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February 2009 n.2<br />

SPECIAL EDITION<br />

MIAMI INTERNATIONAL BOAT SHOW<br />

CONFIRM TWO-BOAT ENTRY<br />

<strong>SPIRIT</strong> <strong>OF</strong> <strong>SPAIN</strong><br />

CARRASCO TO RUN NEW SPANISH TEAM


ADVERTORIAL<br />

February 2009 n.2<br />

Composite<br />

page 2


February 2009 n.2<br />

CLASS 1 SET FOR<br />

OUTSTANDING SEASON<br />

The 2009 UIM-WPPA <strong>Class</strong> 1 World Powerboat Championship is set for an outstanding<br />

year, with Championship Organiser, IOTA (International Offshore Team Association),<br />

confirming one of the strongest line-ups of recent years, two new venues on the<br />

calendar - Alicante, Spain and Stresa, Italy - with a possible third new venue to be<br />

confirmed in the coming weeks.<br />

IOTA General Secretary, Marco Sala has confirmed a 13 boat line-up for the season,<br />

which sees the 2007/8 Australian Offshore Champions, Maritimo Offshore Racing,<br />

fielding a two-boat line-up, running their new <strong>Class</strong> 1 design, new pilots coming into<br />

the Championship and the likelihood of a new team and 13th boat to be confirmed.<br />

“The outlook for this season is very positive and the line-up is one of the strongest<br />

in recent years,” said Sala. “The sport continues to grow both geographically and<br />

commercially. We have strengthened our position in Europe with the return of<br />

Spain and Italy which are very important to the Championship, and we have<br />

consolidated our ties with our established venues as we look forward<br />

to racing in the Far East in 2010.”<br />

The prospect of an exciting season’s racing is further fuelled by the introduction of a<br />

series of new rules which focus on reducing costs, improving the level of competition<br />

amongst the teams and broadening the level of entry of boats into the Championship.<br />

The rules include the introduction of a new engine-boat package, 11.5m – 13m in<br />

length, weighing 4100kgs running 790hp naturally aspirated engines, the appointment<br />

of a sole propeller manufacturer for the Championship with teams limited to a<br />

maximum of three sets for the season, and the removal of all electronic devices.<br />

The season starts in Doha, Qatar on 25 April, with the Championship then heading<br />

to Europe for five, possibly six races, opening and closing its European campaign in<br />

Alicante and Stresa, before heading back to the Middle East for two races, ending the<br />

season with the UAE Grand Prix in Dubai.<br />

AL ZAFEEN BACK TO<br />

PARTNER BIN HENDI<br />

Victory Team’s general manager, Gianfranco Venturelli, has confirmed that 2007 World and<br />

European Champion, Arif Saif Al Zafeen, will make a welcome return to racing this season to<br />

partner the newly crowned 2008 World, Middle East and Edox Pole Position Champion, Nadir Bin<br />

Hendi, in Victory 1.<br />

The decision sees Al Zafeen and Bin Hendi rekindle a formidable partnership that saw them win<br />

the season opener in Qatar last year, before an injury - sustained in a Formula 2 race - sidelined<br />

Al Zafeen, with the team drafting in the services of 2001 World Champion, Mohammed Al Marri,<br />

to replace him.<br />

Venturelli also said that at this stage, no decision had been taken on the line-up for their second boat.<br />

page 3


February 2009 n.2<br />

NICOLINI<br />

KEEPING HIS<br />

OPTIONS OPEN<br />

Qatar 95’s Matteo Nicolini is keeping his options open<br />

as to which boat he will opt to run in 2009 - their<br />

current Michael Peters-designed, Victory-built hull<br />

or the new Nicolini Offshore-designed NOC1CAT that<br />

raced in Moscow and Arendal - confirming that he will<br />

run a series of crucial pre-season tests, with the first<br />

in Doha in February.<br />

Nicolini and Abdullah Al-Sulaiti ended the season as<br />

the top Qatar outfit, taking a sensational race win in the<br />

last race of the year to finish above their team-mates<br />

and take third overall in the championship standings.<br />

“The boat with Sterlings is very strong and with some<br />

additional development to the modifications we have<br />

already done, we can improve the performance,” he<br />

said.<br />

“We will test both boats properly in February, running<br />

our current boat with V8s to try to find a strong flat<br />

water set-up and will also test the new boat with both<br />

V12s and V8s.”<br />

REBUILT QATAR<br />

96 WILL BE A<br />

NEW AND VERY<br />

DIFFERENT BOAT<br />

Qatar 96 throttleman, Steve Curtis, says that their rebuilt<br />

raceboat will be ‘like having a virtually new boat’ and will bear<br />

little resemblance to the old ‘Spirit of Norway’.<br />

SERGIO<br />

CARRASCO<br />

ANNOUNCES<br />

TWO-BOAT<br />

SPANISH TEAM<br />

Sergio Mora Carrasco has confirmed he will run a new,<br />

two-boat Spanish Team this season, which brings a new<br />

engine-builder and boat manufacturer into the sport<br />

Team Spirit of Spain sees Spaniard, Carrasco and<br />

Italian throttleman, Giovanni Carpitella, continue the<br />

partnership that they formed in Dubai last season which<br />

saw them finish an impressive fourth in the final race of<br />

the year. The Spanish-Italian pairing will showcase a<br />

Michael Peters-designed, Outerlimits-built hull, powered<br />

by twin, Chief V8 supercharged power-plants.<br />

The second boat, a Michael Peters-designed Tencara<br />

with Mercury-<strong>Class</strong> 1 V8s, will be crewed by Moroccan,<br />

Mohammed Abdelkader Ahmed and Italian, Christian<br />

Rivolta, both of whom made their <strong>Class</strong> 1 debuts last<br />

season, also teaming up in Dubai.<br />

Following Sheikh Hassan and Curtis’ crash in qualifying in Doha<br />

last year, which all but destroyed the team’s number one boat,<br />

Qatar 96 has been almost totally rebuilt. The main rebuild of<br />

the hull and deck was carried out at Nicolini Offshore’s facility<br />

near Lake Lecco in Italy, before being moved to the team’s<br />

second European base in Norway, where Curtis has spent the<br />

early part of 2009 overseeing the crucial re-rigging before<br />

the boat is shipped to Qatar at the end of February to test in<br />

March. “There was very little left after the crash and it was<br />

simply a case of starting from scratch,” commented Curtis.<br />

“The positive side is that we have been able to rebuild to suit<br />

not just Sheikh Hassan and myself, but to suit the courses<br />

we run these days. We have made extensive modifications to<br />

the hull and in other key areas, focusing on acceleration and<br />

ultimately a boat that will be quick in all conditions.”<br />

MARITIMO CONFIRM TWO-BOAT ENTRY<br />

Australia’s Maritimo Racing Team has confirmed they will enter two of their new specification <strong>Class</strong> 1 raceboats in their bid for race and title honours in 2009.<br />

