For immediate release
On June 14, the Adriatic port of Bari in Southern Italy will provide the spectacular backdrop for the eagerly awaited opening round of the 1998 U.I.M. Class 1 World Powerboat Championship. The capital of the Puglia region, in the peninsular heel of the country, is perhaps best known for its magnificent Romanesque cathedrals, castles, and medieval treasures.
The Basilica of San Nicola, the Svevo Castle, the Convent of Saint Scolastica and the Old Town, will however form a stark contrast to the sleek, state of the art powerboats which are set to descend on the region. Bari was given the honour of staging the first race of the season, following the postponement of the June 7 Taranto event, due to ‘unavoidable emergency construction work’ in the harbour. The event will however be re-scheduled for later in the year, in order to ensure that the series is still run over eight races, from venues as far afield as Istanbul, Oslo and Dubai.
Bari’s geographical position - flat terrain, miles of picturesque olive groves and mild climate, offer the teams little indication as to the conditions they will face on the unpredictable waters of the Adriatic. Stirred by the Tramontana winds blowing in from Siberia, conditions will be demanding and will test the toughness and reliability of both craft and crew over a grueling 11 lap 124nm course.
With an expanded fleet of 13 boats, and 10 nationalities represented among the contesting crew members, the positive changes within the sport since the appointment of Norwegian based promoter, Offshore Sport Promotion (OSP), are plainly evident.
Meanwhile, the crew-swapping ‘musical chairs’ of the close season may well herald 1998 as the year of the super team. Less than six months into his reign as defending World Champion, Laith Pharaon was seemingly without a drive, after failing to reach agreement with Jolly Motor Racing. Recently however, Pharaon announced a formidable partnership with veteran racer Edoardo Polli, who last year chased Pharaon into the runners-up position in the championship.
The mighty Victory Team arrives in Italy with the first ever all U.A.E. line-up and their sights firmly fixed on regaining the Class 1 and 2 titles that slipped from their grasp last year. Celebrating ten-years at the pinnacle of the sport, the team is investing heavily, with two new boats currently under construction set to bring added impetus to their title assault.
Under the watchful eye of its new promoter, OSP, the 1998 Championship is set to be one of the most competitive in the sport’s history, with any one of a number of teams claiming the right to Pharaon’s crown. Among the contenders, Bjorn Gjelsten and Steve Curtis have put the frustrations of ’97 behind them and spent the winter in closed-door sessions with engine manufacturer Lamborghini. Consequently, the Anglo-Norwegian pairing are in a confident mood following extensive testing in Norway where they reached speeds in excess of 150 mph.
Welshman Ken Thorne, is making the transition to the ‘premier league’ after storming onto the offshore scene three years ago and sealing his meteoric rise by lifting the Class 2 crown in Argentina last year. Thorne will contest the Class 1 Championship with Italian designer/builder, Matteo Nicolini, on-board a Nicolini-designed Seatek powered Catamaran.
From the other side of the world comes the threat from Australia, with Bill Barry Cotter and Keith Hanson bidding for honours. The pairing have a full winter of serious shake-down tests behind them and are confident that their magnificent 48 foot Detroit diesel-powered cat, will run at the front of the fleet.
With the proposed introduction of a new ‘Pole Position’ format, fuel restrictions and the return in strength of the mighty diesel engine, 1998 promises to be closely contested and competitively fought.
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