Powerboat Racing

Rashid Al-Mulla of the United Arab Emirates won the Aquabike World Championship after a successful protest in Quy Nhơn on March 24. — Photo of orrganisers

BÌNH ĐỊNH — Rashid Al-Mulla took the title of the Freestyle Motos after winning his appeal of the results of the Grand Prix of Bình Định - Việt Nam's Aquabike World Championship in Quy Nhơn on March 24.

Judges of the Freestyle category said Roberto Mariani of Italy won first place with 47 points after two sessions, while Al-Mulla of the United Arab Emirates was second with 44 and Paulo Nunes of Potugal was third with 40.

However, his Team Abu Dhabi decided to appeal. Al-Mulla claimed that during his time on the water for Moto 2, his set contained more quantity, style and variety than he had been given credit for by the panel of judges.

After seeing video footage, the referees agreed that the Emirati, who had borrowed Nunes’s jetski for the weekend, was correct and awarded him the victory in Moto 2.

That meant that he had same 47 points with world No. 1 Mariani and earned the Grand Prix win on a tie-breaker by having won the second of the two Motos. Nunes remained in third. — VNS