Monday, 16 January: Yousef Al Abdulrazzaq’s successful defence of his Runabout GP1 world title in the 2016 UIM-ABP Aquabike World Championship has received the highest praise and royal recognition from the ruler of Kuwait, His Highness Prince Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

The 36-year-old rider from Kuwait City was invited to the Royal Court to meet with the Ruler, the Prime Minister of Kuwait, Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah and the Minister of Youth, Sheikh Salman Al-Humoud Al-Sabah. “It was an absolute honour to meet His Highness Prince Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and a great privilege to dedicate the title and present my winning vest to him,” said a hugely proud Youself Al Abdulrazzaq. “This meeting and recognition is the greatest motivation for me to try to achieve further honours on behalf of the State of Kuwait and to represent my country in the best possible manner of sporting ethics.”

Abdulrazzaq made his UIM-ABP tour debut in 2011, clinching his first world title in 2013 at the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi. His second crown followed in 2015 with an equally dramatic last lap victory in Sharjah and his recent successful defence makes  the Kuwaiti star the first rider in the championship’s history to win the title three times.