1988 guernsey - Powerboat Archive

THEffiOFBOTII
An Italian superstar and
a British unknown anived
in Guernsey with something
to prove Both men
'left as world champions.
Ray Bulman look on as
Fabio Buzzi (above)and
Roger Fletcher (right)
take on the world's best
in Classes I and II

MOTOR BOAT A YACHTING
THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS
CONTINUED

December 1 988
driver in particular was a little too keen to get
away: Italian Antonio Gioffredi in Frangelico
Barbero (Bwzillveco) jumped the start, and was
immediately followed across the line by a number
of other drivers, including Fabio Buzzi. Unable
to stop the heat, the race jury disqualified
Gioffredi and gave time penalties to the other
offenders.
The three-minute penalty given to Buzzi was
of 1ittle consequence. He finished the round over
four minutes ahead of his nearest rival, Steve
Curtis. Despite a number of protests entered by
rival drivers, Buzziwas awarded 400 points for
winning the second round, and from then on the
result of the championship was never in doubt.
The best his rivals could hope for was that Brzzi
would break down, or that he would make a
serious navigational error. The iatter was highly
unlikely as Buzzi's navigator was veteran Dag
Pike. and the final heat became a battle for
second p1ace.
This was a disappointing race for Britain. Last
year Steve Curtis became the first British driver
to win the world championship since the Sam
Griffith memorial trophy was introduced in
1966. This year he had a new Lamborghinipowered
Cougar catamaran and the enthusiastic
support of the British offshore scene. No one
could say that Curtis didn't give Bwzt a good
run for his money: he collected a total of 640
points, which was good enough to give him
second place, but he was sti1l 560 points behind
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The three other British contenders - John
Clarke in Clarke International (Lamborghini/Cougar),
John Davey inMamuitl (Mercruiser/Cougar),
and Robert Cook in lohn Player
Special (ProcariCougar) - all suffered
mechanical problems or hu1l damage, and none
of them survived a single heat.
While the Class I event always looked a
foregone conclusion, the same could not be said
of Class II.
Britain's Roger Fletcher was in confident
mood after an excellent season on the British
offshore scene. But many thought his fourteenyear-old
40ft Planatec Sponsor Wantedu,astoo
elderly to pose a serious threat. And he faced
tough opposition: former Class III two-litre
world champion Mikael Frode was there with
his Swedish m onohulT Impact (Frode/Mercury);
and European Class II champion Danieli Scioli
arrived with his Buzzi-designed catamaran
Frigidaire Turbo de Alba (IvecolBlzzi).
Fletcher could not have hoped for better
weather for the first heat on Monday, September
12. Strong northerly winds created a lumpy sea
on the offshore legs of the 80-mi1e course, and D
Opposite page, top: the other sharp end. Jean'Paul Fruitier's
Euromarche Rocky. Opposite, bottom left: Not enough.
Flippin'Eck was too mild an erpletivg and the Johnson
motors prored themselves unequal to offshore racing. John
Baker capped a miserable first season in Class II by breaking
down in Guemsey as well, and made amends by taking out his
old Yamaha.powered Cruiser B machine. He won. Oppositg
bottom right: "l never said gol" Race starter David Corson's
look says it all as the fleet in heat two takes off without him.
This page, top: Abbate, beaten - second in Europe, fourth in
the Worlds. Left: high and dry. 1984 world champ Alberto
Petri's challenge faded after a shong start. Photos by kster
McCarthy.

