Price targets title victory

ABU DHABI // Jay Price is hoping to seal the UIM Powerboat World Championship in today's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The American, who is racing under the Team Qatar flag, will start on pole after his lap of 47.99secs edged out the defending champion Sami Selio of Finland and the Swede Jonas Andersson. The UAE's Thani al Qamzi will start fourth, while his teammate Ahmad al Hameli, who is in the hunt for a top-three finish in the title race, starts seventh.

The Team Abu Dhabi's manager Scott Gillman is hopeful al Hameli can move up the order in the race. "It's a long race and Ahmad can certainly improve from seventh," he said. "To start from fourth and seventh is not a bad result for both Thani and Ahmad. They are very much in the race." Price needs only five points from a sixth placed finish from the two remaining races in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah to be crowned the world champion, but he is not prepared to settle for a sixth place finish - which would be enough to clinch top spot in the standings.

"This is the race and I want to lock up the championship. I need only to finish sixth but we are not going to settle for that," he said. "I have a very fast boat to finish better than sixth, possibly win." @Email:apassela@thenational.ae