TEAMS LOOKING
TO TRY TO TAKE THE
NATIONS CUP CROWN
FROM THE UAE
T
he 8IM Nations Cup :orld Series kicks off its fourth
season in March with a return to Qatar’s capital city
Doha for the second time in four months for the first of
three scheduled events in 2014, with newcomers Team
Belarus lining up for the first time against teams from
Italy, Malaysia, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
The relatively young series is always entertaining and has
provided a wealth of spectacular racing and dramatic moments
over the last three years thanks largely to the format of teams
running identical boats, engines and propellers and, whilst race
outcomes can never really be predicted, one team has stood out
above all others.
Team UAE will be out to uphold their winning tradition - Ahmed
Al Hameli and Majed Al Mansoori winning in Singapore, Al
Mansoori and Rashed Al Tayer winning in Khor Fakkan - and
retains the same driver line-up as they go in search of a fourth
consecutive Nations Cup crown, with Rashed Al Qemzi leading
out teammateMohamed Al Mehairbi as they look to successfully
defend their title.
The Abu Dhabi duo faced stiff opposition in 201 and overcame
intense pressure on home waters in Abu Dhabi, coming from
behind after finding themselves down in third place after the
Qatar Grand Prix, to win their home Grand Prix and climb the
overall points table to retain their crown, largely thanks to a
series of virtuoso performances by Al Qemzi who dominated
the series sprint races, winning all four.
NATIONS CUP
34 | H20 MAGAZINE - MARCH 2014
h2oracing.net
