3.Yusuf Abdul Razak (Kuwait), 10 laps, 15:49.14, QR8,000 4.Rashid Ebrahim al Mannai (Qatar), 10 laps, 15:58.68, QR6,000 5.Thamer Ahmad Abu Faisal (Qatar), 10 laps, 17:04.44, QR4,000 6.Bader Yousuf al Zaini (Qatar), 10 laps, 17:24.28, QR2,000 7.Khamis al Hosni (Qatar), 10 laps, 17:28.06, QR1,500 RRunabout SSuppeerr SStockk 1.Waleed al Sharshani (Qatar), 14 laps, 24:07, 84, QR24,000 2.Mohamed Abdulla al Heidous (Qatar), 14 laps, 24:54.63, QR18,000 3.Yousuf Abdul Razak (Kuwait), 14 laps, 25:36.98, QR15,000 4.Ahmad Rashid al Dawas (Kuwait), 14 laps, 25:47.88, QR7,000 5.Rashid Ebrahim al Mannai (Qatar), QR5,000 6.Thamer Ahmad Abu Faisal (Qatar), QR1,500 7.Khamis al Hosni (Qatar), QR15,00 8.Saud Abdulaziz Ahmed (Saudi Arabia), QR1,500 9.Bader Yousuf al Zaini (Qatar), QR1,5000 10.Ali Muhamd Allanjawi (UAE), QR1,500
Post a Comment
Post a Comment