Team Abu Dhabi’s Rashid Al-Mulla resumes his quest for Freestyle category points in the UIM-ABP Aquabike World Championship at this weekend’s Grand Prix of the Mediterranean off the shore of the city of Olbia in Sardinia.
Despite a minor arm injury, the 31-year-old Dubai-based water artist dominated the two heats at the opening round in Gallipoli last weekend and, as the entire field of Runabout GT1, Ski Division and Ski Ladies entrants join the Freestyle contingent on the picturesque Italian island, Al-Mulla will be hoping to pull clear of his series rivals.
Both Nak and Roc Floranjcic missed the opening race weekend on the eastern coast of Italy and that enabled Al-Mulla to card his eighth consecutive heat triumph, third successive Grand Prix win and storm into a 10-point championship lead over the Italian world number one Roberto Mariani. Alberto Camerlengo holds third place in the points’ standings and Portugal’s Paulo Nunes and Russia’s Alexander Kuramshin are fourth and fifth.
Olbia is a coastal city in north-eastern Sardinia and features an historic port and a main ferry port on an island in the bay. It thrives on the tourism industry. The weekend’s racing is being organised under the auspices of the UIM and the Federazione Italiana Motonautica and Aquabike Promotion Ltd.
Freestyle entrants will be permitted to practice for 20 minutes between 09.30hrs and 14.00hrs on Friday (June 1) before the pole position session start at 16.30hrs.
There will be two competitive sessions on Saturday (June 2) starting with Moto 1 for all categories at 09.30hrs and then an evening Moto 2 session for the Freestyle entrants between 20.30hrs and 22.00hrs.
Further free practice will be permitted for all classes between 09.30hrs and 13.00hrs on Sunday (June 3) and Moto 3 takes place between 14.30hrs and 19.00hrs.
2018 UIM-ABP World Championship – current Freestyle standings
1. Rashid Al-Mulla (UAE) 50pts
2. Roberto Mariani (ITA) 40pts
3. Alberto Camerlengo (ITA) 32pts
4. Paolo Nunes (PRT) 26pts
5. Alexander Kuramshin (RUS) 22pts
