Al Abdulrazzaq claims UIM-ABP Aquabike crown

Sport360 staff 07:45 21/12/2016
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  • There was bitter disappointment for James Bushell, Al Abdulrazzaq’s only title challenger, who had an electrical problem at the start and eventually retired on lap three with his title hopes in tatters.

    Sweden’s Lars Akerblom led for seven laps from Jeremy Perez, with Al Abdulrazzaq moving up from fourth to second after passing Christophe Agostinho and then Perez.

    A lap later, the champion hit the front and disappeared off into the distance to take the chequered flag and the win by 25.34s.

    “It was a great race for me and a great way to keep the title,” said the Kuwaiti rider. “I was being patient, sitting in fourth I think, and was keeping an eye on Bushell and then I saw him break. So after that I knew the title was safe so I pushed hard and took my opportunities.”

    Perez piled the pressure on Akerblom and passed him on lap eight to take second and his best result of the season, with Akerblom third.

    Agostinho crossed the finish line in fourth ahead of Patrice Pellier, with Marcin Senda getting his best finish of the year in sixth.

    In the Freestyle, UAE’s Rashed Al Mulla secured the runners-up slot in the championship standings with his win, with Slovenia’s Rok Florjancic sealing his fourth successive UIM-ABP Freestyle world title after being beaten to second place by the UAE rider.

    Al Mulla and Florjancic were the only two to be scored in the nineties, with Al Mulla edging the win by one point.

    There was disappointment for Nac Florjancic, Rok’s brother, who failed to get out on the water and will end the year in third place in the overall standings no matter what happens in heat two.

    Meanwhile, Sweden’s Emma-Nellie Ortendahl cruised to the Ski GP1 Ladies world title with an emphatic win in race one.

    The 18-year-old from Alvangen started from pole and produced a near flawless performance, apart from a slight hiccup at the end of the start lap when she dropped her Ski, leading from start-to-finish to win the eight lap race by over 17 seconds.

    “It’s just so crazy to be world champion. I am just so happy,” said Sweden’s first and youngest UIM-ABP Aquabike ladies world champion. “Finally at the end of a great year I have the title I always wanted and dreamed about.”

    Behind the runaway leader, Jennifer Menard and Beatriz Curtinhal were locked in a titanic struggle, with Curtinhal closing down the outgoing champion and making the telling pass on lap six, moving her up into third place behind Menard in the championship standings.

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