10:14 PM Sat 9 May 2009 GMT
Today's opening round of the Powerboat P1 World Championship in Malta resulted in a nail biting finish as SuperSport and Evolution class teams raced together in an awesome spectacle of power along Valetta's historic coastline.
A speeding penalty cost Baia Attolini the chance to claim a season-opening victory in the SuperSport Sprint race, handing the race victory to British new boys Team 26 Racing.
With such small margins for error, it was just a single lap that proved the defining moment of the race.
Lap eight of 11 proved decisive as Baia Attolini shelved the lead for the first time before regaining it whilst the pre-race favourites, Seagull Chaudron, wrestled the lead before a spin-out on the East end of the course, allowing both Baia and Team 26 Racing through into the top two places.
Despite qualifying third in PowerPole, Baia Attolini made the early running and took to the front from the first buoy, with Seagull and the all-female #44 Ikocasa crew third.
The second lap saw Team 26 Racing glide past Ikocasa, allowing the British crew of Daniel Cramphorn and Kim Collins to move closer to the front-runners of Baia Attolini and Seagull Chaudron.
Having waited patiently for an opening, with three laps to go Team 26 Racing capitalised on a slight coming together between Baia Attolini and Seagull Chaudron, causing the latter to spin out, to slip into second.
However, following investigations by the stewards, it was later revealed that a four minute penalty was to be imposed on the Baia Attolini team for speeding on three separate occasions.
Baia's misfortune was Team 26 Racing's gain with the debutants picking up the full complement of 100 points in their maiden Powerboat P1 race.
 | Copyright onEdition 2009? Cigarette Racing Team Europe piloted by driver Luca Formilli Fendi (ITA) and throttle Adriano Panatta (ITA) the Evolution class winner at the first round of this year's Powerboat P1 World Championship in Malta. - Powerboat P1World Championship © |
In the closed canopy Evolution class, Italian stallions Cigarette Smash Poker romped to an impressive victory to register maximum points, despite being handed the least favourable lane after the PowerPole qualifying session.
The crew consisting of Luca Formilli Fendi and Matteo Nicolini registered the win by an astonishing 50 seconds from closest rival Lucas Oil Budweiser.
Qualifying second from PowerPole, Lucas Oil Budweiser made the first move and led for the opening two laps ahead of Cigarette Smash Poker and SNAV OSG Racing. But an inspired move on lap three on the West side of the course from Fendi and Nicolini in the Cigarette Smash Poker boat saw them ease past the American outfit and stave off the remaining challenge for the remaining eight laps. OSG SNAV later recovered well after a stunning 360 degree spin at the beginning of the eighth lap.
Silverline came home in fourth place whilst German team Cranefields Wine laboured to a fifth place finish after retiring one lap from the chequered flag.
Supersport Results:
1. #26 Team 26 Racing (Daniel Cramphorn / Kim Collins) 37:20.65
2. #43 Seagull Chaudron (Aaron Ciantar / Angelo Tedesci / Viktor Shemchuk) 37:25.98
3. #17 MasForce (Micha Robyn / Patrick Huybreghts / Marc Sluszny) 38:57.98
4. #38 Baia Attolini (Stefano Acanfora / Renato Guidi / Roy Capasso) 41:09.00*
5. #44 Ikocasa (Shelley Jory / Audrienne Ciantar) 43:49.00**
6. #28 Blue Shaft (Gianbattista Gabriele / Alfredo Zanardo / Federico Montanari) 38:50.33***
7. #22 Big Sergio (Alfredo Nuzzo / Alfredo Amato) RETIRED
*Includes Penalty - 4:00mins
** Includes Penalty - 5:30mins
*** Retired after 9 laps
Evolution Class Results: | The Cigarette team recorded a stunning victory - Powerboat P1World Championship © |
1. #10 Cigarette Smash Poker (Luca Fomilli Fendi / Matteo Nicolini) 34:02.002. #77 Lucas Oil Budweiser (Joe Sgro / Nigel Hook / Mike Fiore) 34:44.00
3. #88 SNAV OSG (Hannes Bohinc / Giancarlo Cangiano / Giovanni Carpitella) 35:14.94
4. #47 Silverline (Jan Falkowski / Drew Langdon) 35:08.23
5. #66 Cranefield Wines (Siegfried Greve / Gino Passchier) 35:26.75
www.powerboatp1.com
by Angharad Gibbs
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Cape Leeuwin, WA