The new lighter hull, powered by two Mercury 790 V8s - designed and built by Australia’s premiere manufacturer of long-range luxury<br />

motoryachts, Maritimo – was unveiled in Dubai at the end of last year, finishing in fifth place on its race debut. “In some<br />

ways, it was disappointing that we had no time to test before taking the boat out of the box, but what we saw<br />

was very encouraging,” said Maritimo team owner, Bill Barry-Cotter. “We identified some fundamental issues,<br />

the main one being the rudder configuration, but we will put them right and make one or two other minor<br />

modifications before Doha.”<br />

The 2007-8 Australian Offshore Superboat Champions, Tom Barry-Cotter and Pal Virik Nilsen, who competed in<br />

three <strong>Class</strong> 1 races last year, posting two top-six finishes, will head the two-boat assault, with the experienced<br />

and straight-talking New Zealand throttleman, Peter ‘Muddy’ McGrath, joined in the second boat by Italian<br />

page 4


February 2009 n.2<br />

ADVERTORIAL<br />

page 5


ADVERTORIAL February 2009 n.2<br />

page 6


February 2009 n.2<br />

CLASS 1 SUPPORTS THE QATAR<br />

ORPHAN FOUNDATION<br />

At the beginning of 2008 the International Offshore Team<br />

Association (IOTA) reached an agreement with the Qatar Marine<br />

Sports Federation (QMSF) to launch “<strong>Class</strong> 1 for Dhreima” – an<br />

initiative to support the Qatar Orphan Foundation.<br />

Sheikh Hassan Bin Jabor Al-Thani, President of the QMSF and<br />

IOTA, was instrumental in encouraging <strong>Class</strong> 1 – a sport in<br />

which he has been a leading figure since 2003 – to become<br />

an active vehicle to raise awareness of the foundation. “In<br />

presenting this initiative I wanted to emphasise how sport, in<br />

whatever form or however extreme, can support the values and<br />

the importance of the activities of an organisation such as the<br />

Qatar Orphan Foundation.”<br />

During the course of the year, the association between <strong>Class</strong><br />

1 and Dhreima developed a series of activities and events<br />

that took place at races, with the purpose of highlighting<br />

the activities of Dhreima and finding synergy with similar<br />

organisations based in countries that host <strong>Class</strong> 1 GP events.<br />

The Qatar Orphan Foundation - Dhreima was launched on 10<br />

June 2003 under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Moza<br />

Bint Nasser Al-Misnad, Chairman of the Supreme Council. “We<br />

in the Qatari Orphan Foundation believe that our community<br />

values of solidarity, compassion and cooperation make us truly<br />

capable of providing all the support the children need,” said<br />

Nabil Ali Bin Ali, Chairman of the Dhreima Board, adding, “and<br />

we are extremely happy that the <strong>Class</strong> 1 Championship has<br />

elected to support the Foundation.”<br />

page 7


page 8<br />

February 2009 n.2


February 2009 n.2<br />

VICTORY TAKE THE<br />

TRIPLE CROWN<br />

JOTUN UPHOLD<br />

EUROPEAN PRIDE<br />

2008 provided some tough challenges for the <strong>Class</strong> 1 World Powerboat Championship,<br />

but the sport responded and faced them in a highly professional manner and showed<br />

great resilience, highlighted by an eleven-boat line-up at the end of the year in Dubai.<br />

It was a year in which the sport set new standards, achieved extraordinary levels of<br />

technical excellence and enjoyed great excitement and wonderful entertainment - both<br />

on and off the water.<br />

The year also saw the Championship continue to reach an ever increasing media<br />

audience and grow both commercially, thanks to the valued support of its partners Edox,<br />

Nor-Tech, Marinepool, Marinetek and Moving, as well as geographically, with two new<br />

venues – Budva and Moscow – demonstrating the thriving interest from new venues<br />

and countries looking to host a round of this prestigious international series.<br />

page 9


February 2009 n.2<br />

And on the water, it was Dubai’s Victory Team, who, without question, was<br />

the team of the year; Victory 1’s Mohammed Al Marri and Nadir Bin Hendi<br />

led them to a 64th Grand Prix win, their eighth World Championship,<br />

a third Middle East title and their sixth Pole Position Championship in<br />

sixteen years.<br />

But whilst the statistics give Victory the deserved accolades, 2008 saw<br />

Jotun emerge as the leading European challenger who took on and beat<br />

the might of the Middle East and lift the European Championship, the<br />

V8 break the V12 engine dominance, powering Jotun and Qatar 95 to<br />

race wins, three new pilots enter the Championship and two new boat<br />

designs, by Nicolini Offshore and Maritimo, take their first tentative<br />

racing steps into arguably the most competitive international powerboat<br />

series in the world.<br />

But the season belongs to Victory 1; Al Marri stepped in to replace the<br />

injured Arif Al Zafeen after a winning start to their title defence in Qatar,<br />

and alongside Bin Hendi produced an imperious season-long display<br />

to take a further four wins in Montenegro, Russia, Egypt and Dubai to<br />

complete the title treble and end the year as World, Middle East and Edox<br />

Pole Position Champions – a second World title for Al Marri and a first for<br />

the tenacious Bin Hendi.<br />

Victory’s strength in depth was highlighted by the performance of teammates,<br />

