GALA “KICKOFF” 2001 PRESS WEEKEND IN SESTRIERE SET!
22 DRIVERS FROM 15 COUNTRIES EXPECTED FOR 2001 OPENING EVENT!

LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND: (20th December) – The 2001 U.I.M. F1 World Championship for powerboating season is quickly looming on the horizon and even before the holidays, talk is about the giant press weekend planned for the beautiful village of Sestriere, Italy for late January.

For two days, beginning on Friday, the 26th of January, the worldwide press will be challenged in a race against the U.I.M. F1 drivers and teams in a snowmobile race around the stunning mountainside of Sestriere. This village of 800 people is a world renouned ski resort and will host the 2006 alpine ski events for the Winter Olympics in Torino. After the races, there will be a planned party for the press and the teams that will make up the 2001 season.

On Saturday, the 27th of January, a press luncheon will be scheduled with the afternoon dedicated to making time for the world press to get the needed stories with the drivers and crews leading up to what should be another exciting season of F1 racing. More activities are planned with the wrapup expected on Sunday.

Newly crowned World Champion American Scott Gillman of Basalt, Colorado leads the list of drivers who will attend. The early odds are on the two-time champion to be the leading candidate to win Friday’s snowmobile event with the press. It’s a well known fact that Scott spends a lot of time during the off season taking racing VIP’s from around the world up into his personal valley around Aspen during the winter months in his version of a “racing tour” that he seldom if ever looses.

The opening round of the 2001 season is just a matter of 8 weeks away and already it looks as if the  interest around the world continues to mushroom as 22 drivers from 15 different countries are expected to attend the season opener in Johor Bharu, Malaysia on the weekend of the 24th and 25th of February. All in all, the 2001 season, marking the first official year of the 21st century looks already to be one that may long be remembered as one that turned a page on the history of the sport.

Notes:Sestriere, Italy, a population of 800, is 2035 metres above sea level and is 95 kilometers from Torino. The town is located on a hill between Alta Valle de Chisone and Alta Valle di Susa. Its closest airport is Torino International, which serves 15 different airlines with flights throughout Europe. For further information on attending, please call the Idea Marketing office at the following number: 00-41-21-616-9595 or fax at 00-41-21-617-8762.