CAPPELLINI & CANTANDO LOOK FOR STRALSUND 2ND’S!
GILLMAN & PHARAON HOPE TO BE PARTY WRECKERS!

LAUSANNE, Switzerland: (27th of July) – One thing you can always say about the Grand Prix of Germany, expect large crowds and a lot of physical boat racing. The 3rd Annual Grand Prix of Germany and the 4th round of the U.I.M. F1 World Championship for power boating comes again to the eastern German city of Stralsund in the tourist area around Rugen Island near the border of Poland in what should be a weekend full of race fans and racing action in the inner harbor.

Last year defending World Champion Guido Cappellini of the Zepter Team all but locked up his 7th title with a win, he would be the first to say, was in a word “lucky”. American Scott Gillman had the pole in 2002 but off the start was slow and Cappellini grabbed the early lead only to lose it to 2001 winner Francesco Cantando of the Singha Beer sponsored machine only after he and Cappellini rubbed sponsons all the way down the back straight. As they continued their battle, Gillman then stepped in and around them both to take the lead away from the two Italians only to drop out with engine problems, as did Cantando, a few laps before Gillman.

Cappellini had the lead but was lucky to hold it for Saudi Arabian driver Laith Pharaon who was hot on his heals and just behind him was taken out by a crash on a restart.  From then on, it was Cappellini’s to lose which he did not do picking up his 5th and final victory of the season in 2002.

Who looks to be the “intimidator” at this little bull ring just inside the Baltic, in a word, Cantando! He owned the race course in 2001 taking pole and the race with relative ease in a dominating performance with Gillman 2nd and Cappellini 3rd. If anyone can challenge the man from Milan it would be part of the “three Amigo’s” mentioned above in Gillman, Cappellini or Pharaon who struggled here his first year in 2001 but doesn’t plan to do it again this season now that he is back in the points picture with 21.

Others could surprise, like Duarte Benavente of Portugal who has 3 straight top 5’s this season, while Frenchman Philippe Dessertenne was 2nd here a year ago and 4th in 2001 and looking forward to another victory on the tour. Fabio Comparato, Mr. “Smooth as Glass” from nearby Venice, has a 5th in 2001 and started 3rd while not finishing last year. Another Italian to watch is Massimo Roggiero of the Baba Seaquest Team but his physical standing isn’t 100% certain with his finger injury at the last round, but he should be ready to go.

Englishman Andy Elliott part of the Green Team has 3 top 10’s this season, while Dane Gert Ladefoged of the Danita Team who had his career best finish a year ago in Stralsund with a 4th, has two top 10’s in three starts and Italian Fabrizio Bocca of the Corona Extra Team is hoping for a 4th straight top 10 in 2003.

It all comes down to a hard physical event which saw just 6 boats finish last year with walls lining almost all the way around the short “bullring” of a circuit in Stralsund. The 4th round of the U.I.M. F1 World Championship weekend of the 2nd and 3rd of August could be another race the fans in the north of Germany won’t soon forget, that’s why they keep coming back in large numbers every year to the Grand Prix of Germany.