SPIRIT OF SPAIN - Class-1.com
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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