UIM C1 and V1 World Powerboat Championships, Round 2-Terraccina, Italy 17-19 October

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TERRACINA SET TO HOST ROUND 2 OF C1 AND V1 WORLD POWERBOAT CHAMPIONSHIPS

Thursday, 9 October: Thirteen boats will line-up in Terraccina, Italy on the 17-19 October for round 2 of the prestigious UIM C1 and V1 World Powerboat Championships, with the C1 catamarans returning to this spectacular venue for the second time and racing there in tandem with the V1 monohulls for the first time.

Following last year’s event Terracina has been acclaimed as a new jewel in the ClassOne Championship’s crown and last year’s Mediterranean Grand Prix produced arguably the most exciting two races of the series, with local favourites Fendi Racing pulling of a well-deserved and popular European Championship win after Alfredo Amato and Miles Jenning’s dramatic last lap Victory in race 2.

More excitement and intensity can be expected next week and leading out the six C1 boats will be defending World Champions Victory with Arif Al Zaffain and Nadir Bin Hendi, double race winner’s last time out in Ibiza, looking to extend their championship lead.

They will face a strong challenge from a trio of potential winners; Fendi Racing’s Luca Fendi and Giovanni Carpitella will travel just two kilometres from their team headquarters at Nautica Badino and after becoming the first team in recent years to match the pace of Victory in qualifying, which they did in Ibiza, will be looking to go one better and beat them in Terracina.

Equal on points in second place after the season-opener is Guido Cappellini and Mikhail Kitashev in New Star-Poliform and Ugur Isik and Christian Zaborowski in Relekta-Zabo-Isiklar who shared double podium finishes last time out and both outfits will be in the hunt for race success.

In V1 seven teams will line up and the competition is equally competitive; the Maltese team Chaudron with Aaron Chiantar and Dominique Martini lead the Championship standings after finishing on the podium in race 1 and winning race 2.

Their challenge will come from two all-Italian crews, race 1 winner’s Maurizio Schepici and Stefano Bonanno in Tommy One and the Father and son duo of Antonio and Giuseppe Schiano and Federico Montanari who shared race duties to take two podium finishes.

The event was launched yesterday at a press conference in Rome at the Circolo Canottieri Aniene attended by the President of the Federazione Italiana Motonautica Vincenzo Iaconianni, Nicola Procaccini Mayor of Terracina, Emilio Sardellitti President Over 100mph Club and Local Organiser, Giovanni Malago President CONI and Circolo Canottieri Aniene, Franco Chimenti – President CONI Servizi, Luca Fendi team owner and driver of LFF10, Marco Sala Sport Director H2O Racing and Marcela Avduramani Press Officer.

Grand Prix of Italy - provisional entry:

C1
3 Victory (UAE), 5 Abu Dhabi (UAE), 8 LFF8 (ITA), 10 LFF10 (ITA), 74 New Star-Poliform (ITA/RUS), 90 Relekta-Zabo-Isiklar (NOR)


V1
4 Bernico-New Star (BEL), 26 Aquasport (BEL), 47 Silverline (GBR), 66 Nassau (GER), 55 Chaudron (MLT), 60 Tommy One (ITA), 81 Karelpiu RG87 (ITA)

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GRAND PRIX OF ITALY OFFICIAL ENTRANTS

VICTORY TEAM
ABU DHABI
LFF8-POLIMERSAN
NEW STAR
ZABO ISIKLAR
BERNICO NEW STAR
ACQUASPORT
SILVERLINE
CHAUDRON
TOMMY ONE
HERCULES SAGEMANN
KARELPIU'

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TEAM ABU DHABI BRING IN ACES TOMLINSON AND BALLOUGH

Friday, 17 October, TERRACINA (Italy): Team Abu Dhabi has called on the experience of American aces John Tomlinson and Gary Ballough to take charge of their repaired Mercury-powered MTI at this weekend’s Grand Prix of Italy, following the somewhat unfortunate debut outing in in Ibiza when Faleh Al Mansoori and Rashed Al Tayer turned it over at turn 1 in race 2.

The duo have been close friends for over 25 years and have amassed over 200 race wins between them and have dominated the American powerboat scene winning over 40 World and National titles. They have competed against each other but this weekend’s outing marks the first time they have raced together.

Tomlinson from Miami, Florida is no stranger to Class 1 or Team Abu Dhabi; he made his debut in 1997 racing alongside Laith Pharaon in Jolly Motor, winning four times and finishing second twice to lift the World and European Championships.