Abdullah Al Mehairbi and outgoing Champion, Jean-Marc Sanchez<br />

in Victory 7, who guided his ‘rookie’ driver to the runners-up slot in both<br />

the World and Middle East Championships, taking an impressive seven<br />

podium finishes from eight starts.<br />

Qatar’s season hit trouble on day one of competitive action, with Sheikh<br />

Hassan and Steve Curtis destroying their number 1 raceboat in qualifying.<br />

Despite jumping into their spare boat to finish second in the season<br />

opener, they would ultimately be on the back foot all season and record<br />

just three podium finishes. Reliability, or rather lack of, proved their<br />

Achilles heel and the Qatar 96 crew saw race-winning positions and<br />

podium performances end ignominiously on more than one occasion.<br />

But Qatari pride was restored in the last race of the season with a<br />

sensational win by Abdullah Al-Sulaiti and Matteo Nicolini over their<br />

Dubai rivals, and with three previous podiums, Qatar 95 ended the<br />

season third overall and put one over their team-mates to finish as the<br />

number one boat in the Qatar camp.<br />

page 10


February 2009 n.2<br />

page 11


February 2009 n.2<br />

By the mid-season point, the Championship needed a team to remind Victory that<br />

there were other boats out there, and it was the marauding Norwegians in the<br />

scarlet, <strong>Class</strong> 1 Mercury V8-powered Jotun who delivered. Inge Brigt Aarbakke<br />

and Jorn Tandberg, after just one outing together in Moscow, produced a simply<br />

stellar performance on their home waters of Arendal in the BMW Norwegian<br />

Grand Prix to pass both Victory outfits and take a sensational win. A race later<br />

in Romania, they seized on Victory 1’s misfortune to romp home and take a<br />

second win and lift the European Championship by one point, ending the year<br />

as the top European challenger in fifth place overall and third in the Edox Pole<br />

Position Championship.<br />

Foresti & Suardi ended the year with the team’s highest points tally in <strong>Class</strong> 1,<br />

with Montavoci and Selmer proving to be one of the most consistent teams in<br />

the Championship, always in the points and never finishing outside the top six,<br />

producing their best result of the season, fourth, in rough seas in the Egyptian<br />

Grand Prix in Porto Marina to end their year as top European outfit in the Middle<br />

East Championship and sixth in the overall Championship standings.<br />

For Giorgioffshore, 2008 produced a landmark moment for the team. In a<br />

season of development, running a new Michael Peters-designed, Victory-built<br />

raceboat and trying various engine packages along the way, it all came together<br />

for Nicola Giorgi and Giorgio Manuzzi in the Mina Seyahi Grand Prix, taking the<br />

team’s first <strong>Class</strong> 1 podium with a well-deserved third place.<br />

For Duemme Offshore Team boss, Domenico Cirilli, 2008 was a season to focus<br />

on team development and to introduce new Spanish pilots into <strong>Class</strong> 1. He<br />

started the year in Montenegro alongside debutant, Sergio Mora Carrasco,<br />

taking points in their next three outings before a planned switch for the all-<br />

Spanish pairing to a new raceboat later in the season.<br />

In Egypt it was the turn for a second Spanish newcomer to make his debut.<br />

Mohammed Abdelkader Ahmed survived a baptism of fire to beat the rough seas<br />

alongside Ahmed Al Suwaidi to bring the boat home in seventh place, and in the<br />

final race of the year was joined by another <strong>Class</strong> 1 debutant, Christian Rivolta,<br />

and added to his tally of points.<br />

page 12


February 2009 n.2<br />

With Cirilli unable to make the final three races of the season, for the<br />

first outing in the team’s new <strong>Class</strong> 1 Mercury V8-powered Tencara in<br />

Egypt, Carrasco was joined by the flamboyant and experienced Italian<br />

throttleman, Giovanni Carpitella, to see out the season, achieving the<br />

team’s best result of the year, finishing fourth in the last race.<br />

A disrupted season is the best way to describe 2008 for Chris Parsonage<br />

Racing. What looked like being a great season opener – running comfortably<br />

in third and with a podium finish in their sights – went wrong with just three<br />

laps to go, when Bard Eker and Chris Parsonage crashed out.<br />

Parsonage elected to sit out the European rounds, but returned to race<br />

in Egypt and Dubai. With Eker, the 2005 World Champion, unavailable,<br />

Parsonage switched to take the wheel and brought in American throttle<br />

ace, Billy Moore to take the sticks. The Anglo-American pairing gelled<br />

immediately to mark an impressive return for Parsonage and <strong>Class</strong> 1<br />

debut for Moore, finishing third, but they were unable to repeat this<br />

performance in Dubai, failing to start the penultimate race and finishing<br />

sixth in the final race.<br />

There was also a cameo role this year for the much talked-about new<br />

<strong>Class</strong> 1 raceboat, built by Italian boat builder, Nicolini Offshore - the NO<br />

C1CAT. The first new design in <strong>Class</strong> 1 for five years was unveiled at<br />

the Russian Grand Prix in the colours of the Qatar Team and given the<br />

immediate ‘thumbs-up’ by the man behind the project, Matteo Nicolini.<br />

And two race outings with Mohammed Al Nassr and Luca Nicolini in<br />

the cockpit – Russia and Norway – gave a clear indication of the boat’s<br />

potential and pace, with consistent top-six times in practice and in<br />

qualifying.<br />

The second new design of the season appeared in Dubai. Given ‘wild<br />

card’ entry status by officials for the races in Norway and Dubai, <strong>Class</strong> 1’s<br />

youngest partnership, Tom Barry-Cotter and Pal Virik Nilsen returned to<br />

<strong>Class</strong> 1 action as the 2007/8 Australian Offshore Superboat Champions.<br />

In Norway, the Australian-Norwegian pairing jumped back into their ‘old’<br />

<strong>Class</strong> 1 Mercury V8-powered Tencara to finish sixth, and in Dubai unveiled<br />

their new <strong>Class</strong> 1 specification raceboat, designed and built by Australia’s<br />

premiere manufacturer of long-range luxury motoryachts, Maritimo.<br />

Despite the obvious ‘teething troubles’ of testing and developing a<br />

new raceboat under race conditions and getting acclimatised to its<br />

handling characteristics, the Maritimo crew produced a very creditable<br />

performance to take fifth place in the Mina Seyahi Grand Prix, but lost<br />

out in the last Grand Prix of the year after a big impact spin-out ended<br />

their race on lap 14 of 20.<br />

But it was Victory 1 who deservedly took all the plaudits and ended the<br />

year as the World, Middle East and Edox Pole Position Champions, and<br />

who remain the team to beat in 2009.<br />

page 13


February 2009 n.2<br />

“At a <strong>Class</strong> 1 Grand Prix, being a<br />

spectator is no longer an option”<br />

“The introduction of our Supercat 3600 into the <strong>Class</strong> 1 World<br />

