Defending champ Cudlin wins 1st round of QIRRCH

By Sports Reporter/Doha

Alex Cudlin, the reigning champion from Australia, won the first round of the Qatar International Road Racing Championship (QIRRCH) here at the Losail International Circuit yesterday.

Cudlin finished the day in style by winning both the first round races (15 laps each). Cudlin’s Suzuki teammate Nina Prinz, the German female rider, secured the second place.

In the first race, the Australian rider had a tough battle with Qatar’s Nasser al-Malki, but a mechanical problem with the BMW bike forced Qatari rider to retired during the 13th lap. Nina Prinz, who started from the second place, finished second, with a gap of 9.576 from Cudlin. Mashel al-Naimi, who started from the back of the grid on his Honda, had a third place podium finish.

Cudlin, who clocked 30:10;113 and 31:13;575 in the race one and race two respectively, is leading the championship with 50 points, Prinz is second with 40 points and Mashel al-Naimi has 32 points. The podium scene of the second race was same as Cudlin finished first and Prinz in the second place. Mishal al-Naimi was again at the third position. Nasser al-Malki again had a technical problem with his bike as he retired in the 9th lap of the race.  

“This is my fourth year here and I feel like a family here. In both the races, Nasser al-Malki had a good start and as I didn’t race since September it took me some time to get the rhythm but as the race progressed, I was more confident. I have experience in the endurance races, so I am able to keep the lap time stable and that makes me able to create a gap between me and the others,” said Alex Cudlin after the race.

Nina Prinz, who finished second said, “I made a perfect start but I lost in the first part of the race that made me go slower. In the second race, my first laps were very good but then I nearly had a crash with a rider that makes me keep calm and the second position was OK for me.”

“After the mechanical problem that I had yesterday before the qualifying practice, I didn’t expect to be on the podium today starting from the last position. After each lap I became more confident and I am very happy to be in the podium in both races and get as much points as possible,” Mishal al-Naimi.

Fahad al-Sowaidi, who won the 600cc category race said, “I started late competing in this category but in the last month I joined the Asia Road Racing Championship and I improved my riding. My target is to improve my lap times in each round.”

The second round of the QIRRCH will be held on January 11 and 12 along with the first round of Qatar National Road Racing (QNRRCH) and Losail Asia Road Racing Series (LARRS).

Qatar’s Fahad al-Sowaidi emerged the fastest rider in the 600cc category. Trophies were given by QMMF President Nasser Khalifa al-Attiya and Sultan al-Morraikhi.