54 MOTOR BOAT A YACHTING
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THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS
CONTINUED
Fletcher's robust monohull romped home at an
average speed of 54.52mph, finishing over a
minute ahead of his nearest rival, Mikael Frode.
Class II world champion Peter Hidalgo took
third place in his Shadow catarnaran American
[)ream,whichhad fared badly on the rough offshore
courses, and Danieli Scioli took foufth at
an average speed of just 40.67mph.
Only six of the fifteen Class II entries completed
the course, and most of the drivers hoped
for better weather in the second heat. It rn'as not
to be. The second round was even rougher than
the first, and the organisers shortened the course
from 95 miles to 61. This again suited Fletcher,
who opened up an impressive ten-minute gap
on Frode and won in style. The contest was not
over, however. Fletcher had a total of 800 points
after his two wins, it was true, but Frode was
not far behind with two second places and 600
points. If Frode could win and Fletcher came
fourth in the final heat, then he could sti1l take
the Class II crown.
The long range forecast was for a flat calm
- which would suit Frode and the cats - and
Frode's chances looked better by the hour.
Saturday, September 17 dawned and, as
predicted, it was a tranquil day. The flag fe11 and
Peter Hidalgo took the lead on the opening 1eg
of the final heat. He opened a smal1gap, but was
soon beset by engine problems. Danieli Scioli
took the lead, and was chased hard by Frode in
Impact. Frode passed Scioli on the second 1ap,
but he too was experiencing mechanical difficulties.
His engine problems cost him the race.
After 120 miles he had slipped back to third, and
crossed the line behind Scioli hnd Fletcher.
Fletcher's brilliant performance in the three
heats gave him enough points to win both the
Class II championship and the Guernsey Gold
Cup. The latter was donated by Edward Fattorini,
a leading British competitor in the early
1970s, and is awarded to the driver who performs
best in the first two heats - irrespective
of class. The winner of the Guernsey Gold Cup
also receives a f6000 cheque. Fletcher was all
smiles at the presentation, and immediately gave
his prize money to the Guernsey Sailing Tmst
charity - a generous gesture from a driverwho
is stil1 trying to get sponsorship for his craft.
Roger Fletcher left Guernsey a very happy
CLASS I
diffie#j*j$.,***$
ir65'5"1ffj
F. Bwzi {ltaly,) Buzzilseatek
2 RepoilerS. Ctirtis (GB) Cougan
Lamborghini 640 points
3,f,i*,i ;i:Ji #lt'd) ?:if,';
4 Gantia Dei Ganria B. Abbate (Italy)
Abbate/isorta Fraschini 4 I 5 points
CLASS II
I Sponsor Wanted R. Fletcher (GB) Shead-
Planatec/Ford Sabre 1,I00 points
\rl{##rY., *de (Sweden) Frode/M ercu ry
3 Fhqidnirc Turbo De Alba D. Scioli
(Argentina) Buzzillveco-AiJo 794 points
4 Miss Off Lin'tjts P. Chailler (Switzerland)
HledlinrNlercr"uy 34 9 points
man. He had joined the sport less than five
months earlier and was now world champion.
He is only the second British driver to win the
world Class II championship, the first being in
1979 when David Hagan drove Apache to victory
in Venice.
Buzzi, however, left the venue surounded by
controversy. The superiority of his Seatek
diesels has resulted in frustration and anger, particularly
among his fellow Italians. A11 kinds of
political pressure were and sti1l are being applied
to outlaw the Seateks, or at the very least to
apply a penalty factor to craft with turbocharged
diesels in Class L If something is not done soon,
there is no doubt thatBuzziwill steamroller his
way to victory again next year.
Nevertheless the Guernsey championships
were a great success, due in no small part to two
years of hard work on the part of the Guernsey
Yacht C1ub. A team of officials headed bv
Top: still not there. John Davey look on as his mechanics try
to sort out Macavity's houblesome Mercruisers. Above: flying
start. Eduardo Polli's heat placings reflected the ups and
downs of his season - second, tenth and fifth.
Richard Ridout had virtually sacrificed their
business interests during this period to ensure
that the event ran smoothly.
One must not overlook the Guernsey Tourist
Board. The venture would not have been possib1e
without their large injection of funds. PR,
promotions, catering, and building tented
villages al1 had to be paid for, and judging by
the end result it cost plenty.
It is unlikely that a similar world championship
will ever be repeated at a British venue. The
UIM plans to make 1990 the final season with
a single-fixture, three-round world championship.
It uill be replaced by a series of heats based
at various vennes around the world. n