Powerboat Championship in 2007 as the official start and pace<br />

boat gave us the opportunity to demonstrate our product to a truly<br />

international audience,” said Nor-Tech’s President and Owner,<br />

Trond Schou. “And it was also used very successfully to give IOTA’s<br />

commercial partners and the media the opportunity to experience<br />

the excitement of ‘powerboat racing’, with high speed runs in the<br />

Nor-Tech around the racecourse – and this is something that we<br />

wanted to develop.<br />

“Following the overall success of our first season in <strong>Class</strong> 1<br />

as a commercial partner, we extended our involvement in the<br />

Championship last season with a second Nor-Tech 3600, creating<br />

a unique marketing initiative with IOTA – the <strong>Class</strong> 1 Nor-Tech<br />

Experience.<br />

“We are very excited about our ongoing and extended cooperation<br />

with IOTA and I would like to thank IOTA general secretary,Marco<br />

Sala, and Mercury Racing for their valuable and continued support<br />

and involvement with our new projects.”<br />

page 14


February 2009 n.2<br />

100MPH CLUB<br />

The days of simply being a spectator are over, with guests given the<br />

opportunity to take to the water in one of two Nor-Tech 3600 Supercats<br />

to run the Grand Prix race course and become members of the exclusive<br />

<strong>Class</strong> 1 Nor-Tech 100mph Club.<br />

ACADEMY<br />

For the more ambitious guest, there is the <strong>Class</strong> 1 Nor-Tech Academy,<br />

a two-day programme divided between theory and practice including<br />

operational briefings and driver instruction before the opportunity to take<br />

two timed-laps behind the wheel.<br />

MATCH RACE<br />

And for the fearless guest wanting the ultimate experience, there is the<br />

<strong>Class</strong> 1 Nor-Tech Match Race which offers the chance to take a leading role<br />

and experience at first hand the adrenaline rush of powerboat racing.<br />

A three-day programme dedicated to learning the theory and practice<br />

of driving techniques, before getting behind the wheel for two timed<br />

elimination laps on the Match Race Course to decide the finalists who<br />

will go through to the <strong>Class</strong> 1 Nor-Tech Match Race head-to-head for<br />

the title.<br />

IOTA, the Organisers of the <strong>Class</strong> 1 World<br />

Powerboat Championship and Nor-Tech,<br />

America’s leading high performance boat<br />

manufacturer have created a series of<br />

exciting initiatives offering clients and VIP<br />

guests at Grand Prix events an exhilarating<br />

experience that only <strong>Class</strong> 1 can provide.<br />

page 15


February 2009 n.2<br />

2009 sees <strong>Class</strong> 1 fielding one of its strongest and most competitive fleets for<br />

over a decade, with 13 of the World’s leading state-of-the-art raceboats liningup<br />

on the waters of Doha Bay, Qatar for the season opener on 25, April.<br />

This year, nine teams will compete for the most coveted prize in World<br />

Powerboat Racing - The Sam Griffith Trophy - with four teams fielding twoboat<br />

