The Emirates News Agency reported that Rashed Al Mulla has taken the overall lead in the UIM-ABP Aquabike World Championship Freestyle category following a flawless performance at the opening round in Shanghai, China this month. The Team Abu Dhabi rider collected the maximum 50 points available across the weekend by winning both motos with routines that combined technical manoeuvres, backflips and high-scoring displays judged at 227 points in the first outing. Al Mulla topped qualifying before securing victory in each session, moving ahead of his rivals with the title decider now set for the Italian venue.
According to the Emirates News Agency, the 2026 calendar was reduced to just two rounds after the cancellation of scheduled events in Doha and Jeddah, placing added importance on consistency between Shanghai and Olbia. A six-time world champion, Al Mulla won titles in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2024 while finishing runner-up in 2023 and 2025, historical records from the Union Internationale Motonautique show. The Emirati athlete will enter the Sardinia contest as favourite but has acknowledged the need to maintain focus against a field that includes longtime rival Roberto Mariani of Italy.
Al Mulla said the championship lead provides added confidence heading into the decisive final round while crediting the Abu Dhabi Marine Sports Club and its technical and administrative teams for their continued support. The rider, who began his latest campaign by topping the freestyle qualifying session in China, stressed that success on the international stage stems directly from the backing received at home. He will compete in Olbia, Sardinia from October 16 to 18, where the championship will be settled over the remaining motos.
The UIM-ABP Aquabike World Championship features competitors from more than 30 countries who are judged on creativity, technical difficulty and execution in the freestyle discipline, which showcases flips, spins, pirouettes and on-water acrobatics. Previous Italian rounds, including the 2024 Grand Prix in Olbia that drew 167 riders, have served as key stops that combine world championship points with continental titles in supporting classes. The sport’s governing body has structured the finale to include practice, qualifying and multiple motos across the harbour waters in Sardinia.
Team Abu Dhabi has dominated the freestyle category for much of the past decade, with Al Mulla securing multiple maximum-point weekends that contributed to his six crowns, an assessment published on aquabike.net found. The UAE squad operates under the Abu Dhabi Marine Sports Club, which has invested in rider development and equipment to sustain its position at the forefront of the discipline. Officials expect the Italian finale to attract large spectator crowds to the coastal venue as the championship reaches its conclusion.
The rivalry between Al Mulla and Mariani has shaped recent seasons, with the pair trading titles and often finishing first and second overall, championship data from the Union Internationale Motonautique confirms. In 2025 Mariani claimed the crown on a tie-breaker while Al Mulla responded by winning the final round in Doha, according to reports from that event. This year’s condensed schedule has heightened the stakes for the Olbia showdown, where Al Mulla aims to add a seventh title to his record.
