CANTANDO ENDS YEAR OF FRUSTRATION WITH WIN IN IRELAND!
CAPPELLINI AND PHARAON FILL THE PODIUM!

WATERFORD, Ireland: (15th September, 2002) - Italian Francesco Cantando ended his 8 race losing streak and almost a full year of frustration by winning the Grand Prix of Ireland on the tricky the 3-pin course on the River Suir at the 8th race on the U.I.M. F1 World Championship tour for powerboating in Waterford, Ireland.

Cantando, in his Singha Beer sponsored boat, moved from his 5th position off the dock to the head of the field in just 12 laps, passing World Champion and pole sitter Guido Cappellini of the Zepter Team as he cruised to a 5 second victory, his 7th of his career and his 1st in 2002.

Cappellini, struggled with handling on his DAC hull and held off a late charge by 3rd place finisher Laith Pharaon of Saudi Arabia in his Team Green DAC. A crowd, estimated at over 40,000, saw a spirited fight between many of the top 10 drivers.  Pilots such as 4th place Philippe Dessertenne of France pushed forward from 12th position, while 5th place Fabrizio Bocca come up from 17th place and Andy Elliott took 9th after charging up from 16th place.

Other drivers fell into despair as 2nd place qualifyer Fabio Comparato slipped to 7th with handling problems, as did Massimo Roggiero, starting 4th and finishing 6th when the day was over. Sweden's Jari Honkala took 9th position with Team Green's Thani Al Qamzi was 10th, his 4th top 10 of the season.

The 3-pin race course was a attrition nightmare with 9 drivers failing to finish. Sixth place starter Ivan Torta of the Singha Beer Team and teammate of winner Cantando was out early after two laps. Dane driver Gert Ladefoged lasted 5 laps, while Irish driver Will Chambers in the Vivid Veldon Team lasted 10 laps as the first ever Irish driver on the U.I.M. F1 World Championship tour.

Swedish driver Pierre Lundin was running towards the top 10 until dropping out 11 laps into the event, while Sami Selio struggled with computer problems running while 8th in the event dropping out and finishing 16th.

The bad luck story of the weekend easily went to American Scott Gillman. While fighting for pole early in the 2nd timed session on Saturday, he crashed heavily and watched his 4th fast time end him outside the top-6 qualifying run thus starting 7th. He lasted just 17 laps as he continued his engine problems that he had all weekend and left the race 17 laps in and not very happy.

Multi-time World Champion Jonathan Jones dropped out of the event after a fine run getting back into a race boat for the first time in over a year qualifying 8th and pushing hard up to the top 6 before his day ended with mechanical problems.

Russian driver Stanislav Kourtsenovsky starting 25th was moving up into the top 15 until dropping out after 54 laps and taking 14th position.

The series will now take a break until the next event in the Emirates in Sharjah on the 13th of December and the following week on the 20th in Abu Dhabi to wrap up the 2002 campaign. With Cappellini already taking the crown, there is still a huge battle between 5 different drivers fighting for the runner-up spot in the championship. Dessertenne has 55, Pharaon has 54, Gillman has 51, Roggiero has 49 and Comparato has 46. With 40 points still up for grabs it will a great fight to the finish. Plus, the pole postion and the Go-Up vehicle is still awaiting the fastest qualifying driver of the season. A lot left to be decided, a lot of season still to go. Off to the Emirates.