class 1 set for enthralling season - Class-1.com

June 2007 n. 101YOUNG GUNS GO FOR IT…Nineteen year-old Tom Barry-Cotter will become the youngest competitor to step into a Class 1 cockpit for over a decadewhen he makes his international driving debut alongside Norwegian Pal Virik Nilsen in the Greek Grand Prix in Palaio Faliro-Athens.The young Australian, son of former Class 1 racer and Grand Prix winner, Bill Barry-Cotter, made his Class 1 racing debut inthe Australian Powerboat series in 2006 alongside his father, winning two races and grabbing two podiums to finish secondoverall in the championship and this season notched up his third race win. “I have been given an exceptional opportunity toenable me to make my debut in Class 1 internationally as part of the Spirit of Norway team and I am extremely grateful to manypeople, in particular Bjorn Gjelsten,” said Tom.The new outfit, which will run under the Spirit of Norway flag but be run as a separately managed team, is the initiative of Bjorn RuneGjelsten in partnership with Barry-Cotter. “We have two young and talented racers, but do not expect overnight success from them. Theyhave to learn to race and work with each other, but we do expect them to be competitive.”The youngest pairing in Class 1 will run as Spirit of Norway 20, in a Michael Peters-designed Tencara hull, the former championshipwinningboat of Gjelsten and Curtis, with Mercury Class 1, 9.1litre V8s. “This season will be very interesting for me and my new teamand I am very happy to join the very professional Spirit of Norway Team and also excited to take the throttleman job,” said Pal VirikNilsen.02 03RETURN OF A CHARISMATIC CHAMPION…Norwegian, Bard Eker, the 2005 Class 1 World Championand one of the sport’s most charismatic individuals,returns to racing after a year’s absence topartner Chris Parsonage in Negotiator. Eker madehis Class 1 debut in 2004 in Hydroliftt, making hismark after spectacularly parking the boat on thebreakwater of Palm Island in Dubai during practice.In 2005, Eker switched camps to team up with Steve Curtisin Spirit of Norway, winning their first race together inPlymouth and grabbing three further wins to snatch thetitle from Victory 77 by the narrowest of margins, as wellas taking the Pole Position Championship.BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING – AND RACINGLuca Nicolini will be keeping a close eye on his younger brother, Matteo, in Qatar 96 - and his hands firmly onthe throttles as he steps in to partner Abdullah Al-Sulaiti in Qatar 95.04EDOX POLE POSITIONPole Position has a new look for 2007 as well as a new sponsor, the established Swiss watch manufacturer,EDOX. Split into two sessions – getting it right in the first session will be crucial. All boats will start the first 40minute session and have three laps to set their best time – with the five fastest going through to the secondsession. Those that didn’t make it will line up in positions 6 to 11. The top five will then have 25 minutes andtwo laps to determine who lines up in pole position and from 1 to 5.05 VICTORY NEWCOMER…05Arif Saif Al Zafeen is the newest addition to the Dubai-basedVictory Team, stepping into the driver’sseat of former Class 1 World and Middle East Champion,Mohammed Al Marri, to partner the experiencedJean-Marc Sanchez.Having made his competitive debut almost 15 yearsago in wooden powerboats, Arif comes to Victory withan impressive track record, competing in the UAEFormula 2000 Circuit Racing Championship, winningthe title in 97/98 and 98/99; in recent seasons hehas competed in the President’s Cup Formula 2000Championship.02Sanchez, who has narrowly missed out on the titlefor the last two seasons, is confident that the partnershipwill flourish. “We have put in a lot of testingtogether and it has gone very well,” he said. “Buttesting and racing are very different and we will needthat first race to really get to understand each other-- but from that point onwards, I am confident wewill go well.”page 4