CAPPELLINI'S WINS 40^TH CAREER VICTORY IN PORTUGAL!
CANTANDO CRASHES OUT; SELIO AND SEEBOLD IN TOP 3!

PORTIMAO, Portugal 2002-04-28 – Italian Guido Cappellini took control of the lead on the 35^th of the 52 lap event and went on to win his 40^th career UIM F1 World Championship race in his 100^th career start at the opening round of 2002 season at the 4^th Annual Grand Prix of Portugal.

The native of Como, now a 6-time World Champion had to work hard to get to the front as well as having some luck as early leader Francesco Cantando of the Singha Beer boat has his 2.5 litre Mercury engine out in front and was holding off fellow Italian Fabio Comparato in 2^nd when disaster struck Cantando as he was working to pass Laith Pharaon in his Four Season's DAC craft. The two touched and blew over together taking both drivers out of the event on the 9^th lap.

Comparato moved to the front on the restart and was holding off Cappellini and fellow American's Scott Gillman and Mike Seebold with Finland's Sami Selio up in 5^th after starting 9^th in his 3 litre Johnson powered boat. The order stayed the same until the 26^th lap when Gillman, the pole sitter of the event, fell in a whole and hooked his boat on a re-start in a battle for the lead ending his day on the back straight and continuing his bad luck in Portugal over the years.

Newcomer Seebold, running the MM Power Muller Transport Seebold hull moved up to 3^rd and was now looking at a podium for his first race since last racing on the tour at the end of the 1994 season. Seebold ran a conservative race in a new composite boat, his first ever in his racing career in a craft that didn't hit the water until qualifying on Saturday. The 43 year-old star from Marco Island, Florida was the only driver in the race without power-steering and was tired after the event while finishing 3^rd and taking home 12 valueable point.

For Selio, the series 2^nd youngest driver, he was a factor to the end with a strong finish in and took 15 points home with some hope of having a greater season when his new boat arrives soon for the VividVeldon Team.

Comparato took home 4^th in his ever slowing boat, while Italian Fabrizio Bocca made a great run in his DAC Corona Beer boat, starting last from the dock and pushing his way toward the front all day rounding out the afternoon in 5^th place.

Portugese driver Duarte Benavente came home in 6^th place with a chance to move up but his engine went sour with 12 laps to go and he had to settle for 6^th after looking for a top 5 performance. Frenchman Philippe Dessertenne driving the Charente Maritime machine came from mid pack to move up into the top 5 pushing Seebold for a long time when the American was in 4^th, only to run short on fuel at the end and falling to 7^th.

Thani Al Qamzi of Abu Dhabi finished 8^th after starting 2^nd from last after the opening lap while England's Andy Elliott took the final points in the KRB Tetlaw hull that hit the water for the first time after being shipped from New Zealand just days before.

Awad Al Quibaisi dropped out at the end, while Vincenzo Polli barrel rolled his way out of the event 39 laps into the race, while Massimo Roggiero left 18 laps in while looking for another podium finish while being in 6^th place. Jari Honkala spun out after 22 laps, while Franco Leidi, Gert Ladefoged and Eros Angelini did not start.

Round two of the 2002 UIM F1 World Championship for power boating moves on to beautiful Campione d Italia during the weekend of the 19^th of May as Cappellini will be looking for his 2^nd straight win on Lake Lugano.