May 11, 2008

Powerboat P1 - Italian Grand Prix, Fountain Worldwide VoomVoom.com Set The Pace


Pulses have been racing during an action packed weekend of world championship power boating with the sun drenched resort of San Benedetto del Tronto providing perfect race conditions for the opening two rounds in the 2008 Powerboat P1 season. With 22 teams competing for the prestigious UIM Powerboat P1 World Championship title, the VoomVoom.com and Fountain Worldwide racing took overall victory to take the Italian Grand Prix of the Sea in the SuperSport and Evolution Classes.
Evolution
What could have been a nightmare weekend turned into a dream weekend to remember for the 99 Fountain Worldwide reigning Evolution champion as they took victory in Sunday’s Sprint race and secured the Italian Grand Prix of the Sea trophy. Fountain Worldwide crew faced a nerve-racking wait as transport problems meant their Ilmor-powered Fountain boat was delayed in the USA. Despite the boat arriving in the San Benedetto del Tronto harbour at 06:00am on Saturday morning, the duo fought back in the Endurance race to start their title defence in superb style. It was a return to their dominant winning ways of 2007 in today’s Sprint event, establishing a clear lead on the opening lap and were never headed as they completed the run to the chequered flag. But that doesn’t mean their win was easy. Finishing second in the sprint was local hero in the Veneta Marina Metamarine Corse-run 60 GFN Gibellato. The diesel Seatek-powered entry was the only boat able to keep up consistently with the 99 Fountain Worldwide entry, and the podium finish was a perfect way to celebrate in the harbour where his Metamarine team is based. In third came the 77 Lucas Oil boat, after briefly dropping back behind the 53 Pignolo 53 Skater Racing Team entry in the early stages, the pair fought their way past on the final lap to cap a perfect debut weekend for the new team. With another podium added to their second place in the Sprint race, they finished second in the Italian Grand Prix of the Sea standings. After the Endurance race of attrition, the Sprint event proved equally trying for some of the other leading boats in the class. Of particular note was the 88 Kiton Outerlimits entry of 2006 champion, which was forced out with engine failure in an almost-near repeat of their steering problems in the Endurance race. But Cangiano summed up how many of the entrants felt about the typical early-season first-round blues. But with just two weeks to the next round of the 2008 Powerboat P1 championship in Marseille, France, all the teams have a lot of work to do to catch the 99 Fountain Worldwide crew.
Supersport
The 07 VoomVoom.com crew had the perfect surprise ending to their Italian Grand Prix of the Sea weekend, inheriting the SuperSport Sprint race win after the Endurance race-winning 44 Conam Yachts boat was handed a two-minute penalty for jumping the start. The Sprint victory, allied to the 07 VoomVoom.com team’s second place in the Saturday Sprint race gave the overall victory in the Italian Grand Prix of the Sea weekend. On the course, the 44 Conam Yachts crew led the way from 59 Saho Offshore Rana’s team and the 07 VoomVoom.com boat, but the two-minute penalties that were ultimately applied to the 44 Conam Yachts and 59 Saho boats dropped them back down the order. A second victory of the weekend would have given Ciantar and Tedeschi a clear lead in the Italian Grand Prix of the Sea and a crucial early-season lead in the standings after their home event, but sadly it wasn’t to be. It only became clear to the 44 Conam Yachts crew of their narrowly missed win when they reached the harbour.
Evolution Class Sprint Results
1 60 GFN Gibellato 41m13.13s
2 77 Lucas Oil 43m24.67s
3 53 Pignolo 53 43m37.97s
4 64 Metamarine 44m20.92s
5 57 Centaurian Yachts RET
6 69 honeyparty.com RET
7 66 Cranefields Wine RET
8 88 Kiton Outerlimits RET
9 99 Fountain Worldwide 1st4boats.com
DQ 10 10 The Fantastic 1 DNS
Evolution Class Endurance Results
1 99 Fountain Worldwide 1st4boats.com 1h07m30.78s
2 77 Lucas Oil 1h07m59.61s
3 66 Cranefields Wine 1h09m13.11s
4 57 Centaurian Yachts 1h11m10.57s - 1 lap
5 88 Kiton Outerlimits RET
6 60 GFN Gibellato RET
7 53 Pignolo 53 RET
8 69 honeyparty.com RET
9 10 The Fantastic 1
DQ 10 64 Metamarine DNS
SuperSport Class Sprint Results
1 07 VoomVoom.com 40m53.71s
2 38 Baia High Performance 41m12.58s
3 44 Conam Yachts 41m48.89s
4 08 Phoenix TV 41m50.76s
5 59 Saho 42m42.45
6 11 Sunseeker Challenger 44m26.35s
7 22 The Big Sergio 45m14.54s
8 05 Special Team Guido Abbate 41m08.83s - 1 lap
9 47 Silverline Buzzi Bullet 46m18.67s - 1 lap
10 46 The Spirit of Portomaso DNS
11 50 Allufer 3S Verifici DNS
12 18 Di Cesare Riscaldimenti DNS
SuperSport Class Endurance Results
1 44 Conam Yachts 1h07m29.30s
2 07 VoomVoom.com 1h08m20.39s
3 47 Silverline Buzzi Bullet 1h08m32.67s
4 59 Saho 1h10m30.54s
5 11 Sunseeker Challenger 1h11m13.21s
6 05 Special Team Guido Abbate 1h08m14.24s - 1 lap
7 22 The Big Sergio 1h10m25.28s - 2 laps
8 46 The Spirit of Portomaso 1h12m03.59s - 2 laps
9 18 Di Cesare Riscaldimenti 1h19m18.70s - 2 laps
10 38 Baia High Performance 1h08m01.01s - 3 laps
11 08 Phoenix TV RET
12 50 Allufer 3S Verifici DNS

No comments:

Post a Comment