Team Abu Dhabi’s Ortendahl battles on with victory in Kuwait

Kuwait, 12th November, 2021: Team Abu Dhabi’s Rashid Al Mulla is on the verge of a fourth world aquabikes title while Emma-Nellie Ortendahl refuses to give up hope of matching him at the Grand Prix of Kuwait.

UIM ABP Class Pro World Championship – Haier Grand Prix of Qingdao, China – October 10-13, 2019
Freestyle
Photo: Simon Palfrader Editorial use only

Reigning freestyle champion Al Mulla followed up his pole position 24 hours earlier by winning moto 1 today in the final round of the this year’s shortened UIM-ABP Aquabike World Championship,

Once again outshining his biggest rival, Italy’s Roberto Mariani, the Emirati will now look to secure another world crown tomorrow by stretching his brilliant winning sequence to 28 successive motos and 13 consecutive overall Grand Prix.

UIM-ABP Aquabike Class PRO Circuit –
Grand Prix of Kuwait
Kuwait City, November 11-13th 2021
Photo:© Simon Palfrader Editorial Use Only

UIM-ABP Aquabike Class PRO Circuit –
Grand Prix of Kuwait
Kuwait City, November 11-13th 2021
Photo:© Simon Palfrader Editorial Use Only

Team-mate Ortendahl arrived in Kuwait needing to wipe out fellow-Swede Jonna Borgstrom’s 16-point lead to secure a fourth Ski Ladies GP1 world title.

She reduced the margin by two points with second place in today’s first moto behind Estonia’s Jasmiin Ypraus, producing one smart overtaking move and keeping Borgstrom back in third.

Ortendahl then brought the gap down to nine points with a superb victory in moto 2 from Ypraus and Borgstrom and will go flat out for another win in tomorrow’s final moto.