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Defending champ Rami Azzam returned to Dubai Kartdome to take an emphatic first round win in the Sodi World Series (SWS) Ramadan Obstacle on Monday night (29 Might) with Gianluca Elmosi controling the Masters category and newcomer Katherine White spectacular the field with a historic Junior Cup victory.

With prizes on offer for the champion, the popular series was scheduled out two weeks ahead of time, with the Senior Cup and Junior Cup categories filling their grids to begin the initial of four rounds.

Senior Cup & Masters

The qualifying session was firmly loaded with thirty Senior Cup and Masters drivers anxious to establish the tone for Round One. Complying with a ten min flurry of Sodi RX8 karts humming around the 1.2 kilometre International Circuit, it was Rami Azzam that finished the job, topping the timing screens with an ideal lap time of 1:11.308.

Azzam started on pole however it was Ramin Arnecke who maximized Race One, shooting up from fourth on the grid to swipe the lead and afterwards the chequered flag, going across the finish line a complete 4.074 seconds ahead of Azzam. Atef Barwani pathed in for third place.

Unlike other SWS rounds, the Ramadan Challenge showcases a reverse grid for the top and bottom fifty percents of the ending up positions from Race One, which dropped Arnecke to fifteenth and Azzam to fourteenth to start the following race.

Undeterred by the reverse order, Arnecke and Azzam fought their way up the area in Race 2, passing drivers on every lap. Azzam got the upper hand, taking the chequered flag 1.674 seconds ahead of Arnecke. Barwani once again needed to settle for third.

At the end of the night Azzam and Arnecke were level with 76 points each however Azzam won the tie-break due to his higher certifying setting. Barwani declared third on 66 factors.

Having finished tenth in general in the SWS World Finals last weekend break (25-27 May) in Paris, Rami Azzam was earnest to go back to Dubai and come back job.

He stated: "It's an advantage to arrive this morning, back right here, straight back right into the kart and right back on the podium. I won it in 2014. I had to come back and reveal them I can do it once again."

In the Masters group of the Senior Cup Gianluca Elmosi had a solid showing, finishing the evening on 51 indicate take leading honours, six points clear of Mohammed Ismail in second put on 45, with Carsten Winter months taking 3rd on 38.

Junior Cup

Visiting Dubai on vacation from the UK, visitor racer Katherine White handled to upset the local favourites with a pair of regulating success, and while doing so made Dubai Kartdrome history as the initial female Junior Cup driver to win an SWS event.

The first round of the Junior Cup competitors turned into a clash of people, as vehicle driver siblings from four family members controlled the procedures. One of the three contending Al Azhari siblings, Enzo, was the first to strike, toenailing a finest lap of 1:20.126 in qualifying, making him pole position.

When the begin lights blinked out for Race One, Enzo Al Azhari embarked on the line and took control of the opening laps however Katherine White, who began with 2nd on the grid, quickly reeled him in. White swiped the lead, and while Al Azhari dropped back, his sibling Keanu Al Azhari moved up to test.

Neither of the Al Azhari brothers could match White's pace however and she coasted in for the win, 3.069 seconds ahead of Keanu, leaving Maxime Dubos to claim third.

Race two showcased a reverse grid of the leading ten drivers from Race One. Beginning in tenth place on the grid did not hinder White when the lights headed out. She systematically picked her way up the field, with her more youthful sibling Jessica drafting just behind.

Now all 3 Al Azhari brothers - Enzo, Keanu and Adam - went to the front to challenge the White sisters. Jessica was compelled to hang back but Katherine fought on take one more win, simply 0.604 seconds in front of Enzo, while his sibling Keanu accumulated third.

After the points were tallied, newbie Katherine White was the clear victor with two race success and 80 factors. Keanu Al Azhari took house second place cutlery with an overall of 69 factors and his sibling Enzo grabbed 3rd with 66 factors.

On the champion's platform Katherine White said, "I'm so pleased. I didn't expect to win anything tonight."

Ramadan Difficulty Race Director, David Bright commented, "This first round of 2017 delivered lots of competing delights, with bumper to bumper activity and a shock historic win in the Junior Cup. I cannot wait to see exactly how this plays out over the following three rounds."

Round Two of the Ramadan Challenge will happen at the Dubai Kartdrome on Monday night, 5 June 2017.

Inscriptions:
1. Ramadan Challenge Round One Senior Cup Podium 29 May 2017
2. Ramadan Challenge Round One Junior Cup Podium 29 May 2017

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