WORLD CHAMPION HEADS TO HAWAII FOR SOME “CHILLIN”!
COMPARATO EXPECTED BACK FROM HIS BAD “ILLIN”
CAPPELLINI CONTINUES TO BOAT “BILLIN”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND (20^TH MARCH) – Three different drivers, three different situations leading up to the 2^nd round of the U.I.M. F1 World Championship for power boating in Portimao, Portugal two weeks away on the 8^th of April.

While most of the boat racing world is still in shock but not totally surprised by the opening round of the World Championship for F1 boats in the opening round in Johor Baru, Malaysia 3 weeks ago when Saudi Arabian driver Laith Pharaon took his first ever victory in only his 7^th “official” start in his F1 career, two of the three expected runners for the World Title are not “sweating” over it just yet!

Current World Champion American Scott Gillman of Basalt, Colorado is finally getting a chance to get some long awaited rest by taking his family to Hawaii for a week of relaxation. This comes following the end of a grueling season along with some added teaching time in Abu Dhabi as lead driver for the Emirates Team. Gillman, who is helping develop talented future pilots for the world tour, has been working closely with UAE drivers for the past 2 seasons and has seen Awad Al Quabaisi his teammate for the past year finish 9^th in the championship in his first full season. Along with Awad is another promising newcomer in Thani Al Qumzi who started the last 2 races of the season taking a fine 7^th place in Abu Dhabi.

Meanwhile, 16,000 kilometers to the east, Italian Guido Cappellini continues to do what he does best, building boats for other pilots on the F1 tour from his shops in Como, Italy. Cappellini, who has won 5 world titles in the last 8 years, has only won once in the last 4 campaigns while Gillman has “out dueled” him since arriving on the scene in 1997, winning twice in 1997 and 2000, while Cappellini took the 1999 title. Cappellini, who saw over 60% of the drivers running his design in the opening round of the series in Malaysia know he has a real challenge this year with David Burgess coming out with his new design from his shops in England with 4-time World Champion Jonathan Jones in one and Gillman in the other. Gillman took pole position in the opening round which will only heaten up the battle of “whose boats the best” as the season moves to Portugal on the first weekend of April.

Ex-teammate of Cappellini, Fabio Comparato is expected back following his devastating crash on the opening lap of the Grand Prix of Sharjah in November. Comparato has moved from the DAC camp and is now joining Dane Gert Ladefoged on the new “Viking” Team. If fully healthy, Comparato will be a factor as a lead driver on his team this season, getting a great break with both Gillman and Cappellini failing to finish and scoring no points in the opening race of the season in Malaysia.

As the days get closer to the start of the “European Season” Gillman, Cappellini, Cantando and Jones will be seeing newcomers making their way to the top with Laith Pharaon, Victor Kunitch and Sami Selio challenging the “old guard” in what is going to be a classic in the already unual 20^th Anniversary season of the U.I.M. F1 World Championship for power boating tour.

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