entries and new engine and boat manufacturers entering the World’s<br />

leading Powerboat Championship.<br />

1 VICTORY<br />

11 MARITIMO<br />

60 ROSCIOLI HOTELS ROMA<br />

7 VICTORY<br />

8 FORESTI & SUARDI<br />

10 <strong>SPIRIT</strong> <strong>OF</strong> <strong>SPAIN</strong><br />

12 MARITIMO<br />

18 GIORGI<strong>OF</strong>FSHORE<br />

50 NEGOTIATOR<br />

88 <strong>SPIRIT</strong> <strong>OF</strong> <strong>SPAIN</strong><br />

90 JOTUN<br />

95 QATAR<br />

96 QATAR<br />

Team:<br />

Boat:<br />

Team Owner:<br />

Managing Director:<br />

Team Manager:<br />

VICTORY TEAM (DUBAI, UAE)<br />

#1 Victory<br />

Government of Dubai<br />

Khalfan Harib<br />

Gianfranco Venturelli<br />

victoryteam.ae<br />

1 VICTORY<br />

DRIVER<br />

Arif Saif Al Zafeen (UAE)<br />

Date of Birth:<br />

1 September, 1974<br />

Place of Birth:<br />

Dubai, U.A.E.<br />

Lives:<br />

Dubai<br />

THROTTLEMAN<br />

Nadir Bin Hendi (UAE)<br />

Date of Birth:<br />

15 December, 1969<br />

Place of Birth:<br />

Dubai, U.A.E.<br />

Lives:<br />

Dubai<br />

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS<br />

Overall Length: 12.67m<br />

Beam: 3.75m<br />

Racing Weight:<br />

Engines:<br />

4800kgs<br />

Victory V12<br />

Builder:<br />

Boat Construction:<br />

Victory<br />

Composites<br />

page 16


February 2009 n.2<br />

Team:<br />

Boat:<br />

Team Owner:<br />

Managing Director:<br />

Team Manager:<br />

VICTORY TEAM (DUBAI, UAE)<br />

#7 Victory<br />

Government of Dubai<br />

Khalfan Harib<br />

Gianfranco Venturelli<br />

victoryteam.ae<br />

7 VICTORY<br />

DRIVER<br />

TBC<br />

THROTTLEMAN<br />

TBC<br />

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS<br />

Overall Length: 12.67m<br />

Beam: 3.75m<br />

Racing Weight:<br />

Engines:<br />

4800kgs<br />

Victory V12<br />

Builder:<br />

Boat Construction:<br />

Victory<br />

Composites<br />

Team:<br />

Boat:<br />

Team Owner:<br />

Team Manager:<br />

TBC<br />

#8 Foresti & Suardi<br />

SCAM<br />

Per Jørgensen<br />

DRIVER<br />

Kolbjorn Selmer (Norway)<br />

Date of Birth:<br />

4 December, 1976<br />

Place of Birth:<br />

Trondheim, Norway<br />

Lives:<br />

Trondheim<br />

8 FORESTI & SUARDI<br />

scam-srl.it<br />

THROTTLEMAN<br />

Giampaolo Montavoci (Italy)<br />

Date of Birth:<br />

10 December, 1959<br />

Place of Birth:<br />

Venice, Italy<br />

Lives:<br />

Venice<br />

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS<br />

Overall Length: 13.02m<br />

Beam: 3.60m<br />

Racing Weight: 4800kgs<br />

Engines: Lamborghini-SCAM 8.2litre, V12<br />

Builder:<br />

Boat Construction:<br />

Victory<br />

Carbon Kevlar<br />

10 <strong>SPIRIT</strong> <strong>OF</strong> <strong>SPAIN</strong><br />

Team:<br />

Boat:<br />

Team Owner:<br />

Team Manager:<br />

<strong>SPIRIT</strong> <strong>OF</strong> <strong>SPAIN</strong> (Spain)<br />

#10 Spirit of Spain<br />

Sergio Mora Carrasco<br />

Giuseppe ‘Pippo’ Cascone<br />

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS<br />

Overall Length: 13.33m<br />

Beam: 3.57m<br />

Team:<br />

Boat:<br />

Team Owner:<br />

Team Manager:<br />

DRIVER<br />

Mohammed Abdelkader<br />

Ahmed (Morocco)<br />

Date of Birth:<br />

3 May, 1984<br />

Place of Birth:<br />

Ceuta, Spain<br />

Lives:<br />

Marbella<br />

Racing Weight: 4800kgs<br />

Engines: Mercury-<strong>Class</strong> 1, 9.1litre V8<br />

Builder:<br />

Boat Construction:<br />

MARITIMO <strong>OF</strong>FSHORE RACING (AUSTRALIA)<br />

#11 Maritimo<br />

Bill Barry-Cotter<br />

Ann-Marie Cook<br />

THROTTLEMAN<br />

Christian Rivolta (Italy)<br />

Date of Birth:<br />

3 May, 1975<br />

Place of Birth:<br />

Lecco, Italy<br />

Lives:<br />

Lecco<br />

Tencara<br />

Carbon Kevlar<br />

11 MARITIMO<br />

maritimo.com<br />

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS<br />

Overall Length: 12.90m<br />

Beam: 3.49m<br />

Racing Weight:<br />

Engines:<br />

DRIVER<br />

Tom Barry-Cotter (Australia)<br />

Date of Birth:<br />

27 March, 1988<br />

Place of Birth:<br />

Sidney, Australia<br />

Lives:<br />

Gold Coast<br />

4100kgs<br />

Mercury 790 V8<br />

Builder:<br />

Boat Construction:<br />

THROTTLEMAN<br />

Pal Virik Nilsen (Norway)<br />

Date of Birth:<br />

20 December, 1974<br />

Place of Birth:<br />

Tonsberg, Norway<br />

Lives:<br />

Sandefjord<br />

Maritimo<br />

Composites<br />

page 17


February 2009 n.2<br />

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS<br />

Overall Length: 12.90m<br />

Beam: 3.49m<br />

Team:<br />

Boat:<br />

Team Owner:<br />

Team Manager:<br />

Racing Weight:<br />

Engines:<br />

MARITIMO <strong>OF</strong>FSHORE RACING (AUSTRALIA)<br />

#12 Maritimo<br />

Bill Barry-Cotter<br />

Ann-Marie Cook<br />

DRIVER<br />

Giorgio Manuzzi (Italy)<br />

Date of Birth:<br />

20 May, 1964<br />

Place of Birth:<br />

Cesena, Italy<br />

Lives:<br />

Cesena<br />

4100kgs<br />

Mercury 790 V8<br />

12 MARITIMO<br />

maritimo.com<br />

THROTTLEMAN<br />

Peter “Muddy” McGrath<br />

(New Zeland)<br />

Date of Birth:<br />

5 January, 1956<br />

Place of Birth:<br />

Auckland, New Zeland<br />

Lives:<br />

Gold Coast, Australia<br />

Builder:<br />

Maritimo<br />

Boat Construction: Composites<br />

18 GIORGI<strong>OF</strong>FSHORE<br />

Team:<br />

GIORGI<strong>OF</strong>FSHORE (ITALY)<br />

Boat:<br />

#18 Giorgioffshore<br />

Team Owner / Manager: Gianni Giorgi<br />

giorgioffshore.com<br />

DRIVER<br />

TBC<br />

THROTTLEMAN<br />

Nicola Giorgi (Italy)<br />

Date of Birth:<br />

18 August, 1973<br />

Place of Birth:<br />

Florence, Italy<br />

Lives:<br />

Montecatini Terme<br />

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS<br />

Overall Length: 14.44m<br />

Beam: 3.69m<br />

Racing Weight:<br />

