The Class One
Powerboat champion is a rookie who took all the honours last season. And his Victory 77 boat is set for more
glory this year.
''The last season of the
Powerboat Championship (the equivalent of Formula One on water) produced a number of highs for the sport''
The list of venues and countries signing up to host the WPPA (World Professional Powerboating Association) Class One World Powerboat Championship is growing. From last season''s field of eight there is enough indication that the number is likely to cross the dozen mark.
The last season of the Powerboat Championship (the equivalent of Formula One on water) produced a number of highs for the sport. If F1 rookie Lewis Hamilton missed out on the chance to win the championship honours, another rookie in the powerboats, Arif Al Zafeen of Victory 77, made sure there were no such hiccups.
Last season''s highlights included the UAE-based team winning top honours, five-times Class 1 World Powerboat Champion Bjorn Rune Gjelsten of the Spirit of Norway team announcing his retirement from the sport and Sheikh Hassan Bin Jabor Al-Thani, president of Qatar Motor Sport Federation, buying the Spirit of Norway team.
The Victory 77 team of Al Zafeen and JM Sanchez finished the championship with 144 points, followed by Spirit of Norway team comprising of Gjelsten and Steve Curtis with 118 points.