Team Abu Dhabi’s reigning XCAT World champions face tough start

Team Abu Dhabi’s reigning XCAT World Champions Shaun Torrente and Faleh Al Mansoori will begin the defence of their title from third place on the grid in race one of the Grand Prix of Italy.

Torrente and Al Mansoori in Abu Dhabi 4 were third fastest (2.27.616) in the qualifying shootout on Lake Maggiore in Stresa today which saw Australians Tom Barry-Cotter and Ross Willaton in Maritimo (2.26.426) grab pole position.

Pal-Virik Nilsen and Jan Trygve Braaten in The Blue Roo (2.26.753) were second fastest, while Rashed Al Tayer and Majed Al Mansoori in Abu Dhabi 5 narrowly failed to progress from the first qualifying session after setting the sixth fastest lap.

After tonight’s opening XCAT race of the season the boats return to the water at mid-day tomorrow for official practice before the decisive second Grand Prix race gets under way at 5.20pm.

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