LIUZHOU, China // Team Abu Dhabi’s Thani Al Qamzi and Ahmed Al Hameli qualified in sixth and seventh place for Wednesday’s Grand Prix of China – despite racing in second-choice boats as their equipment was delayed by bad weather.
Typhoon weather conditions and resultant shipping delays into Hong Kong meant that the latest UAE team boats were not present on the Liu River in Liuzhou for Tuesday’s qualifying session.
The ship containing their racing boats was not able to dock in Hong Kong and it continued on to Korea without stopping.
However, the Emirati team scraped together enough spare parts to allow its two drivers to take part in a pair of second-choice race boats from another container.
Scott Gillman, the team manager, had no other option but to use their back-up equipment, with Al Qamzi using last year’s BaBa boat and Al Hameli using a DAC he hadn’t raced in since 2009.
“It was a big disappointment for our chances here in Liuzhou,” said Gillman. “We were going around borrowing and buying essential items including engines to get ready for qualifying.”
Al Qamzi beat his teammate to the final qualifying position in the six-boat Q3 shoot-out and confirmed sixth place with a lap of 47.09 seconds, but pole position for the 250th race in the history of the championship fell to defending world champion Alex Carella of the Qatar Team, with series leader Shaun Torrente in second and former champion Sami Selio of Finland in third.
Both Emiratis were happy, ahead of round three of the 2013 UIM F1 H20 World Championship, given the pre-qualifying problems.
“This was obviously not our favourite equipment but, under the circumstances, I am quite happy with my performance today and now we can look ahead with confidence to the race,” said Al Hameli. “I practiced yesterday and this morning and I feel good. It is going to be a tough race with so many strong teams. It is a nice course, a little windy but good for racing. I am so happy to be back racing against my brothers after everything that has happened.”
In the first of the two UIM F-4S category races for the Eurofin Trophy, Mohammed Al Mehairbi qualified in seventh place for the and reached the finish of the 19-lap race in sixth. Sweden’s 16-year-old Morgan Jernfast led from pole position to take victory by over six seconds from German championship leader Mike Szymura.
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Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup – Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
FROM%20THE%20ASHES
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What drives subscription retailing?
Once the domain of newspaper home deliveries, subscription model retailing has combined with e-commerce to permeate myriad products and services.
The concept has grown tremendously around the world and is forecast to thrive further, according to UnivDatos Market Insights’ report on recent and predicted trends in the sector.
The global subscription e-commerce market was valued at $13.2 billion (Dh48.5bn) in 2018. It is forecast to touch $478.2bn in 2025, and include the entertainment, fitness, food, cosmetics, baby care and fashion sectors.
The report says subscription-based services currently constitute “a small trend within e-commerce”. The US hosts almost 70 per cent of recurring plan firms, including leaders Dollar Shave Club, Hello Fresh and Netflix. Walmart and Sephora are among longer established retailers entering the space.
UnivDatos cites younger and affluent urbanites as prime subscription targets, with women currently the largest share of end-users.
That’s expected to remain unchanged until 2025, when women will represent a $246.6bn market share, owing to increasing numbers of start-ups targeting women.
Personal care and beauty occupy the largest chunk of the worldwide subscription e-commerce market, with changing lifestyles, work schedules, customisation and convenience among the chief future drivers.
THE LIGHT
Director: Tom Tykwer
Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger
Rating: 3/5
