CAPPELLINI POWERS WAY TO 5TH POLE IN 2003!
GILLMAN AND COMPARATO 2ND & 3RD IN SINGAPORE!

SINGAPORE: (25TH of October) -  Italian Guido Cappellini stormed his way to his 5th pole of the season and will lead the field of 24 drivers for the Grand Prix of Singapore, the 6th round of the U.I.M. F1 World Championship for powerboating.

The lead driver of the Zepter Team waited for his 2nd of two laps in the top 6 shootout to overtake American Scott Gillman of the Emirates with a time of 37.68 around the 5 pin 1.8 kilometer course at a speed of 171.97 kph.

Cappellini's time was 1.1 seconds quicker than Gillman's who had set the quick time of the day of a 38.78 and 167.96 kph just moments before in his DAC Emirates sponsored effort. Gillman, who had struggled for getting the right balancing was mired in 8th for much of the session before storming up to 3rd after two qualifying efforts.

Italian Fabio Comparato of the Comparato Racing Team jumped from 6th to 3rd with a 39,22 time while Saudi driver Laith Pharaon of the Green Team had another fine qualifying day with a 4th and a speed of 164.92 kph.

Finnish star Sami Selio of the Viemero sponsored boat was happy with his 5th and a time of 40.31 back with Mercury power for the 2nd race after running a unsuccessful Johnson 3 litre powered boat for almost a year and one-half.

Jon Jones the multi-time world champion who has spent most of the season in the commentary booth has come back onto the water for the 2nd time and with backing from Maurice Lacroix will start from the 6th position in his Burgess boat from the United Kingdom after setting a time of 40.42.

Rounding out the top 10 will be Thani Al Qamzi of the Emirates with a 42.07, Philippe Dessertenne of France in the Ligier Sports sponsored boat with a 42.18 in 8th and rookie Ivan Brigada in the Zepter number 2 boat in 9th and in 10th Gert Ladefoged in the DanIta Racing Team from Denmark with a 42.40.

The Grand Prix of Singapore will begin at 15:00  local time, 9:00 CET and at 3:00 am Eastern Daylight Time in North America.