HE Sheikh Hassan Hopes for SBI Turbine Racing Debut in Cocoa Beach

Doha , May 01 (QNA) -HE Sheikh Hassan bin Jabor Al-Thani , the President of the Qatar Marine Sports Federations (QMSF) has announced the final programme of racing events for the 2013 season at a press conference held in Doha on Wednesday. The defending Key West World Champion confirmed that he and British throttleman Steve Curtis will begin their testing programme in the United States of America this week and that the new Qatar/Mystic turbine boat may make its racing debut at Cocoa Beach in Florida on May 17-19. Curtis has been in the USA recently piecing together details of the programme and overseeing the building of the boat. He and Sheikh Hassan will begin a five-day test from May 5th before the pair take on the might of the American offshore competition in what has been referred to as the Qatar v USA version of golfs Ryder Cup. "We are hoping to officially introduce the team in Cocoa Beach and this would be the first participation of the turbine team in Super Boat International," enthused Sheikh Hassan, who missed the opening round of the SBI series in Biloxi last weekend. "I dont know if it will be a disadvantage or not to miss the first round as we were not sure how many boats were going to race. As the season progresses we will get a good indication whether it was a mistake to miss the first round or not. In any case, our target is to dial the boat in during the year as our test session will be short. The main target will be the World Championship at Key West later in the season." Sheikh Hassans new turbine boat has been built in the USA in collaboration with Whispering Turbines, Five-Axis Industries and Mystic Powerboats. The new Mystic Spirit of Qatar Extreme turbine hull is powered by a pair of T53 turbine engines, delivering around 1,600hp apiece and capable of propelling the boat to a top speed of 354km/h (200 mph) using Five-Axis technology. Sheikh Hassan also confirmed that the Spirit of Qatar Team has acquired the ex-Tony Abrahams Reliable Carriers offshore raceboat and this will be entered in the Superboat 750 class with Qataris, Mohammed Al-Nasser and Ali Al-Neama, at the helm. The 42-foot Marine Technology catamaran is being fitted with twin 750hp Scorpion Racing engines for the Superboat 750 class. (QNA)