During the last decade the U.I.M. Class 1 World Powerboat Championship has undergone a rollercoaster ride in the popularity stakes. During the 1970s, a series of Grands Prix hosted by different countries made up the UIM Class 1 World Championships. Eventually escalating costs finally forced the promoters to introduce a more financially viable format and a three race World Championship over a one week period at the same venue was adopted. The Championships were action-packed and exciting, but many felt that the ‘best man on the day’ was the likely winner as opposed to season long consistency.
1992 was to witness the end of the traditional three race Championship and it was replaced by the original format of several Grands Prix staged at various locations throughout Europe and the Middle East.
The first year attracted an incredible fleet of thirty plus craft and a star studded line-up of crews. Catamarans were the teams’ popular choice with the American-designed and built Skater making its European debut. The craft was an instant success and within two years even the most hardened Italian team owners were running Skaters; indeed throughout those first two seasons only Norwegian shipping magnate Andreas Ugland and throttleman Jann Hillestad remained faithful to the monohull design.
The ensuing years witnessed a steady decline in the size of the fleet, due to a severe recession in Europe, particularly Italy, one of the sport’s strongest supporters. Another factor that hastened the decline in numbers was the appearance of the seriously wealthy United Arab Emirates ‘Victory Team’, backed by the Maktoum family. The three boat ‘Victory Team’ starring an American throttleman and Arab driver heralded a new era of increasing ‘professionalism’. They did nothing by halves, employing a full support crew to keep each boat on song and in pristine condition. Rivals were faced with the prospect of either joining the elite club or looking elsewhere for the thrills. Although the fleet was reduced to only ten boats by 1997, almost the entire field exuded quality – there was no room for ‘shoe-string’ racers.
Italian textile magnate Eduardo Polli and team mate, former Ferrari F1 driver Lamberto Leoni had watched the sport transform from a highly competitive amateur pastime into the mega-million spectacular where each boat cost upwards of a million dollars. Norwegian industrialist Kjell Rokke invested a ‘kings ransom’ into his Lamborghini powered Tencara cat ‘Spirit of Norway’, only to discover that money cannot buy guaranteed success as reliability problems plagued his season. The same can be said of Rokke’s fellow countryman Bjorn Gjelsten who like Kjell dug deep into his wallet to campaign the best money could buy, but suffered a catastrophic season beset with mechanical failure.
Saudi Arabian Laith Pharaon and American John Tomlinson had dominated the USA Class 1 offshore scene in 1997 and few gave them a chance in the first foray into Europe. However, this popular duo proved that reliability, together with a fine turn of foot, can produce the goods as ‘Jolly Motors’ held Polli and Leoni at bay to win the ’97 world title. And then of course we had the three pronged attack of ‘Victory Team’. They had relied on the Stirling V8 powerplants to secure three world titles but for 1997 they were Lamborghini converts and this was to prove a headache for ‘Victory Team’ chiefs. Not only were the Dubai team experiencing their fair share of machinery gremlins, they had also seen their rivals adopt their ultra-professional policy, and an automatic top three place at each event was no longer a forgone conclusion.
Throughout 1997 the racing was, at times, exceedingly close with the winners’ average speeds often approaching a mind-boggling 140 mph. However the ‘premier’ division of offshore racing lacked one vital ingredient – a promoter that was as professional as the teams that provided the thrills and excitement.
At the beginning of 1998 it was announced that a new promoter OSP (Offshore Sport Promotion) had taken over the reigns of this high profile extravaganza and considerable funds would be invested into elevating the sport to where it belongs, as a serious rival to motor racing. The Norwegian company is eminently qualified to drive the sport forward. Owner Bjorn Gelsten, will contest this year’s Class 1 title with Briton Steve Curtis, while managing director Jann Hillestad is regarded as a world class throttleman. Such are the pledges of OSP to succeed where others have failed, that 1998 witnesses an increase in numbers taking part and guaranteed television exposure throughout the world.
Without wishing to burden any one team with the favourite prediction, it would appear any team of seven could be serious contenders for the ’98 title. Bjorn Gjelsten and his British throttleman Steve Curtis proved that when everything held together they were invincible as ‘Spirit of Norway’ stormed to victory in the final Grand Prix of ’97. The team have been carrying out serious testing during the winter months and Lamborghini are convinced they have eliminated many of the failures that robbed Gjelsten and Curtis of certain victories last year.
The ‘Bilba’ team has undergone two notable changes during the off season. Polli’s Aurantium cat has had Seatek diesels installed in place of Lamborghini and reigning World Champion driver Laith Pharaon takes over the hot seat previously occupied by Leoni. Leonardo now joins forces with Massimo Lippi in the world championship winning Tencara cat, ‘Jolly Motor’.
The Victory Team have two brand new-44 foot Michael Peters’ designed cats under construction in their Dubai factory but neither craft will be in race action until at least the Arendal Grand Prix. This year the team will feature the first all Arab Class 1 crew in the shape of Khalfan Harib ad Mohammed Al Ghaith. Al Ghaith replces American Ed Colyer, who along with Harib won the first world title for ‘Victory Team’ in ‘95.
Two-time winners of the world crown, Saeed El Tayer and Felix Serralles, will be pulling out all the stops to reclaim the title after a lack lustre ’97 season, while Randy Scism and Ali Nasser will be chasing the one trophy that has so far eluded them, the World Championship.
Welshman Ken Thorne stormed onto the offshore scene three years ago in the diesel powered Class 2 monohull formerly known as ‘Baby Uno’. After a very successful debut Thorne’s career was climaxed by winning the 1997 World Class 2 title in Argentina with Italian designer/builder Matteo Nicolini. The dynamic pair are now joining the ‘premier’ division with a brand new catamaran designed by Nicolini and powered by Seatek diesels. It will be fascinating to witness whether Thorne can continue his meteoric rise to fame in his first season in the ‘heavyweight’ class.
Australia’s Bill Barry-Cotter heads one of his country’s largest pleasure boat building companies, Riviera. Barrie-Cotter has used his expertise in composite construction to build ‘Riviera’ a magnificent 48-foot cat powered by Detroit diesels. The craft made its debut in Norway during the ’97 season in the hands of Barrie-Cotter and throttleman Keith Hanson. Although it was remarkably quick, the team had very little time to test the rig and this was reflected in the results. A full winter of serious shake-down trials now has ‘Riviera’ in tin top shape for a tilt at the title.
Giancarlo Corbelli and Alberto Diridoni have been starch supporters of Class 1 in their Isotta Franscini diesel powered ‘Power Marine’ craft. However builder Corbelli called it a day during the ’96 season when his cat caught fire and sank during the Rome Grand Prix. When OSP announced their plans for the new campaign, this experienced crew decided to once again take the plunge in a new craft and it would be no surprise to see the Power Marine Team on the podium during 1998. Unlike recent years in which petrol/gasoline have been the popular choice, 1998 welcomes a resurgence of the diesel engine with Seatek, Isotta Franscini, Baudain and Detroit playing a major part in the title chase.
As recent regulation changes rule out the use of Avgas, teams are now obliged to use petrol that is available at filling stations which may reflect in a loss of power for Lamborghini V12s. If this is the case, it could result in a very close competition between the high-revving petrol V12s and turbo charged diesel V8s.