In 2010 he returned to Class 1 to take the throttles alongside Rashed Al Tayer at the Italian Grand Prix, taking Team Abu Dhabi’s first win on their home waters at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix then grabbing their first pole position, again at their home Grand Prix, in 2011. “It was okay but not as good as I wanted it to be so we have a few things we have to work on,” said Tomlinson after first practice. “There were a few rollers out there launching us bit more than I want to be launched and scrubbing off our speed so that’s something we need to work at.”

Interesting and exhilarating is how Boca Raton resident Gary Ballough described his first outing in a Class 1. “It’s just amazing what these huge boats will do. There’s this feeling of just immense power.” he said. “The conditions were a little tricky, some big swells but Johnny [Tomlinson] handled it real well. I wouldn’t sit in this boat with any other throttleman.”

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VICTORY AND BERNICO NEW STAR TAKE RACE 1 HONOURS

Saturday, 18 October, TERRACINA (Italy): Victory and Bernico-New Star took race 1 honours in a dramatic and incident-filled first race at the Grand Prix of Italy, which was stopped after a first corner spin-out by Tommy One after the start lap, forcing officials to bring out the red flag.

Arif Al Zaffain and Nadir Bin Hendi were in control of the race, leading the C1 boats onto the second lap ahead of LFF10 and Team Abu Dhabi when the race was called to a halt.

Bernico-New Star, Chaudron and Aquasport were the first V1s to cross the start-finish line and were through turn one when Maurizio Schepici and Stefano Bonanno hooked and span out forcing Karelpiu’s Federico Montanari and Antonio Schiano to try to take evasive action but they were unable to avoid a coming together and damaging their drives, both boats unable to continue.

There was more drama before the restart with Championship leader’s Aaron Chiantar and Dominique Martini pulling off the course and limping back to the pits, a broken turbo charger belt ending their race, a broken propeller on lap 1 ending Germany’s Siegfried Greve and Udo Gross’ race.

From the restart pole-sitters Victory again resumed complete control and were never put under any pressure, moving 15 second clear of LFF10 by lap 5, going on to win comfortably by 27 seconds to seal an eighth European Championship for the Dubai based team. “It was comfortable for us from start to finish,” said Nadir Bin Hendi. “We didn’t need to push too much and made sure we took it easy to save the engines for tomorrow. There is more to come, whatever the conditions tomorrow.”

Local favourites Luca Fendi and Giovanni Carpitella in LFF10 were able to fend off the threat from Team Abu Dhabi but maintained P2, apart for a brief spell when they and the front runners took their long laps conceding the place to teammates Miles Jennings and Alfredo Amato who went on to finish fifth, to grab their first podium of the year, but the race was far from easy for the all-Italian duo. “It was a nightmare race for me and Luca,” said Carpitella. “We had a big fuel leak from the start and the fumes inside the cockpit were unbelievable. My eyes were stinging, it was hard to see, breathe and at times keep conscious. Then we lost instruments, no trim indicators no RPM so we just focussed on getting to the finish line.”

Gary Ballough and John Tomlinson produced just the comeback result Team Abu Dhabi was hoping for producing an impressive performance to take third place, a third podium for Tomlinson with the team and a first on his C1 debut for Ballough. “We’re happy with that, glad we brought it home and in good shape,” said Tomlinson. “It was a good fair race with Fendi, they left us room when we needed it. Now we have to work on one or two things to pick up the pace for tomorrow.”

Ugur Isik and Christian Zaborowski were unable to repeat the podium success they saw in Ibiza, bringing Relekta-Zabo-Isiklar home in fourth, and there was disappointment for New Star-Poliform’s Guido Cappellini and Mikhail Kitashev, retiring immediately after the restart.

With the top three boats in V1 side-lined before the restart, the Championship race had been blown wide open and Bernico-New Star, Silverline and Aquasport capitalised on it and produced a brilliant race, the trio swapping places throughout.

Aquasport’s Daniel Cramphorn and Nico Huyben’s led from the restart but were overhauled by Nico Bertels and Frank Hemelaer in Bernico-New Star on lap 3 and a lap later by Silverline’s Ian Blacker and Drew Langdon.