Engines:<br />

4800kgs<br />

Giorgi V12<br />

Builder:<br />

Victory<br />

Boat Construction: Carbon Kevlar -<br />

50 NEGOTIATOR<br />

Team:<br />

Boat:<br />

Team Owner:<br />

Team Manager:<br />

CHRIS PARSONAGE RACING (ENGLAND)<br />

#50 Negotiator<br />

Chris Parsonage<br />

Chris Parsonage<br />

DRIVER<br />

TBC<br />

chrisparsonageracing.com<br />

THROTTLEMAN<br />

TBC<br />

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS<br />

Overall Length: 13.44m<br />

Beam: 3.69m<br />

Racing Weight: 4800kgs<br />

Engines: STERLING V8 supercharged<br />

Builder:<br />

Victory<br />

Boat Construction: Carbon Fibre Composites<br />

60 ROSCIOLI HOTELS ROMA<br />

Team:<br />

Boat:<br />

Team Owner:<br />

Team Manager:<br />

DRIVER<br />

TBC<br />

DUEMME <strong>OF</strong>FSHORE (<strong>SPAIN</strong>)<br />

#60 Roscioli Hotels Roma<br />

Domenico Cirilli<br />

Domenico Cirilli<br />

duemme-offshore.com<br />

THROTTLEMAN<br />

Domenico Cirilli (Spain)<br />

Date of Birth:<br />

8 January, 1960<br />

Place of Birth:<br />

Rome, Italy<br />

Lives:<br />

Alicante, Spain<br />

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS<br />

Overall Length: 13.02m<br />

Beam: 3.60m<br />

Racing Weight: 4800kgs<br />

Engines: Lamborghini-SCAM 8.2litre, V12<br />

Builder:<br />

Victory<br />

Boat Construction: Carbon Kevlar Composites<br />

page 18


February 2009 n.2<br />

Team:<br />

Boat:<br />

Team Owner:<br />

Team Manager:<br />

<strong>SPIRIT</strong> <strong>OF</strong> <strong>SPAIN</strong> (Spain)<br />

#88 Spirit of Spain<br />

Sergio Mora Carrasco<br />

Giuseppe ‘Pippo’ Cascone<br />

88 <strong>SPIRIT</strong> <strong>OF</strong> <strong>SPAIN</strong><br />

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS<br />

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS<br />

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS<br />

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS<br />

Overall Length: 13.10m<br />

Beam: 3.45m<br />

Overall Length: 12.25m<br />

Beam: 3.47m<br />

Overall Length: 12.67m<br />

Beam: 3.75m<br />

Overall Length: 12.67m<br />

Beam: 3.75m<br />

Team:<br />

Boat:<br />

Team Owner:<br />

Team Manager:<br />

Team:<br />

Boat:<br />

Team Owner:<br />

Team Principal:<br />

Team Manager:<br />

Team:<br />

Boat:<br />

Team Owner:<br />

Team Principal:<br />

Team Manager:<br />

page 19<br />

DRIVER<br />

Sergio Mora Carrasco (Spain)<br />

Date of Birth:<br />

22 November, 1977<br />

Place of Birth:<br />

Huelva, Spain<br />

Lives:<br />

Huelva<br />

Racing Weight: 4800kgs<br />

Engines: Chief V8 supercharged<br />

UGLAND <strong>OF</strong>FSHORE RACING (NORWAY)<br />

#90 Jotun<br />

Andreas O Ugland, Jorn Tandberg<br />

Jorn Tandberg<br />

DRIVER<br />

Inge Brigt Aarbakke (Norway)<br />

Date of Birth:<br />

5 July, 1959<br />

Place of Birth:<br />

Bryne, Norway<br />

Lives:<br />

Naerbo<br />

Racing Weight: 4800kgs<br />

Engines: Mercury <strong>Class</strong> 1, 9.1litre V8<br />

TEAM QATAR (QATAR)<br />

#95 Qatar<br />

Qatar Marine Sports Federation (QMSF)<br />

HE Sheikh Hassan bin Jabor Al-Thani<br />

Matteo Nicolini<br />

DRIVER<br />

Abdullah Al-Sulaiti (Qatar)<br />

Date of Birth:<br />

20 August, 1975<br />

Place of Birth:<br />

Doha, Qatar<br />

Lives:<br />

Doha<br />

Racing Weight: 4800kgs<br />

Engines: STERLING V8 supercharged<br />

TEAM QATAR (QATAR)<br />

#96 Qatar<br />

Qatar Marine Sports Federation (QMSF)<br />

HE Sheikh Hassan bin Jabor Al-Thani<br />

Matteo Nicolini<br />

DRIVER<br />

HE Sheikh Hassan bin<br />

Jabor Al-Thani (Qatar)<br />

Date of Birth:<br />

20 July, 1968<br />

Place of Birth:<br />

Doha, Qatar<br />

Lives:<br />

Doha<br />

Racing Weight: 4800kgs<br />

Engines:<br />

Skema V12<br />

Builder:<br />

Boat Construction:<br />

Builder:<br />

Boat Construction:<br />

THROTTLEMAN<br />

Giovanni Carpitella (Italy)<br />

Date of Birth:<br />

22 August, 1968<br />

Place of Birth:<br />

Grottammare (AP), Italy<br />

Lives:<br />

Grottammare<br />

Outerlimits<br />

Carbon Nomex<br />

90 JOTUN<br />

uglandoffshoreracing.com<br />

THROTTLEMAN<br />

Jorn Tandberg (Norway)<br />

Date of Birth:<br />

15 March, 1964<br />

Place of Birth:<br />

Larvik, Norway<br />

Lives:<br />

Larvik<br />

Builder: Marine Technology Inc<br />

Boat Construction: Composites<br />

95 QATAR<br />

qmsf.org<br />

THROTTLEMAN<br />

Matteo Nicolini (Italy)<br />

Date of Birth:<br />

8 July, 1964<br />

Place of Birth:<br />

Fermo, Italy<br />

Lives:<br />

Dubai, U.A.E.<br />

Victory<br />

Composites<br />

96 QATAR<br />

THROTTLEMAN<br />

Steve Curtis (England)<br />

Date of Birth:<br />

9 June, 1964<br />

Place of Birth:<br />

Wimbledon, England<br />

Lives:<br />

Hythe<br />

Builder:<br />

Victory<br />

Boat Construction: Composites<br />

qmsf.org


February 2009 n.2<br />

TIMING<br />

EDOX<br />

<strong>OF</strong>FICIAL TIMEKEEPER<br />

edox.ch<br />

As the official and exclusive timekeeper of the <strong>Class</strong> 1 World Powerboat Championship and the EDOX Pole Position<br />

Championship, EDOX underlines the sporting values of quest for performance, precision and pushing oneself to the limit.<br />

EDOX first became involved in <strong>Class</strong> 1 at the beginning of 2006 as an official partner of World Champions, Spirit of Norway,<br />

and Christian Hotz, EDOX Marketing Director, saw the opportunity to strengthen the company’s commitment in 2007 to<br />

what he describes as a ‘spectacular and nerve-tingling’ sport and to increase the synergy between the two brands. “EDOX<br />

is a young, dynamic, privately-owned company with a product range that reflects excellence, quality, style, reliability and<br />

glamour and the <strong>Class</strong> 1 World Powerboat Championship epitomises these values.”<br />

