The Abu Dhabi duo faced stiff
opposition in 2013 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.
Team Russia were mighty and
out in force on their series debut
last season fielding six drivers
to share race duties over the two
events and no doubt will be out
for revenge after seeing the title
slip away after winning the Qatar
Grand Prix to momentarily lead the
overall points table.
Of the six drivers who ultimately
grabbed the runners-up slot last
season, Michail Kitashev, Andrey
Panyushkin and reserve drivers
Dmitry Malkin and Kostantin
Ustinov will again run for Team
Russia, with the Vandyshev
brothers Dmitry and reserve
driver Roman joined by Andrey
Ovkinnikov racing for Team
Belarus.
Saudi Arabia’s Naeem Al Kedawi
and Saud Hamad were perhaps
the surprise package in 2013
and played the team game to
perfection, were consistent and
reliable in all outings picking
up points in all competitions to
ultimately grab third place overall.
The duo from Jeddah both return
this year with Hamad looking to
better his best result, a fourth and
Al Kedawi his best, a sixth and
both achieved in Doha.
Khalid Al Kuwari will again lead
out the home favourites Team
Qatar and for the second time
will be partnered by 28 year-old
Mohamad Al Obaidly, both hailing
from Doha.
Al Kuwari was immense on home
waters last time out winning the
Match Race - a feat he repeated in
Abu Dhabi - and finishing second
and third in both sprint races but
he was beset with technical issues
in Abu Dhabi finishing well down
the order.
Al Obaidly will be trying, and
hoping, for a slightly less drama-
filled series this year, after a
Nations Cup debut that was a
rollercoaster ride from start-to-
finish for the rookie, crashing out
in race 2 on Doha Bay and again
in qualifying in Abu Dhabi which
side-lined him from starting the
races and missing out on team
points, with Qatar ending their
campaign down in a disappointing
fifth after finishing as runners-up in
2011 and 2012.
Team Italy will run a full season
this year and on their one and only
showing last year will be amongst
the favourites for the title after an
impressive debut in Abu Dhabi.
Mentored by the experienced
F1H2O driver Francesco Contando,
Stefano Paoletti will lead the team
and will again be partnered by
Marco Gambi.
Both produced solid performances
in Abu Dhabi, Paoletti going third
quickest in qualifying, Gambi sixth,
and bothmaking it to the shoot-out
for third and fourth places in the
Match Race with Paoletti coming
out on top, and equally impressive
in both sprint races finishing fourth
and third to help Italy to second
place in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
and sixth overall.
Making a welcome return to the
series for the Team’s third outing
in Nations Cup and their second
start are Malaysian brothers
AlǸan <anto and Mohammad
Affendey .adri who shared mixed
fortunes on their debut in Khor
Fakkan, with the elder of the two
AlǸan crashing out in race 1 and
Mohammad going on to take third
overall in the sprint races after
finishing seventh and third.
NATIONS CUP
36 | H20 MAGAZINE - MARCH 2014
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