JONES WINS CHAMPIONSHIP WITH 1 ST WIN OF SEASON!
CAPPELLINI & GILLMAN FAIL TO FINISH!

DECEMBER 3RD, ABU DHABI - Welshman Jonathan Jones saved his best for last capturing his 4 th World Championship by winning his first race of the season on the demanding 2 kilometer course in the inner harbor in Abu Dhabi on the 9 th and final round of the U.I.M. F1 World Championship for powerboating.

Jones, who was 9 points back of 4-time World Champion Guido Cappellini of Como, Italy, coming into the event, had failed to win a race and was hoping for luck to bring him his 4 th title, and on this day he got just that. Finland's Pertti Leppala started from the pole and drove away from the field, leading by as much as 18 seconds before hitting a large piece of wood and dropping out on the 30 th of 44 laps.

Defending World Champion Scott Gillman of Basalt, Colorado took over the point in 1 st place and was being chased by Jones now in 2 nd with Gillman knowing he only needed to stay in front in order for him to take his 2 nd straight championship. However, the "bad luck bug" bit Gillman with just 7 laps to go and he had his first engine failure in 2 season's and handed the championship to Jones in the process. Gilllman finished 4 th in the World Championship battle.

Cappellini, who only needed to finish 6 th to take the title, was conservative in his approach to the race, qualifying a lowly 8 th and was sitting in 5 th when he started to slow, dropping down to 8 th before ending his race 18 laps in with electrical problems. Cappellini was looking for his 5 th title in 6 seasons and ended up 2 nd in the championship with 81 points.

Massimo Roggiero, the 2 nd driver of the powerful DAC Racing effort, came on strong with a 2 nd place finish and captured 3 rd in the World Championship with 69 points while finishing 32 seconds behind Jones.

Argentina driver Carlos Maidana, finished up a frustrating year with style taking 3 rd and finishing 10th in the championship. He switched for this race running a Seebold boat using his own engine program that seemed to really suit the likeable driver who now makes his home in Great Britian.

Rookie of the year candidate Sami Selio of Finland was 4th and finished 9th in the World Championship despite joining the team in the season's 3rd race.
Italy's Francesco Cantando who finished 2nd here a year ago was 5th, while newcomer Craig Bailey of Australia was 6th. France's Franck Revert was 7th and Italian newcomer Fabio Comparato was an impressive 8th.

Jones's victory marks him as the 3rd title holder in the last 3 years with 6 different drivers winning the 9 races in 1998.

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