But opportunity to repeat winning pattern lost by poor sea conditions
Steve Curtis and Sheikh Hassan bin Jabor Al-Thani raced to their first win of the Class 1 season in Arendal, Norway, on Saturday but were deprived of the chance to repeat the performance when the second of the two-race Norwegian Grand Prix was cancelled on Sunday due to strong winds.
“I am obviously disappointed with the decision to cancel the race,” said Sheikh Hassan. “We have competed in worse conditions in the past. It may have been a bit bumpy in places today, but we have lost a great opportunity to close the gap on Victory 3 at the top of the championship standings.”
Saturday’s win finally ended Sheikh Hassan and Steve Curtis’s long wait for victory since teaming-up in 2008 in Spirit of Qatar. They moved from third place on the start line to challenge for the lead at the first turn.
From here they were able to control the race and go on to win the eight-lap, 52.45nm contest by more than eight seconds at an average speed of 186.61km/h (115mph).
“We knew the start would be important as Victory 3 is very fast,” said Curtis. “But we got the jump on them at the end of the long first leg where it was a little bumpy and then managed to keep ahead.”
Second place for defending World Champions Victory 3 keeps them at the top of the points table, but sees their lead cut to five points.
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