Rashed Al Mulla takes Aquabike Freestyle World Championship lead after Shanghai win
In short
Rashed Al Mulla of Team Abu Dhabi leads the UIM-ABP Aquabike World Championship Freestyle standings with 50 points after the opening round, the Shanghai Grand Prix in China. He topped qualifying, won Moto 1 with 227 points from the judges and added a second 25-point routine on the final day. Al Mulla said the championship lead is a major boost ahead of the final round of the season.
Read the full story 1 min read
Rashed Al Mulla of Team Abu Dhabi has taken the overall lead in the UIM-ABP Aquabike World Championship Freestyle category with 50 points after the Shanghai Grand Prix in China, the opening round of the 2026 World Championship, WAM and Aletihad reported. [ 1 , 2 ]
According to the two reports, Al Mulla topped the Freestyle qualifying session in Shanghai and then won Moto 1 with 227 points from the judges, earning a full 25 championship points. He returned on the final day with a second routine that earned him another 25 points, taking his total to 50 and moving him to the top of the overall standings. [ 1 , 2 ]
Al Mulla said taking the championship lead gives him a major boost ahead of the final round of the season, adding that his focus remains on working hard and maintaining full concentration until the end of the season as he pursues another world title. He also praised the support he receives from the Abu Dhabi Marine Sports Club, thanking its management and its technical and administrative teams, and said that support plays a key role in achieving international results and raising the UAE flag on the world stage. [ 1 , 2 ]
Aletihad, which published its report under WAM attribution, also stated that Al Mulla has previously claimed the Freestyle world title in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2024, and that he finished the 2025 season as runner-up to Italy's Roberto Mariani. Neither report names a date or venue for the final round of the season. [ 1 , 2 ]
Why it matters
The result puts a UAE-backed rider at the top of a world championship standings heading into the season's final round, a point both Emirati outlets lead on. Coverage of the result comes from state and business outlets, which frame it around UAE representation in international competition and around the support Al Mulla receives from the Abu Dhabi Marine Sports Club.
Key facts
- Rashed Al Mulla of Team Abu Dhabi leads the UIM-ABP Aquabike World Championship Freestyle category with 50 points after the Shanghai Grand Prix, the opening round of the 2026 season. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Al Mulla topped the Freestyle qualifying session in Shanghai. [ 1 , 2 ]
- He won Moto 1 with 227 points from the judges, earning 25 championship points. [ 1 , 2 ]
- A second freestyle routine on the final day earned him another 25 points and moved him to the top of the overall standings. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Al Mulla said taking the championship lead is a major boost ahead of the final round and that he will keep working hard and concentrating until the end of the season. [ 1 , 2 ]
- He thanked the Abu Dhabi Marine Sports Club's management and its technical and administrative teams for their continued support. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Aletihad reported that Al Mulla had previously won the Freestyle world title in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2024, and was runner-up in 2025 to Italy's Roberto Mariani. [ 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Rashed Al Mulla took the overall lead in the Freestyle category with 50 points after the Shanghai Grand Prix. [ 1 , 2 ]
- He topped qualifying and won Moto 1 with 227 judge points, worth 25 championship points, then added 25 more points on the final day. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Al Mulla said the championship lead provides a major boost ahead of the final round. [ 1 , 2 ]
- He attributed his results in part to support from the Abu Dhabi Marine Sports Club. [ 1 , 2 ]
Still unclear
- Al Mulla's earlier world titles and his 2025 runner-up finish behind Roberto Mariani. Only Aletihad states this record; the WAM article text available is truncated before that section, so it is a single-source claim in these documents.
- When and where the final round of the season will be held. Both documents refer to the final round without naming a venue or date.