When Scott Gillman managed the Abu Dhabi Marine Sports Club F1 team he also went onto win the UIM world title.

One of the positives that came out of last year’s Raid Pavia-Venice was Cappellini’s incredible average speed of 223 km/h that he achieved over that short distance, plus the Italian has never been in a better shape physically.

Back then Cappellini said

In my career I have learned that moments like this cannot deter you and must be the stimulus for future successes.

With the UIM F1H2O calendar so far consisting of just one round taking place in Macon, France who is to say whether or not Cappellini will be on the top step of the podium again.

Established in 1997, the United Arab Emirates Marine Sports Federation is the point of contact with all international marine sports federations, as well as the regional and Gulf Federations for coordination on all matters related to marine sports activities.

Amongst the many roles of the Federation is to supervise all international and global events that are held within the territory of the State as well as issuing international licenses for UAE competitors to enable them to participate in the overseas events.

The Federation is responsible for monitoring all clubs operating in the marine activity inside the state including the Abu Dhabi Marine Sports Club, Dubai International Marine Sports Club, Fujairah International Marine Sports Club, and the Sharjah International Marine Sports Club, overseeing and supervising their powerboat races and coordinating amongst the clubs at all levels.

Another of their roles is to follow up on all sports activities held at those clubs and to direct them in line with the future vision of the United Arab Emirates, which reflects the image required by the General Authority of Youth & Sports Welfare for the State.

The Federation is also the only body that can communicate with all governmental and non-governmental agencies for being federal umbrella that sponsors the state’s marine sports activity.

H.H Sheikh Mohamed Bin Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, the Chairman of the UAE Marine Sports Federation said

We are going to unite the marine clubs and focus again on international racing taking place in the Middle East. We will make this region the strongest possible for powerboat racing.

The entry list of seventy-five competitors was split into twelve different categories ranging from Juniors to Group 1 Pro. With a 9am start the racing quickly got under way off the Corniche Breakwater in the presence of Saada Ahmed Thani Al-Ramithi and proved to be a day full of top-class action.

In the Standing Class Group 1 Frenchman Rafael Maureen took first place. He was followed by Omar Abdullah Rashid, with Salman Al-Awadi in the third place.

Abdullah Al Hammadi won the Sitting Class Group 3, followed by Khaled Al-Zarouni. Third place went to Khalifa Marzuki.

In Standing Class Group 2 Abdullah Al-Hamadi continued his strong performances by taking victory in the class and achieving his second podium visit of the day. Ahmed Issa Al-Hamadi took second place while Vladimir Ivanov from Britain came in third

Salman Al-Awadi won the Sitting Class Group 2 followed by Amer Hawir, while the third place went to the Kuwaiti pilot Youssef Al-Jarisi.

In the Junior Class 3.1 Youssef Ramadan from Kuwait took first place, second went to Ahmed Salem Taher, and third place went to the Swedish pilot Ker Ivanov.

Beginner Class 3.2 went to Ali al Ali. The Qatari pilot Sultan Al-Sharshini finished in second place, while Saif Al-Shahi was third. The first place in the Beginners Class 3.3 went to Saud Al-Awadi, Rashid Salem came home in second place, while Fares Ramadan from Kuwait was third.

In the Sitting Class Group 4 Ahmed Al-Khadari from Kuwait took first place, with second going to Ahmed El Tayer, and third was Saud Al-Khouri.

Casa Estavan from Hungary secured victory in the Group 1 Pro Sitting Class, with Rashid Aldawas from Kuwait taking second, along with his fellow countryman Youssef Abdul Razzaq in the third place.