Alaric Gomes, Senior Reporter, Gulf News, Dubai: Organisers predict a tough competition this season despite unfavourable race conditions during opening round. A top organising official from the Dubai International Marine Club (DIMC) has predicted a tough and close competition in the X-Cat Powerboat Series that got under way with the opening round at the Mina Seyahi on Tuesday.

"It's going to be close this season. Despite the unfavourable race conditions we have seen the tussle for the top spot between some of the top teams in the world. This is an indication of what is going to happen as the season goes on," Sid Bin Saleh, DIMC general manager, told Gulf News. With champions Nader Bin Hindi and Arif Saif Al Zafe'in in Fazza 3 limping off with a broken gear, Tuesday's opening race between 21 boats was thrown wide open with the PRO Marine duo of Grant Bruggemann and Gary Ballough taking the lead, chased by the Extreme Marine pair of Rashid Khalifa Al Merri and Salem Fadil Al Hamli.

Bruggemann and Ballough eventually nestled into fourth place even as the Extreme Marine went on to win the race way ahead of the Lux Media Offshore duo of Mike Seebold and Michel Karsenti and the Abu Dhabi Racing Team of Ahmad Ali Jaber Al Hamli and Rashid Jabr Al Hamli.

The second champion boat Fazza 33 with Talib Al Sayed and Abdullah Al Muhairbi at the helm were also an early race casualty with an engine failure.

"Taking pole position in the new boat was a great result for us although the race didn't quite work out as we hoped," stated Victory Team General Manager Gianfranco Venturelli.

"But these things happen in racing and our congratulations go to the winners for a great race."

Despite a difficult end to the season last year that witnessed the demise of two Victory Team members, Bin Saleh remained positive of the season ahead.

"We have worked hard to ensure enhanced driver safety from now on.... there are new procedures in place from now on," Bin Saleh said.

"We are pleased to see the response to this series from teams all over the world. All of them are competing for top honours and each one is pushing for glory. It is going to be impossible to predict a clear winner this season," Bin Saleh added.

The second round of the X-Cat Powerboat Series will be held at the same venue on April 9-10.