MARINEPOOL<br />

<strong>OF</strong>FICIAL CLOTHING<br />

SUPPLIER<br />

Marinepool – Spirit of the Ocean, founded in 1991, is the<br />

biggest life jacket manufacturer in Europe. The company is<br />

equally well known for its range of versatile marine and leisure<br />

clothing composed of functional fashion, shoes and bags all<br />

manufactured to the very highest technical specification.<br />

Marinepool has established itself as a global player in the marine<br />

and leisure industry with commercial interests in 38 countries.<br />

The brand is especially well known for its reliability and top of<br />

the range quality and within the world of powerboat racing is<br />

the official clothing supplier to the Qatar and Victory teams as<br />

well as the World Professional Powerboating Association.<br />

marinepool.com<br />

MARINETEK<br />

<strong>OF</strong>FICIAL PONTOON<br />

SUPPLIER<br />

As one of the leading marina developers in the world<br />

offering a wide range of pontoons and breakwaters as<br />

well as “turn-key” marina solutions, Marinetek operates<br />

through its representatives and partners in over 25<br />

countries and has been the supplier to the <strong>Class</strong> 1 World<br />

Powerboat Championship, providing its floats for the<br />

Wet Pits area, since 2003. “There is a perfect synergy<br />

between <strong>Class</strong> 1 and our products,” said Marinetek CEO,<br />

Ilkka Seppala. “The safety and advanced technology of<br />

our products were evaluated and are highly regarded by<br />

<strong>Class</strong> 1’s team of specialists.”<br />

marinetek.net<br />

CLASS 1<br />

NOR-TECH<br />

<strong>OF</strong>FICIAL PACE BOAT<br />

America’s leading high-performance boat manufacturer provides the <strong>Class</strong> 1 World Powerboat<br />

Championship with two state-of-the-art, twin-engined, five-seater Nor-Tech 3600 Supercats,<br />

powered by the new CE approved Mercury 600 with NXT drives and the latest Nor-Tech stealth<br />

exhaust system. “We are delighted to have teamed up with the world’s leading powerboat<br />

championship,” said Trond Schou, President and owner of Nor-Tech. “Nor-Tech has the most<br />

complete line of custom products of any hi-performance builder in the industry and our partnership<br />

with <strong>Class</strong> 1 allows us to showcase our products on a worldwide stage.”<br />

nor-techboats.com<br />

MOVING<br />

<strong>OF</strong>FICIAL PARTNER<br />

moving-italia.com<br />

Moving provides all the services necessary to companies wishing to promote their brand or their products using dynamic<br />

advertising. Its flexible structure is made up of professionals who have always worked in this area and therefore act with good<br />

knowledge of the environment and its problems. Moving does not limit itself merely to organising promotional events, but is able<br />

to assist with design and planning, drawing ideas from its vast range of experience. The studies and investigations which are<br />

carried out on a daily basis enable the company to put forward concrete proposals which are tailored for the target audience.<br />

