GILLMAN CAPTURES POLE IN ITALIAN G.P.!
CAPPELLINI'S PROTEST FAILS AND WILL START 2 ND !

STRESA, ITALY:JULY 25 TH - Defending World Champion Scott Gillman of Basalt, Colorado earned his first pole of the season as he saved his best performance for his last lap and did a time of 1:01.47 around the 2 kilometer course for a speed of 105.41kph and will start at the front of the 19 boat field for the 6 th Round of the U.I.M. F1 World Championship for powerboats at the Italian Grand Prix.

Gillman's speed was not the fastest of the day as 4-time World Champion and points leader Guido Cappellini of nearby Como, Italy had done a 1:01.29 second tour but was disqualified for having left the course in a wrong manner and had his fast lap taken from him. Cappellini protested, but the rule stood and he will start 2 nd on the grid missing out on his 5 th pole position in 6 starts finishing with an official time of 1:01.79 for a speed of 104.87kph.

Jonathan Jones of Cardigan, Wales was the first non-DAC boat to qualify in the top 10 running the American built Seebold to a speed of 104.31kph and a time of 1:02.12. For Jones who sits with 42 points and 3 rd in the World Championship, 5 behind Gillman and 18 behind Cappellini, it was important for the 41 year old to stay close to the front of the pack on the dock for tomorrow's race as he earned his 3 rd top three starting spot of the season.

Italian Massimo Roggiero, teammate to Cappellini on the DAC Team qualified in the top 5 for the first time and his best performance of the season with a time of 1:04.60 and 100.30kph. Roggiero, is 7 th in the World Championship with 25 points.

Another Italian, Francesco Cantando of Milan was 5 th quickest, his 4 th time this year in the top 5 did a time of 1:04.86 and a speed of 99.90kph. Starting in the 6 th spot will be Swedish driver Goran Karlof, 4 th in the World Championship with 32 points reached the top 6 for the 3 rd time this year and will take his time of 1:05.96 and 98.24kph into the event, looking for his 2 nd win of the season.

Thomas Ericsson of Sweden had his first top 10 qualifying effort of the season, will start 7 th with a 92.01kph lap; Carlos Maidana of Argentina will begin from the 8 th position with a 90.75kph lap.

19 drivers from 9 different nations will tackle the twisty course at beautiful Lake Maggiore in Stresa for the 6 th Round of the U.I.M. F1 World Championship beginning at 11:00 local and 5:00am Eastern Daylight Time.