NOTES AND QUOTES FROM MAYAYSIA!

LAUSANNE, Switzerland: (Friday, 23rd of August, 2002) - In what was one of the greatest weekends of the season on and off the water at the Mines Resort City just outside of Kuala Lumpur at the Grand Prix of Malaysia, turned sour mid-day Monday as two of Idea Marketing personnel Mario Colombo and Massimo Lantelme were involved in a freak accident while putting away the many pieces of the starting pontoon for shipment back to Europe.

As the large sections of the pontoon were being set and taken out of the water to be put on the track for shipment, the sections somehow shifted and while on end, fell like dominos on to both the unsuspecting duo of Mario and Massimo. The 5-year veteran of the tour, Mario Colombo took the worst of it as he was reportedly kneeling down unattaching one section of the pontoon from another when as many of three pieces fell on him, pinning him to the dock that was in the water. To his aid, and possibly saving his life was his friend Massimo Lantelme, for despite of injuring both legs as he was being hit by the falling sections, was able to lift the remaining sections that were pinning Mario face first to the pontoon.

The 28 year-old from Pinerolo, Italy Massimo who early on was thought to have a broken leg, is now back home after a check at the local hospital with just some muscle pain in both legs, while his friend also from Pinerolo, Mario continues to be staying at University Hospital in Kuala Lumpur, now out of 3 days of intensive care and declared out of danger. He has some facial fractures to not only his jaw but his nose and will have further hospital treatment with an operation expected to fix his jaw next week.

Series promoter Nicolo Di San Germano has flown out Mario's wife Mariella and sister Laura to Kuala Lumpur to be with him at the hospital. Mario is expected back to Italy by mid-September. We send them all our best wishes and prayers for a full and speedy recovery and look forward to having them back with "the family" of U.I.M. F1 Powerboaters as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, the party was a big and happy one last Sunday night as one of the most popular and well liked drivers in the paddock Massimo Roggiero proved that he can not only still win on the tour, but beat his 7-time World Champion teammate Guido Cappellini in the process to claim his 2nd career win.

Roggiero, who partied late into the evening with his crew actually caught tearing up seconds after his 3 second win last Sunday, now gets ready to see if he can make it two straight in 3 weeks time as the tour heads to Waterford, Ireland and Grand Prix of Ireland.

The native of Busto Arsizio, Italy has now moved into 4th place in the championship with his 2nd podium of the season and shakes off the 37 race win "monkey" off his back in the process since last winning in Stresa, Italy in 1998. "Roger" stated before the event that he "felt great" and believed Providence, since his last race win was the last time the tour raced in the morning rather than the usual mid-day starting time and felt this was a good omen. Any good tips on upcoming horse races "Roger"?

Guido Cappellini with his 2nd place finish marks the first time in 7 races that he has finished he hasn't won His last non-win as a finisher was at the season's last race a year ago in Abu Dhabi when he went for the title rather than 1st place and finished 5th The native of Como, Italy now has 7 World Titles and has done that in the last 10 years. It's hard to believe it took him almost 5 years to win his first race, and had just 3 of his 46 career wins after 7 seasons He still hasn't recorded a victory on the American Tour something he hasn't raced on since the late 1980's Speaking of America, Scott Gillman, a 2-time World Champion in his 5 /12; years on the U.I.M. tour, continued his streak of now 30 races in a row that he has finished, he's made it to the podium, quite an achievement that he hopes to carry on in Ireland next month Gillman's other mark he hopes to get erased is his 23 race streak without victory since Cagliari of 2000 The Colorado resident enjoyed playing on the Mines Resort City's Championship Golf Course last Friday. It was the same course that Tiger Woods won a World Title on in 1999 Rumor has it that Gillman's score on the front nine equaled Tigers two day total Two strong running Italian drivers Fabio Comparato and Francesco Cantando both were frustrated they didn't make the podium, but at the same time finished in the top 5 and finished Comparato came into the event with 3 DNF's in 6 starts, while Cantando, had two DNF's and two crashes ending his day's in four of six starts Laith Pharaon is a frustrated driver at the moment Loaded with ability and struggling through a less than happy season for this likeable Saudi Arabian driver who now makes his home in Spain Pharaon, was hoping to find that karma that sent him to his victory in Malaysia a year ago, but the boat isn't currently to his liking and he couldn't put any more pressure on that what he finished, 6th's looking for better results in Ireland Ivan Torta pushed Pharaon for 6th most of the race finally finishing just one second back in 7th, while Swede Jari Honkala came home in 8th holding off 1992 World Champ Fabrizio Bocca who took 9th in his Corona Beer DAC Thani Al Qamzi of Abu Dhabi finished off the top 10 with his 4th top 10 finish of the season

Well, its off to the Southeast Coast of Ireland to the famous city of Waterford and the Grand Prix of Ireland on the 15th of September It will be good to return to the Emerald Isle for the first time in many seasons as the "European Part" of the 2002 schedule comes to a close .No battle for the title since Cappellini wrapped it up in Malaysia, but a 4 horse battle for 2nd is still very much in the cards and will make for exciting racing on what will prove to be a most entertaining race circuit .See you there ..