The leaders then raced side-by side for the next two laps with Silverline piling on the pressure and passing the race leader on lap 5, but two laps later Bernico New-Star came again and made the decisive pass going on to take a brilliant win by 2.86seconds to move to the top of the Championship standings. “We are back in the title race and after all the trouble we’ve had this is a great result and I have to thank all my team,” said a delighted Nico Bertels. “You know it’s races like this when a couple of teams really start to push each other that you get great racing and the feeling after is unbelievable.”

Despite missing out on the top step, Drew Langdon was more than happy to pick up a second podium in two races. “It was a great race but they got the last bite of the cherry,” he said. “They could out turn us and were awesome in the corners. We had a trouble free run and we know these guys, you can race close without any problems. We got them a few times, but not at the right time, but hats off to them.”

Third place for Aquasport was their best result this season and puts them back in the title race. “We still have some gremlins to iron out, but happy with the result but of course would have loved to have hung on to the lead,” said Daniel Cramphorn. “We had an engine that kept causing us issues so we now have to try to solve the problem, but we’re right back in the fight.”

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DOMINANT RACE 2 WINS FOR FENDI RACING AND AQUASPORT

*Chaudron’s Aaron Ciantar and Dominique Martini clinch V1 European Champions

Sunday, 19 October, TERRACINA (Italy): Luca Fendi and Giovanni Carpitella produced a breath taking performance to take their first win together in C1 at the team’s home Grand Prix, with Aquasport’s Daniel Cramphorn and Nico Huybens producing a totally dominant performance to win in V1.

Lining up in first and second at the start, Victory and LFF10 delivered a sensational opening lap with Fendi and Carpitella stealing the advantage from the pole-sitters immediately and leading them to the first turn, then holding them off in a nail biting run to the start-finish line as the two closed on each other and just inches apart going into turn one of lap 2, LFF10 coming out in front.

From that point LFF10 were able to maintain the upper hand, the gap between them fluctuating as they took their long laps. LLF10 was eight seconds clear by lap 7 when the defending World Champions and race 1 winners suddenly slowed to a crawl, Arif Al Zaffain and Nadir Bin Hendi limping round for two laps before retiring from the race with a broken drop box.

For the remaining seven laps Fendi and Carpitella were out on their own and after 25 races together delivered the victory they had been waiting for, taking the chequered flag to win by over 30 seconds. “It was an amazing race for us and we won it with a great start and to win at home is an incredible feeling. Today we showed that Fendi and Victory are at the same level,” said Luca Fendi. “We gave respect to them at the first turn and left them space. They came out on the inside with a bit more speed but we pulled it back and were side-by-side and Giovanni said to me, just go for the corner.”

With Victory side-lined the fight for second place was between Relekta-Zabo-Isiklar and Abu Dhabi who traded place behind the leaders. Ugur Isik and Christian Zaborowski passed Abu Dhabi on lap 3 and held them off until lap 7 when they conceded position, and after the next six laps and with a 20 second advantage it looked as though Gary Ballough and John Tomlinson were on course for a second podium, but on the final lap Abu Dhabi slowed after running out fuel, Relekta-Zabo-Isiklar gifted second place.

Third place went to Guido Cappellini and Mikhail Kitashev in New Star-Poliform, running in eighth for eight laps but taking advantage of the retirees ahead of them to take their third podium of the year, with outgoing European Champions Miles Jennings and Alfredo Amato finishing fourth.

After seeing victory slip from their grasp yesterday Aquasport’s Daniel Cramphorn and Nico Huybens made up for it today, going quickest in qualifying this morning and delivering an emphatic start-to-finish victory over Chaudron and Tommy One. “No gremlins for us today, it was a perfect race,” said driver Daniel Cramphorn. “When you get out front you can run the race you want, take the turns how you want. We had no traffic to worry about after our early battle with Chaudron, and the boat ran perfectly. This win is for Mike Fiore.”

Second place after yesterday’s retirement was enough for Aaron Chiantar and Dominique Martini to clinch the V1 European Championship, with another retiree from race 1 Tommy One rewarded after a late night working on the boat, Maurizio Schepici and Stefano Bonanno moving up from the back of the field to take third. “We didn’t have the best set-up today and Aquasport was very quick so we knew that we just had to get round in second to win the title which we are very happy with.” said Aaron Chiantar.

Karelpiu’s Antonio and Giuseppe Schiano, another team to work late into the night on repairs, held off a race long challenge from Bernico-New Star to take fourth, with Silverline, who had been running in third, finishing sixth after a spin out.

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