For Immediate Release
CLASS 1 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FLEET BACK ON THE WATER IN NORWAY
Arendal (NORWAY): After a hiatus of more than three months, the UIM Class One World Powerboat Championship roars back into life this weekend with two races among the fjords of Arendal, venue for the 2010 Norwegian Grand Prix.
The world’s most powerful race boats have been inactive following the opening races in the stunning setting of Rio De Janeiro back in March. The Brazilian city saw back-to-back wins for defending world champions Arif Al Zafeen and Nader Bin Hendi in Fazza 3 and the UAE stars will start as hot favourites for the opening race in Norway tomorrow (Saturday).
“It’s seems such a long time since we were racing in Brazil,” said Al Zafeen, winner of the Norwegian Grand Prix back in 2007. “But while the boats were being shipped back to Europe from South America, we have been excited at the thought of racing again in Arendal, which is undoubtedly one of the greatest venues on the circuit.”
A relatively sleepy community for much of the year, this beautiful Norwegian town bursts into life during race week with concerts, parties and smaller class boat races dominating the calendar.
“More than half the pleasure boats built in Norway are made in Arendal, the number one maritime town in the country,” said Arendal Mayor Torill Rolstad Larsen. “In Arendal, we’ve lived off, on and for the sea throughout our history so what can be more natural than staging the biggest powerboat race in Scandinavia?”
Norway 2
This weekend’s racing will see some exciting new combinations with F1 Powerboat World Champion Guido Cappellini returning to Class 1 action alongside fellow Italian Nicola Giorgi in Primatist, while another powerboat world champion Giovanni Carpitella will join forces with Giorgio Manuzzi in a new boat Spirit of Dubai 7.
Built by the world famous Dubai Victory Team stable, Spirit of Dubai 7 is a new design similar in style to the existing Fazza boats but shorter and narrower than the Fazza hulls and designed to handle tighter and shorter race courses.
Home hopes will be carried by 2008 Norwegian Grand Prix champion Jorn Tandberg who will pilot the V8 Mercury-powered Welmax 90 alongside Kolbjorn Tandberg, while Christian Zaborowski will be looking for a strong performance alongside Brazil’s Paul Gaiser in his Zabo Racing 91 after a build-up period that saw the team shift both the engines and weight balance.
In Rio, Fazza 3’s Bin Hendi and Al Zafeen won both races to edge out team-mates Mohammed Al Marri and Abdullah Al Mehairbi in Fazza 1 and currently lead the championship standings by ten points. In the Pole Position World Championship – round two tomorrow (Saturday) in Arendal – Bin Hendi and Al Zafeen lead by five points from Tandberg and Selmer with Al Marri and Al Mehairbi in third.
Overall World Championship Standings After Two Races
1. Fazza 3 - Bin Hendi/Al Zafeen (UAE) 40pts
2. Fazza 1 - Al Marri/Al Mehairbi (UAE) 30
3. DUEMME Forest & Suardi - Cappellini/Montavoci (I) 21
