Sharjah 24:Swedish Jonas Andersson (Boat 1), the current UIM F1H2O World champion, secured the best time on Thursday in the qualification’s lap for the Road to Sharjah Grand Prix of Sharjah, which is organised by Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), under the patronage of Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and Chairman of the Sharjah Executive Council.

Andersson registered 47.64 seconds, securing the number one position in the Road to Sharjah Grand Prix of Sharjah, while Shaun Torrente (Boat 6) from the Abu Dhabi team secured the number two position with just a 0.279-second difference. The third place was clinched by Frenchman Philippe Chiappe (Boat 7), with the time of 48.07 seconds.

Eighteen powerboats competed in the qualification lap on Khalid lagoon to determine their starting positions in the main event. In the first round of qualification, which took 20 minutes to complete, six of the slowest racers were eliminated, and a further six were eliminated in the second round. The final six racers competed in the third and final round, which set the starting positions in the main event, the Road to Sharjah Grand Prix of Sharjah.

Philippe Chiappe (Boat 7) fastest time in the first round of qualifications by finishing in 49.71 seconds, with Torrente trailing behind with a 0.79-second difference and Abu Dhabi’s Thani Al Qemzi (Boat 5) completing the round in 50.85 seconds.

In the second round, Al Qemzi withdrew from the race after his boat suffered electrical problems, however, teammate Torrente completed the round in 49.66 seconds with a 0.46-second difference to Chiappe, who led the round again with 49.20 seconds.

In the final round, competition heated up as Swedish racer Jonas Andersson managed to set the fastest time of the day, securing his pole position in the main race with a hot lap of 47.64 seconds. Torrente also brought the heat by securing his second place start after registering 47.92 seconds, and with 48.07 seconds, Chiappe secured the third spot.