Dubai 33’s Salem Al Adidi and Eisa Al Ali led from pole position to win an exciting fourth and final round and seal second spot in the overall standings of the 2016 UIM XCAT World Series at the Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club breakwater on Friday.

In a contest that was red-flagged after defending world champions Arif Al Zaffain and Nadir Bin Hendi flipped on the second lap, Dubai 33 fought grimly to hold off the home team duo of Rashed Al Tayer and Salem Al Mansoori in Abu Dhabi 5 and secure the runner-up spot behind Victory Team in the overall standings for the season.

“I guess we must be happy with second position, but the win was the aim from the start,” said Al Tayer of Team Abu Dhabi, who were also in the running for second spot in the standings.

“We thought we had the strategy mapped out perfectly. We took a long lap before them twice and thought we could nip inside and snatch the lead on both occasions. But, I guess, they were able to carry the speed and momentum down the straight and managed to stay in front.”

Despite running with a two-stroke engine, the T-Bone Station duo of Giovanni Carpitella and Ahmed Al Hameli came in a pleasing third place, just one second clear of Sweden’s Joakim Kumlin and former F1 champion Jay Price from the USA in Lady Spain.

The French-Italian pairing of Francois Pinelli and Saul Bubacco in Yacht followed in fifth, while sixth spot went to the Blue Roo duo of Brett Luhrmann of Australia and Pal-Virik Nilsen of Norway.

Swecat Racing, one of the four boats who had a chance to finish as runners-up for the season had to stay content with seventh.