CAPPELLINI CAPTURES VICTORY IN ABU DHABI!
GRUELLING RACE SEE'S ONLY 8 FINISHERS!

Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. (Friday, December 3rd) - In what turned into a war of attrition turned out to be good fortune for Guido Cappellini, as the driver from Monaco picked up his 5th victory of the season at the 8th Annual Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi. 22 pilots from 11 different nations started the 9th and final round of the 1999 U.I.M. F1 World Championship for powerboating, but after 47 laps, only 8 pilots came around the final pin.

Pole sitter Scott Gillman of Basalt, Colorado the 1997 World Champion and lead driver on the Emirates Team led on the race start until Norwegian Frode Sundsdal crashed into the first turn and forced a restart. Gillman, dropped out on the second start after his trim pump failed giving surprising Frenchman Philippe Dessertenne the lead, one that he would hold for the next 33 laps.

Finland's Pertti Leppala led for 10 laps before dropping out just past the midway point and his hopes to finish runner-up in the championship with it. Cappellini, who had a bad start, first moved past an ailing Jonathan Jones, then Italian Massimo Roggiero into 2nd place. Cappellini's door was finally opened to the led when Dessertenne stopped on the water on lap 35.

Hungarian Rudy Mihaldinecz charged to his first podium starting 11th and finishing 3rd 5 seconds behind Roggiero in 2nd. Italian Fabrizio Bocca had a wonderful day as the 1992 World Champion started a lowly 16th only to finish 4th his best placing of the season.

Swedish pilot Thomas Ericsson in his final race of his career, finished on a high note with a 5th and his best of the season. Danish pilot Gert Ladefoged got his first ever top 10 with a 7th place effort. The same story was for Alan Marshall of Great Britain in his first event since June taking 8th, while native son Awad Al Qubaisi in his first F1 start rounded out the top 10.

Cappellini finishes the season with the World title with 130 points, Scott Gillman 2nd with 67, Pertti Leppala 3rd with 55, Fabio Camparato 4th with 51 and Massimo Roggiero 5th with 40.

The start of the 2000 U.I.M. F1 World Championship will begin in April with a new and exciting line-up and can be checked regularly by going to the website www.f1boat.com.