SOUTHAMPTON'S Steve Curtis has a tense week ahead of him prior to the final round of the Class 1 world powerboat championship.

Along with Bjarne Gjelsten, Curtis, below, leads the overall series by one point from Victory 77 going into the final race in Dubai next Saturday.

Victory had started the penultimate race - the Mina Seyahi Grand Prix - 14 points adrift of the Curtis/Gjelsten pairing.

But they ended it snapping on their heels after winning in dramatic style after Curtis and Gjelsten, in their Spirit of Norway boat, had suffered a broken engine on the penultimate lap while leading.

For Curtis, who is aiming to win the world title for a record eighth time, and his Norwegian colleague, it was a nightmare ending to a race which had seen them take the lead after early leaders Qatar 96 were moved down to third after destroying a turn-mark.

MINA SEYAHI GRAND PRIX RESULTS 1. Victory 77 - Al Marri (UAE)/Sanchez (FR) 20pts 2. Qatar 96 - Al Thani (QAT)/Nicolini (ITA) 15pts 3. Qatar 95 - Al Sulaiti (QAT)/Di Biase (ITA) 12pts 4. King of Shaves - Parsonage (GB)/Sheppard (GB) 9pts 5. Spirit of Norway - Gjelsten (NOR)/Curtis (GB) 7pts WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS 1. Spirit of Norway - 102pts 2. Victory 77 - 101pts 3. Qatar 95 - 79pts