SHARJAH, U.A.E. - Wednesday, December 11, 2013 - In what was supposed to be a leisurely start to the all important sixth and final round of the 2013 UIM F1 H2O World Championship at the 14th Grand Prix of Sharjah turned into a "drama fest" when two of the four World Championship candidates had problems out on the new and revised 2.0 kilometer five-pin race circuit on on Khalid Lagoon.
From the opening minutes two-time World Champion Sami Selio of Finland who is leading the drivers standings with 64 points and driving his new BABA hull for the Mad Croc Team stopped out on the far eastern side of race course with suspected engine problems that necessitated a long tow in back to the pits ending his afternoon almost before it got started.
At about the same time two-time race winner Ahmed Al Hameli of Team Abu Dhabi had his engine fail after just a few tours sending him back to the dock and forcing him to watch his teammate Thani Al Qamzi winner of last years event to take the majority of laps for the team in testing.
The big news of the afternoon was American Shaun Torrente, who is second in the championship with 62 points had a giant miscue going into turn number four while flying the boat in full race trim heading into the corner when it appeared a gust of wind grabbed the boat and corkscrewed him upside down into the water taking a giant hit at the same time.
"Yeah, I was really pushing and got caught up in a gust and that's all it took," said the driver from Miami. "I'm fine and smiling now but it was a big hit and I'm glad I got it done today and not tomorrow when it really counts."
Tomorrow's qualifying begins at 15:50 local, 11:50 GMT and and 06:50 EST on the East Coast of North America to determine who will start on the all important pole position for Friday's Grand Prix of Sharjah.
All three qualifying sessions can be followed by going to the UIM F1 H2O World Championship tour at www.f1h2o.com by web streaming the worldwide television broadcast.
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