The sun shimmered brilliantly over the azure waters of Dammam as the Al Sharqiyah Grand Prix kicked off the first race of the Xcat World Championship’s final stretch. Anticipation was high among fans and teams alike, as every twist and turn of this race could prove crucial in determining the season’s ultimate victor.

The race roared to life with Offshore 222 seizing an initial lead. However, it was a short-lived triumph. Much to the dismay of their fans, Offshore 222 was disqualified for jumping the start, a decision that thrust Team GB into the limelight. With precision and power, Team GB harnessed this unexpected opportunity, commanding the lead with each passing lap, while HPI 96 Fujairah and Victory 7 vied fiercely behind them.

Holding a strategic fourth position, SweCat 2, the leading contender of the 2024 World Championship, was steering their course with determination. But in the lightning-fast world of powerboat racing, fortunes can turn in an instant. SweCat 2 soon found themselves embroiled in a high-speed incident, their engine cover shattered amidst the turmoil.

The damage was visible but not deterring. SweCat pushed forward, driven by their championship aspirations. Yet, by lap 11, the race director made a call, disqualifying SweCat out of measures due to the compromised engine cover. The Swedish/Norwegian team was directed back to the pits, their hopes of extending their championship lead dashed.

Refusing to accept defeat so easily, SweCat filed an official protest against the decision. Initially, their arguments bore fruit as the decision was overturned, offering a glimmer of hope to the team. However, this reprieve was short-lived. The officials, after further deliberation, reversed their decision yet again, leaving SweCat with zero points for the race. Their championship lead, once formidable, now teetered at a slim margin of just 7 points above HPI Fujairah.

PRW says :

It is frustrating when rules are applied differently to the teams from the officials. Will poor desitions earlier this year decide the World Championship series? Shouldn’t the rules be the same for all teams? One must trust that the new race director in charge now will enforce a more fair line than his predecessors, who apparently did not know the rules. Or did he ?

The list of questionable decisions historically is extensive in Xcat Worldchampionship, and teams like Team Abu Dhabi, Maritimo and Team 6 have claimed they left the championship for this reason.

The stakes have been set for the championship-deciding final rounds. SweCat, though still leading, will start 8th in the final Saudi Arabian race, a challenging position by any standard. Meanwhile, HPI Fujairah, buoyed by recent events, secured a second starting position, a tactical advantage they intended to exploit fully.

As the Xcat World Championship barrelled towards its December rendezvous in Dubai, the tension is palpable. With only three rounds remaining, the battle for the championship is as fierce as ever. Team GB, set to start off the pole later today, aims to capture their second victory of the year, their confidence riding the waves of recent success.

The Xcat World Championship remained wide open, the water shimmering with the promise of thrilling battles yet to come.

Press release from Xcat: The XCAT GP of Basilicata kicked off today at Porto degli Argonauti in Pisticci, delivering an exhilarating day of competition in the world’s premier powerboat racing championship. Following the races in Sicily, and ahead of the next stops in Saudi Arabia, the first day of the XCAT Grand Prix in Pisticci did not disappoint.

The Italo-Australian crew of 222 Offshore started from pole position and dominated the early stages of the race, only to suffer a mechanical failure that forced them to retire. Their misfortune paved the way for SWECAT, the current leaders of the world championship standings, to take control of the race. Once in the lead, SWECAT remained unchallenged through to the finish line.

TEAM GB Flips Points. 

At Powerboatracingworld.com, we find the Xcat rules and results from this event somewhat perplexing. In most motorsports, a crash typically means the end of the race for that team—simply put, you lose. Xcat operates differently. According to the press release:

However, the final moments of the race were filled with thrilling episodes. Team 96 encountered a major mechanical issue, while reigning world champions Team GB spectacularly capsized during a turn. Immediately following the accident, a red flag was raised, freezing the race and effectively locking in the positions as they stood at that moment. This allowed Team GB to retain an impressive third-place finish, despite the spectacular crash.

 

A Shocking Revelation from PRW : 

It’s astonishing that a World Championship series in the premier UIM category could be decided by points earned in races where teams don’t finish. Team GB s 3 place after stopping the race is one, the 2nd excample is HPI. Already stopped, three laps down due to a breakdown when the race was red-flagged, and they still managed to secure 12 crucial points. Currently, HPI holds second place in the overall standings. This outcome could have significant implications as the season approaches its conclusion in Dubai, where the World Champions will be crowned.

Team GB finished the 2023 season in the same position they started – on top of the podium. Despite the Xcat fleet causing controversy with boats getting stuck in Italy and the UIM having to spend a substantial amount of money to release them from customs, the championship ultimately concluded in Fujairah. Team GB executed a flawless performance, securing two victories in the Fujairah Grand Prix and earning the title of World Champions 2023.

Scott Williams and Martin Campbell triumphed in Grand Prix races in Fiumicino, Italy, Constanta, Romania, as well as the two rounds in the United Arab Emirates. The HPI Racing Team from Italy came in as the runner up, with Fazza from Dubai securing the third-place spot. Swecat and Consulbrokers from Italy claimed fourth place, while Q8 Oils from Kuwait rounded off the top 6.