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Abu Dhabi’s Flying Falcon Finishes Fourth In New York


Remains on the hunt to regain the world championship title










Team Abu Dhabi’s Flying Falcon, Hannes Arch, finished fourth at New York’s first Red Bull Air Race last Sunday and grabbed nine points over the weekend as he remains in contention to regain his 2008 world title.

For his fourth place, the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority-backed Arch earned eight points, plus a bonus point for topping the qualifying rounds. He now has a total of 48 points and is second in the championship standings, five points behind the leader and New York-leg winner Paul Bonhomme.

Following a stunning hat-trick of successive wins at Perth in Australia, Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and Windsor in Canada, Arch had his sights set on an unprecedented fourth successive victory in one season after posting a scorching 1:08:18 along the Hudson River track in front of the iconic Manhattan skyline during the pre-race qualifiers.

However, he suffered a six second penalty in the final round for hitting the Air Gate, an inflatable pylon that he clipped with his wing. Finishing 5.34 seconds behind Bonhomme’s winning time of 1:10.01, Arch was literally just seconds away from the record books.

“I wanted to win but I have won three times this season and I cannot ask for more,” said Arch, who was gracious in defeat. “It was a good run. It was just a couple of centimetres that made the difference.”

Nigel Lamb took second place while American Kirby Chambliss got his second straight podium with third place. Running third, Lamb has narrowed the gap between him and Arch to a solitary point after his 10-point finish gave him a total of 47 championship points in the overall standings.

A huge crowd of 75,000 spectators gathered and watched from both sides of the Hudson River as Arch, in his Abu Dhabi-emblazoned Pitt 530 aircraft, pushed Bonhomme to his limits before hitting the pylon and ended any hope of a podium finish.

“Team Abu Dhabi’s 2010 world championship hopes are still very much within sight,” said Ahmed Hussein, ADTA’s Deputy Director General. “This is exactly what racing is all about – highs and lows.

“Judging from Hannes’ time in New York at qualifying and in the final round before the six second penalty, Team Abu Dhabi definitely has the capability to come out stronger in the last three races and regain the world championship title. Strength and resilience are hallmarks of Team Abu Dhabi so the game’s not over yet.”

The fifth leg of the 2010 World Championship tour took place for the first time in New York over the Hudson River at Liberty State Park in Jersey City in the US. The final three races of the season are to be staged Germany, Hungary and Portugal. The next race in Lausitz is scheduled for August 7-8.
 

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