High waves in the opening race of the Powerboat P1 World Championship may have ensured that the Round the Island Challenge speed record would not be broken but nevertheless there was no shortage of drama, excitement and spectacular action off the coast of Malta.
It was a race of attrition as the demanding conditions took their toll but no one appeared to have told Marco Pennesi, Antonio Cola and Stefano Bonanno, as Fainplast, the all-Italian Metamarine boat demonstrated the class of crew, craft and its home-built engines. They proved to be the masters of the tough conditions to build an unassailable lead around the Island to win.
Behind them an intriguing battle was emerging for second place between the 2006 World Champions, SG Racing and 2005 Champions, Wettpunkt.com. Whilst OSG lapped the Island more quickly, the brand new Buzzi-built Wettpunkt.com, powered by Isotta Fraschini engines, was clearly in range and started to close down the lead as the teams started the five short circuit laps that followed. Lap by lap the distance closed but not quickly enough and OSG eventually took second place with Wettpunkt.com in third and Kiton in fourth. The all-American uterlimits Powerboats team, that had made impressive early running, was forced to retire with mechanical difficulties at the half way point.
In SuperSport, Britain's Jackie Hunt and Mike Shelton in Extremeboat, built upon an excellent start to develop a commanding lead and win by some distance despite encountering 5metre waves. The US-built Dragon boat proving dominant in its class and remarkably it completed the lap of Malta ahead of
at least three of the higher powered Evolution boats. In second place was Roscioli Hotels Roma, the brand new Maltese-built boat of Italians Angelo Tedeschi, Fabio Magnani and Ugo Pellegrino. British team Buzzi Bullet finished third with local team Chaudron in fourth and Sunseeker fifth.
Early weather forecasts suggest more of the same tomorrow for the final leg of the Powerboat P1 Maltese Grand Prix of the Sea, starting at 3pm today
on a short spectator-friendly circuit. Situated just off Sliema, all the action will be clearly visible from the shoreline and is guaranteed to provide the crowds with even more drama and spectacular flying!
Round One Results
Evolution Class
1. Fainplast - Italian - 100
2. OSG Racing - Italian - 80
3. Wettpunkt.com - Austrian - 60
4. Kiton - Italian - 50
Outerlimits - American - DNF
SuperSport
1. Extremeboat - British - 100
2. Roscioli Hotels Roma - Italian - 80
3. Buzzi Bullet - British - 60
4. Chaudron - Maltese - 50
5. Team Sunseeker - British - 40
6. Marex - British - 30 (Wild Card)
Carpenter - Italian - DNF
VoomVoom.com - British - DNF
Sun Lik Beer - Chinese - DNF