CAPPELLINI DOMINATES WITH 31 SECOND WIN IN CAGLIARI!
GILLMAN AND PHARAON

CAGLIARI, Italy: (6th of July) ­  Italian Guido Cappellini captured his 46th career win on the beautiful island of Sardinia for the 6th Annual Grand Prix of the Mediterranean in front of the tens of thousands of sun drenched race fans that lined around the 2.3 kilometer 8-turn course in awe of a driver who had a perfect day winning by over 31 seconds from the rest of the field and now has a taken back the World Championship lead with 55 points.

Cappellini was slow off the start but still managed to take the lead into the first turn of the event and moved ahead of 2nd place running Francesco Cantando of the Singha Beer sponsored team and stretched out a 10 boat length lead by the end of the first lap.

Cantando, tied with Cappellini in points coming into the event, developed a problem when his propeller blade broke apart and he was forced to slow and then drop out after 30 laps. A  heart breaking development considering he was pushing Cappellini early this season but is now 20 points back.

Saudi Arabian driver Laith Pharaon was in 3rd from the start and got caught up in traffic lost a bit rythmn but reached the podium for the first time this season and now is 6th in the championship with 21 points. Pharaon further proved his point with special 33rd lap speed that set the fast lap of the day with a 56.14 second effort. He know heads off to Germany knowing that he has a chance to win coming close a year ago.

American Scott Gillman pushed hard early moving from 7th to 4th on the first lap and eventually passing Pharaon and Cantando to finish 2nd on the afternoon. It was the 6th straight time in 6 races here in Sardinia that Gillman has been on the podium which is a record and hope for winning his 3rd World Title now with 27 points on the season and two straight podium finishes.

Italian Fabio Comparato had a solid performance coming from his 8th starting position to finish a fine 4th and now is 4th in the title chase with 25 points in his Comparato Racing effort. Portugese driver Duarte Benavente was in the top 5 for the 3rd straight event fighting his way back from a terrible start that saw him start back in 8th and move 3 spots forward. He now has 23 points on the year for 5th in the title run.

Frenchman Philippe Dessertenne pushed hard all day from 17th at the start to finish 7th . England’s Andy Elliott started 13th and pushed hard early and finished a welcome 7th his best result and his 3rd straight top 10 of the season.

Danish driver Gert Ladefoged was 8th after starting 9th his 2nd top 10 finish while rookie Julius Leysen picked up his first championship points of his career with a fine run just behind his teammate.

Fabrizio Bocca started 12th and got his 3rd straight top 10 in his Corona Beer sponsored Rainbow racing effort finishing 10th.

Finnish star Sami Selio had a drive shaft end his day while running in the top 6 on the 37th lap while Itialian Massimo Roggiero didn’t start because of a finger he broke in the morning in a paddock accident.

The next round will be the Grand Prix of Germany for the 3rd annual event in Stralsund on the first week of August.