When the 2010 season ended in December of last year there was no taking the foot of the gas for the members of Victory Team.  With new rules concerning engine power and RPM due to come into effect for the first race of the 2011 season it was a case of full steam ahead with planning and preparations for both engine testing and boat setup.

As usual the staff at the teams Dubai based workshop were up to the challenge and as well as carrying out extensive work on its Class 1 equipment the guys were fully involved with building and rigging a new X-Cat boat, repairing and maintaining customers X-Cat’s, preparing Jet skis for the Fazza jet ski team, rebuilding engines, competing in both the 2011 Middle East X-Cat and Jet ski championships and somewhere in between repairing various customer boats, engines, watercraft, racing dhow spars and even manufacturing light weight carbon saddle frames and stirrups for Endurance Horse racing.

By mid March with the first race of the 2011 UIM Class 1 World Championship about to begin in Abu Dhabi the pace of pre season preparation at Victory Team went up a gear as evaluation tests on modified boats and new engine set ups reached their conclusion.

With new rules confirmed concerning compulsory fitting of torque sensors to all boats along with engine power and RPM restrictions, the staff had a hectic few weeks to complete the necessary R & D work prior to the start of the new season. Couple this with a return to a familiar blue paint scheme for the one boat Victory would be campaigning in 2011 and preparing the number 5 boat for Abu Dhabi’s second season in Class 1 and the guys could have been forgiven for looking forward to the relative relaxing environment of a race weekend.

As well as running these two boats, a last minute addition was the news that Victory Team would be supplying new team, Fendi Racing with a boat for the first race weekend as their new boat from the USA was not yet ready.

And so, as the countdown to the season opener approached zero hour, Victory team finished the final checks, packed their trucks and bags for the short drive to Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club, the thought on everyone’s mind being had they done enough to mount a competitive defense of the Class 1 title, what were the other teams, both old and new rivals, bringing to the challenge.