KUWAIT: Kuwait's Yousef Al-Abdulrazzaq (center), France's Jeremy Perez (left), and Spain's Alejandro Molina Miranda (right), winners of the runabout GP1 competition during the UIM ABP-Aquabike World Championship, pose with their trophies on the podium in Salmiya, Kuwait on Saturday. - Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

KUWAIT: Kuwait Grand Prix went to the "hometown hero" Yousef Al-Abdulrazzaq with new crowned world Champion Jeremy Perez at second place ahead of Spain's Alejandro Molina Miranda. Perez has sensationally retained his UIM-ABP Aquabike Runabout GP1 world title with what seemed like an improbable victory. Yousef grabbed the holeshot and pulled away early which allowed him to protect his second place points as best as possible. Rasmus Koch Hansen got a second in the first lap and stole points from the leaders.

Lino Araujo started in a dismal ninth place but moved up to fourth protecting his third place for the World Title. But the award for sheer grit goes to Perez despite engine problems he managed to keep the boat going despite moving backwards to ninth at one point. He got back in seventh place which gave him just two points over Yousef 's total. That plus practically swimming the boat over the finish proved that you never know who is going to take the title in Runabout in 2021 until the last lap.

Estonia's Jasmiin Ypraus (center), Sweden's Emma-Nellie Ortendahl (left), and Sweden's Jonna Borgstrom, winners of the ski ladies' competition during the UIM ABP-Aquabike World Championship, pose with their trophies on the podium in Salmiya, Kuwait on Saturday.

In the ski ladies' competition, Jonna Borgstrom was crowned the 2021 Aquabike World Championship after she placed third in the Kuwait Grand Prix. The result gave her the prestigious year-end podium where she stood alongside her fellow Sweden countrywoman Emma-Nellie Ortendahl, whose second place gave her the runners-up slot on the World Championship podium. Third place went for the winner of the Grand Prix, Estonia's Jasmiin Ypraus.

"I am happy how did it ended up. When the final Moto started I didn't wanted to push it, only get to the finish line," said Borgstrom. Jasminn Ypraus rounded off her best weekend on the UIM-ABP tour finishing first to take the Grand Prix of Kuwait podium, with second place going to Emma-Nellie Ortendhal and the final step on the Grand Prix podium going to the just crowned World Champion Borgstrom.

The UAE's Rashid Al-Mulla (center), Italy's Roberto Mariani (left), and UAE's Abdel Jalil Al-Awadhi (right), winners of the freestyle competition during the UIM ABP-Aquabike World Championship, pose with their trophies on the podium in Salmiya, Kuwait on Saturday.

Freestyle title

Team Abu Dhabi's Rashid Al-Mulla produced yet another outstanding performance to maintain his unbeaten run to win the Grand Prix of Kuwait and the UIM-ABP Aquabike Freestyle World Championship title on Salmiya Beach in Kuwait. The 34-year-old Emirati has totally dominated the Freestyle category this season with an array of barrel-rolls, back-flips, reverse 360s, and combinations and victory in both motos gives him an unassailable lead in the points' standings.

"To win the World Championship is a special feeling. I am so happy for my team and my country," Mulla said. The European Champion, Italy's Roberto Mariani is second in World Championship with Paulo Nunes trading third spot. Second place in the Grand Prix of Kuwait went for Roberto Mariani ahead of Abdel Jalil Al-Awadhi from UAE.

Meanwhile, Victory Team's Kevin Reiterer was once again in a class of his own with a faultless performance in Saturday's final moto in Ski GP1 to win Moto 3 at the Grand Prix of Kuwait and seal his fourth UIM-ABP Aquabike World Championship. Second place in the World Championship Podium went to Spain's Nacho Armillas with Anders Keller to end the year in third overall.

In the windy sea of Salmiya Beach, Ski GP1 was a two-man show between Spain's Nacho Armillas and the three-time world Champion Reiterer. The Spanish rider was the winner of the first two Motos with Reiterer second in both of them but it was enough the first place for the Victory Team's rider in Moto 3 (8.64s faster than Armilllas), to give him the title of World Champion.

"It means a lot to me and especially the team. I am lucky to work with such dedicated and hard-working people. It's one thing to have a dream and go out and try to be the best but to share that dream and success with the people behind the program is incredible." said Reiterer. Second place in the World Championship Podium went to Spain's Nacho Armillas with Anders Keller to end the year in third overall. Nacho Armillas was declared the winner of the Grand Prix of Kuwait with Kevin Reiterer taking second and the final place of the podium going to France's Mikael Poret.