AL TAYER WARS IN CHINA AFTER AQUABIKE SETBACK

Abu Dhabi's Rashed Al Tayer made a belligerent performance in China today to defend his World Aquabike title challenge as team-mate Rashid al-Mulla extended his winning streak.

Al Tayers hopes of a second Grand Prix win of the season effectively ended when his race engine was delayed on the road to the Grand Prix of Qingdao, the final round of the UIM-ABP Aquabike World Championship.

Compelled to compete on a bike that was rented locally by the team, and acknowledging a huge power advantage, Al Tayer advanced to seventh place in today's first moto to finish third at the World Championships.

The result was ten points behind Denmark's championship leader Marcus Jorgensen, who finished second to Kuwait's Yousef Al Abdulrazzaq.

With a second moto round in China tomorrow (Sunday) afternoon, Al Tayer is aiming to earn enough points to offer a fighting chance in the December title deciding the final round in Sharjah.

In the freestyle, Al Mulla continued to move to a ninth Grand Prix victory and a second world title, extending the championship lead against the Italians by 15 points by winning the first moto from Roberto Mariani.