page 20


February 2009 n.2<br />

ADVERTORIAL<br />

page 21


February 2009 n.2<br />

<strong>Class</strong> 1 is the ‘spiritual heir’ to offshore powerboat<br />

racing of the 1980s, when lightning-fast catamarans<br />

started to do battle on open seas around the world.<br />

Today, <strong>Class</strong> 1 sets out to be the ultimate in topflight<br />

powerboat racing, with spectacular events<br />

on coastal racecourses, and easily seen by ever<br />

increasing crowds of spectators.<br />

<strong>Class</strong> 1 is also the point of reference for the world of<br />

powerboat racing in terms of its levels of technology<br />

and safety, which have been achieved thanks to its<br />

Racing Rules, which enable racing with substantial<br />

parity of competition, despite using engines of<br />

conceptually diverse designs.<br />

ELIGIBILITY TO COMPETE - racing rules summary<br />

For further information contact:<br />

Marco Sala<br />

IOTA<br />

tel: + 39 02 3651 9780 email: marco@class-<strong>1.com</strong><br />

class-<strong>1.com</strong><br />

HULL DIMENSIONS AND MINIMUM<br />

WEIGHTS:<br />

Any existing hull built prior to<br />

1st January 2001, measuring<br />

12.0/14.63m (39ft.4in/48ft.0in) and<br />

weighing a minimum of 4800kg<br />

after race completion, will be<br />

grandfathered indefinitely.<br />

Any hull built after 1st January 2001,<br />

measuring 12.19/13.41m (40/44<br />

feet) and weighing a minimum of<br />

4800kg after race completion.<br />

Any hull measuring 11.5/13m using<br />

the 790 hp naturally aspirated<br />

engines and weighing 4100kg after<br />

race completion.<br />

Other hull/engine combinations may<br />

be permitted to compete in <strong>Class</strong> 1<br />

through specific dispensation from<br />

the World Professional Powerboating<br />

Association (WPPA).<br />

MAXIMUM PERMITTED NOISE<br />

LEVELS:<br />

The maximum permitted noise<br />

levels from any individual<br />

competing boat in a WPPA <strong>Class</strong> 1<br />

race is 100 Decibels +5%.<br />

Readings are taken at 50 metres<br />

distance, at max RPM+/- 2% with<br />

no other race boat in the vicinity.<br />

Readings are only accepted as<br />

official when taken with the official<br />

WPPA calibrated sound meter.<br />

106 DBA and above – after the first<br />

2 races 2009 season, non eligibility<br />

to race<br />

ENGINE RESTRICTIONS:<br />

V12 naturally aspirated engines max<br />

Rpm 8700<br />

All other engines max 7600 Rpm<br />

V8 Engines max 7600 Rpm<br />

(See WPPA Rules/technical notes for<br />

790 hp/ 495 to 510 cu carbureted<br />

engines – thewppa.com)<br />

Max 4 camshafts per engine<br />

OEM camshaft position cannot be<br />

changed<br />

OEM position of lifter bores cannot be<br />

changed<br />

Pistons to be produced from<br />

automotive piston alloys<br />

Heads and blocks to be manufactured<br />

in cast Aluminium or Iron only<br />

Max 4 valves per cylinder<br />

No Titanium components or coatings<br />

with the exception of cylinder head<br />

valves<br />

No Ceramic components or coatings<br />

with the exception of spark plugs,<br />

seals and bearings<br />

Any Diamond or hardened coatings<br />

Valves must open and close using<br />

conventional mechanical methods<br />

No variable length tracts or ducts<br />

Original registered quantity of spark<br />

plugs to be retained<br />

COMPRESSION RATIO MAXIMUM<br />

ALLOWABLE:<br />

Natural aspirated 10.0:1<br />

Pressure charged 8.5:1<br />

Carbureted 10.5:1<br />

PROPELLERS:<br />

From 1st January 2009 there will be<br />

1 supplier of propellers for <strong>Class</strong> 1.<br />

The Propeller thickness cannot<br />

be altered, and will be specified<br />

by the manufacturer and/or the<br />

WPPA. Propeller cup may be<br />

altered; however, this will void any<br />

warranty claim that may arise. The<br />

manufacturer will specify the areas<br />

that can be modified.<br />

Three sets of propellers which were<br />

used in the 2008 season can be<br />

registered and used for the 2009<br />

season and can only be replaced<br />

with the official supplier’s <strong>Class</strong> 1<br />

2009 specification propellers.<br />

All Propellers must adhere to the<br />

Minimum thickness.<br />

Three different pairs of propellers<br />

per boat will be allowed. Propellers<br />

can only be changed for the identical<br />

type as those initially registered, due<br />

to damage or wear.<br />

Propellers will be allocated to a<br />

boat, for use on that boat only. For<br />

instance a two-boat team may not<br />

swap registered propellers from one<br />

boat to the other. However a twoboat<br />

team with fewer than 4 sets of<br />

registered propellers may use them<br />

on either boat.<br />

For 2009 Season only, 1x set of<br />

propellers can be changed for a<br />

different diameter or pitch during<br />

the racing season.<br />

CREW CONTROL:<br />

The system must be homologated<br />

and fully inspected before<br />

installation, including all drawings<br />

and details of components. The<br />

system must meet the rule and the<br />

‘spirit of the rules’ in all aspects.<br />

The scrutineer’s decision not<br />

to allow any or all components<br />

in the system is entirely at his<br />

discretion and cannot be appealed.<br />

The system cannot be improved,<br />

changed or modified in any way<br />

without prior written approval.<br />

Rule<br />

“All control inputs affecting<br />

trimming and steering of the<br />

boat must be directly provided<br />

by the crew. It is not permitted<br />

to interface the operation of the<br />

control surfaces, drives, ballast<br />

tanks, fuel tanks or throttles with<br />

any devices that provide additional<br />

control input, whether electronic,<br />

mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic,<br />

or any other source.”<br />

Any additional sensing devices,<br />

such as, but not exclusively, those<br />

used in a data acquisition system,<br />

must be demonstrably physically<br />

independent of any individual<br />

control system.”<br />

For 790 HP naturally aspirated<br />

4100kg boats;<br />

Steering must be by either drives<br />

or rudders, not both.<br />

Rudders must only be allowed to<br />

move on one axis (no retractable<br />

rudders).<br />

Drives must not steer independently<br />

of each other (no toe in or out<br />

underway). If an electronic tie<br />

bar is used, a data logger must be<br />

fitted at the team’s cost.<br />

page 22


February 2009 n.2<br />

Generating worldwide media<br />

coverage across six continents.<br />

2008 MEDIA<br />

STATISTICS<br />

For information contact:<br />

Nigel Quilter<br />

tel: + 44 (0) 1252 713223 mob: + 44 (0) 7785 325346<br />

email: q@class-<strong>1.com</strong> class-<strong>1.com</strong><br />

5 ‘live’ event broadcasts<br />

67 international and national broadcast and news crews on event<br />

376 international and national media on event<br />

43 countries<br />

255 media accredited on class-<strong>1.com</strong><br />

8,416,375 page views class-<strong>1.com</strong><br />

<strong>Class</strong> 1 ‘official’ highlights programme<br />

203hrs 43minutes of broadcast exposure<br />

443 million households<br />

445 territories<br />

2008 TV<br />

REPORT<br />

page 23


February 2009 n.2<br />

QATAR / Doha<br />

<strong>SPAIN</strong> / Alicante<br />

RUSSIA / Moscow<br />

NORWAY / Arendal<br />

ROMANIA / Constanta<br />

UKRAINE / (tbc)<br />

ITALY / Stresa<br />

MIDDLE EAST / (tbc)<br />

U.A.E. / Dubai<br />

25 April<br />

7 June<br />

5 July<br />

19 July<br />

30 August<br />

6 September<br />

4 October<br />

20 November<br />

12 December<br />

UNION INTERNATIONALE MOTONAUTIQUE - UIM<br />

The Union Internationale Motonautique (U.I.M.), was formed in 1922 and is the world governing body for marine motorsport and is recognised as such by<br />

both the General Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC).<br />

President: Raffaele Chiulli<br />

General Secretary: Régine Vandekerckhove<br />

WORLD PR<strong>OF</strong>ESSIONAL POWERBOATING ASSOCIATION - WPPA<br />

thewppa.com<br />

The WPPA was founded on 2 December 2006, based on an agreement between Saeed Hareb and the International Offshore Team Association (IOTA) and<br />

is located in Dubai.<br />

The WPPA has reached an agreement with the UIM, under the terms of which the Association has the exclusive right to manage <strong>Class</strong> 1 powerboat racing.<br />

The WPPA is responsible for the development of this <strong>Class</strong>, for setting the Rules and for providing the Race Officials.<br />

General Secretary: Sid Bensalah<br />

INTERNATIONAL <strong>OF</strong>FSHORE TEAM ASSOCIATION - IOTA<br />

class-<strong>1.com</strong><br />

Founded in 1987, the International Offshore Team Association (IOTA) is the organiser and the officially-sanctioned promoter and worldwide television<br />

and commercial rights holder of the <strong>Class</strong> 1 World Powerboat Championship. It represents the collective interests of all teams competing in the<br />

championship.<br />

President: HE Sheikh Hassan bin Jabor Al-Thani<br />

General Secretary: Marco Sala<br />

TIMING<br />

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:<br />

Nigel Quilter tel:+44(0)1252 713223 / mob:+44(0)7785 325346<br />

q@class-<strong>1.com</strong> / q@q4media.com / class-<strong>1.com</strong><br />

page 24

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