Victory Team Win Pole Title by One Point | XCAT Dubai

Victory Team won the XCAT Pole Position Championship by a single point over Sharjah Team in a dramatic final qualifying session at the Dubai Grand Prix on Saturday morning.

Salem Al Adidi and Eisa Al Ali posted a time of 2:27.435 to secure pole position for Sunday’s finale, whilst simultaneously ending Sharjah Team’s season-long qualifying dominance. The 2025 UIM XCAT world champions overcame Sharjah’s eight-point advantage to win the pole position title 162-161.

Pole Position 2 Results

One-Point Championship Victory

Victory Team entered the final qualifying session trailing Sharjah Team by eight points in the pole position championship. Their pole position earned 35 points whilst Sharjah’s third-place finish awarded 26 points, creating a one-point margin.

The mathematics worked perfectly for Victory Team. Their season total reached 162 points against Sharjah Team’s 161 points, completing a remarkable double championship.

Sharjah Team dominated qualifying throughout the season, claiming pole position in five of the first six sessions across Fujairah, Kuwait and Dubai. Their consistency built the eight-point advantage heading into the finale, but Victory Team’s late-season qualifying surge proved decisive.

Final Pole Position Championship

The Qualifying Battle

Victory Team and HPI Fujairah Racing Team traded fastest times throughout the session. The Schiano di Cola brothers posted 2:27.607, just 0.172 seconds behind Victory Team’s winning time.

Times improved significantly from Friday’s Pole Position 1, where Sharjah Team qualified on pole with 2:27.264 despite completing only seven laps. Saturday’s faster conditions and refined setups produced quicker lap times across the field.

Team GB improved from fifth position on Friday to fourth on Saturday with a time of 2:28.733. Scott Williams and Martin Campbell demonstrated stronger qualifying pace as they prepare for Sunday’s battle with HPI Fujairah Racing Team for second place in the overall championship standings.

Arif Al Zaffain and Francis Notschaele were fifth for Faz Marine with 2:29.834, maintaining their consistent grid positions throughout the weekend.

Energima Racing Recovery

Erik Sundblad Johansen and Marit Strømøy qualified seventh after missing Friday’s session with power steering problems. Energima Racing posted a time of 2:32.715.

Mate USA did not start qualifying due to ongoing engineering issues. Giampaolo Montavoci and Alberto Huober remain hopeful of competing in Race 2.

Race 2 Sunday

The 2025 XCAT World Championship concludes with Race 2 at 14:30 Gulf Standard Time on Sunday December 14.

John Moore

John Moore’s involvement in powerboat racing began in 1981 when he competed in his first offshore powerboat race. After a career as a Financial Futures broker in the City of London, specialising in UK interest rate markets, he became actively involved in event organisation and powerboat racing journalism.
He served as Event Director for the Cowes–Torquay–Cowes races between 2010 and 2013. In 2016, he launched Powerboat Racing World, a digital platform providing global powerboat racing news and insights. The following year, he co-founded UKOPRA, helping to rejuvenate offshore racing in the United Kingdom. He sold Powerboat Racing World in late 2021 and remained actively involved with UKOPRA until 2025.
In 2025, he established Powerboat News, returning to independent journalism with a focus on neutral and comprehensive coverage of the sport.