Saudi Arabia’s Saleh Alsaif and Russian co-driver Egor Okhotikov were comfortable winners in T3 category ABU DHABI: Nasser Al-Attiyah of Qatar completed his third win in the 30th Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge as the race wrapped on Thursday, with Matthias Walkner claiming his first victory in the bike category. Partnered by Mathieu Baumel in a Toyota Hilux, Al-Attiyah captured the drivers’ title with a winning margin of 21 mins 12 secs from Argentina’s Lucio Alvarez and Spain’s Armand Monleon in a Toyota Hilux Overdrive. Fastest on each of the four previous stages, Al-Attiyah was content with a third best time today as Alvarez took the honours, while Russia’s Denis Krotov and Konstantin Zhiltsov in a Mini John Cooper Works Buggy secured the other podium place. A jubilant Al-Attiyah said at the finish: “It’s quite an amazing feeling to win this race for the third time. It was not easy, so that makes winning even better for me. One thing I have learned is that if you want to win, you need to work very hard – everybody, the crew, the team. Only then will you get results like this.” While the Qatari must wait until next month’s final round in Saudi Arabia to clinch the FIA World Cup drivers’ title, the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge produced world champions at the double. Finishing sixth overall, American Austin Jones and Brazilian co-driver Gustavo Gugelmin secured their FIA T4 crown with a convincing win in the category in a CAN-AM Maverick. Spain’s Cristina Gutierrez and Frenchman François Cazalet in an Overdrive OT3 are FIA T3 champions after finishing runners-up today to Saudi Arabia’s Saleh Alsaif and Russian co-driver Egor Okhotikov who were comfortable winners in another CAN-AM Maverick. New FIM RallyGP champion Walkner on a KTM claimed the bike crown by 4 mins 31.8 secs from Adrien Van Beveren, despite the Frenchman winning the 162.94km Yas Marina Circuit stage for his third fastest time. Portugal’s Joaquim Rodrigues on a Hero took the other podium place. Walkner’s victory was a masterpiece of tactical riding. The Austrian did what he needed to do to win, as he had already done in wrapping up the FIM Cross Country Rallies World Championship before this final round started. “Finally, this was a really good rally,” Walkner said. “I survived it to the finish line and I am super happy with this incredible win here. The team has done an amazing job and it is cool to win the last race of the season. “Winning my first world title also gives me a lot of confidence,” he added. “But it was also very important to finish this race well and then look to the challenges ahead.” Giving the UAE a victory, Abdulaziz Ahli won the quads title by a huge margin from Poland’s multiple world champion Rafal Sonik and Argentina’s Manuel Andujar, who had led for three days. Ahli said at the finish: “Finally I did it, and I feel good arriving here. All the hard work paid off. I had a tough fight with Manuel (Andujar) and found it hard to keep up with him because of my bad finger. I’m happy and proud to be here.” Claiming an impressive fifth place overall on a KTM, Poland’s Konrad Dabrowski, son of triple offroad world champion Marek Dabrowski, secured the FIM junior world title. The UAE’s Sultan Al-Balooshi on another KTM completed the top six, while South African Michael Docherty clinched an overwhelming victory in Rally2. “This is a rally that has everything, as we’ve seen over the last 30 years, and have seen again this week,” said Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the Emirates Motorsports Organization (EMSO) and FIA Vice President for Sport. “We look forward to many more anniversaries.”