The UIM XCAT Championship organisers have sent notification by email that the 2019 leader board has changed again since the third race in Shanghai.

On November 3, the points standings looked like this:

1st) Abu Dhabi 4 144 points

2nd) Dubai Police 139 points

3rd) Maritimo 137 points

However, an email sent on November 13 from XCAT Racing revealed that things have changed:

Following investigations, sanctions and protests, there’s been minor changes to the final results of race 3 of the Shanghai GP.

The championship lead is now held by Arif Al Zaffain and Nadir Bin Hendi in Dubai Police with Shaun Torrente and Faleh Al Mansoori’s Abu Dhabi 4 being demoted to third.

1st) Dubai Police 143 points

2nd) Maritimo 137 points

3rd) Abu Dhabi 4 136 points

The reasoning behind this decision according to XCAT Racing was:

Boat #3 (Dubai Police) was considered at fault for missing a buoy.

A 30 second penalty was therefore applied.

Boat #3 applied for Protest, and the Jury Protest Committee, after examination of the rules and the images, decided to accept it.

By this decision, Dubai Police has been not inflicted any sanction, keeping the third spot at the checkered flag.

Meanwhile, boat #4 Abu Dhabi 4, has been found at fault for missing two turning buoys in the start lap.

After the examination of the images and the rules, the Race Director has decided to apply two 30-second sanctions.

Therefore they move back from 4th to 5th place, to the advantage of #96 HPI Racing Team.

Boat #4 has applied for Appeal against this decision, and the final answer is still pending from the appeals Committee.

The final sentence is of course telling, Abu Dhabi #4 have appealed against this ruling, if their argument against the judgement is upheld, it would be Torrente and Al Mansoori who go into the final two races in Dubai topping the standings.