The UIM Class II and III World Offshore Championship will start today at 3.30 pm at the Abu Dhabi Breakwater Area.

It is organised by the Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club (ADIMSC) with the biggest ever cash prizes at stake for the winners of the two categories of the three round competition that will come to a close on Friday, November 9.

The championship, held under the patronage of Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, the Chief of the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince's Court and President of the ADIMSC, will offer a total of Dhs750,000 for the lucky winners.

The cash prizes will be ranging from Dhs75,000 for the champions to Dhs10,000 to the 10th-placed crew from each category.

Drivers from the U.S., Italy, Finland, Norway, Australia, Argentina, Kuwait, Lebanon, Bangladesh and the UAE will compete in the two categories for the title in the championship that extends till Friday with the second round being held on Wednesday, November 7.

Victory Team's boats, 1 and 7, carry the hopes of the UAE to defend the title of class II they won last year in New Zealand despite the fact that Khalfan Harib, the driver who won the title, had retired from the races.

Saeed Al Tayer and his throttleman Mohammed Al Marri, who won the UIM World Offshore Championship for Class I, last week, and Ali Nasir Belhabala and his throttleman Ali Al Qama are expected to dominate the competition with their inboard boats with tough competition on hand from Khalifa Al Tayer and Ahmed Al Tayer, UAE, Jabir Al Tayer and his second driver Suhail Zaal Al Tayer, also UAE, Atie M. Staff and Elvino Smedstad, both from Norway, Bill Barry and Paul Lingard, from Australia, Carl Nykopp, USA, and his throttleman Petri Rantanen, from Finland.

Italians Luca Nicolini of Sea Racer 30 and Matteo Nicolini of Sea Racer 32, are yet to name their throttlemen.

In class III, Rashid Jabir Al Hamly and his throttleman Ahmed Al Hamly driving the ADIMSC boat, are tipped to win a leading place as Rashid, the domestic UAE champion, have vast experience in this field having won the world championship in 1994. His expected to face strong challenges from the other ten boats participating in the race.

The competition in class III is presented by: Ibrahim Al Hammadi and Matar Ghareeb bin Jarsh, Rashid Khalifa Al Marry and Salim Fadhil Al Hamly, Sari Al Mansouri and Mohammed Mubarak Al Qamzy, all UAE, Khalfan bin Ghaleeetha, UAE, and his co-driver Mizanur Rahman, from Bangladesh, Ahmed Al Suwaidi, UAE, and his throttleman Frode Sunsdale, from Norway, Lebanese Nicolas Khalifa and Joseph Khalifa, Nicolas J. Scloll, from Argentian and Gianfranco Zanoni, from Italy, Faisal Al Omani and Zaid Al Shatti, from Kuwait, Mario Inventnizzi and Maurizio Daral, from Italy, Christian Rivolta and Giovanni Carpitella, from Italy.

The race course will be around Lulu Island, facing the Abu Dhabi Corniche, and will be 12 laps of 10.10 n.m. for class II and eight laps for the class III and the duration of the race will be one hour at most.