Naples makes it a spectacular number two

The second of the seven grands prix making up this season's UIM Powerboat P1 World Championship 2007, promoted and organised by Powerboat P1 Management Ltd of London, will be held this weekend with the romantic Bay of Naples presenting the backdrop for what should be a thrilling spectacle.

Following the frustrating experience of the Maltese Grand Prix of the Sea, where dangerous high sea conditions forced the cancellation of the main racing programme, the 20 boats and teams from around the world will be looking for action, excitement and glamour at the Italian Grand Prix of the Sea.

The two racing classes, Evolution and SuperSport, will be fielding ten teams each, all race-prepared and really eager to put their machines to test and start gaining precious points.

A truly international line-up with the seven Italian teams to race against competitors hailing from the United Sates, China, United Kingdom, Belgium, Austria, Germany, France, Switzerland and Malta.

One characteristic of this GP is that five of the teams have strong local influences, boasting crew members or racing machines refined or built using Neapolitan craftsmanship.

One particular Neapolitan, Angelo Tedeschi, is most enthusiastic for this Grand Prix so he can show off his new 41-foot Chaudron boat, racing under the name of Roscioli Hotels Roma, to his home crowd.

Fresh from his impressive second place in the first event in Malta, team owner and throttleman Tedeschi hopes to be the SuperSport 'numero uno' in home waters. This is an exciting moment where having a second Malta-made boat at the level of play undoubtedly should give the local boat builders a new dimension on the international powerboat racing circuit.

Meanwhile, following their fourth placing in Malta, 33-footer Portomaso Chaudron are looking forward to their second visit to Naples.

"In the prevailing rough conditions at the opening GP in Malta, we were most careful not to sustain any damage. Therefore, finishing fourth was a satisfying result," said Aaron Ciantar prior to the team's departure to Italy.

"We raced in Naples once in 2005 where we got a third placing. The course there, made up of short laps, suits well our boat which performed extremely steady."

Besides the actual powerboat P1 racing programme, the World Championship calendar is turning out to be a spectacular manifestation with additional attractions making the event a crowd-pulling appointment.

In this Italian Grand Prix of the Sea it will be the Amerigo Vespucci, the 26-sail tall ship, built by the naval shipyard of Castellammare di Stabia in 1930, that will sail into the Bay as part of a weekend celebrating Naples rich nautical heritage.

The Powerboat P1 Italian Grand Prix of the Sea will be made up of a two-leg racing programme to be held today and tomorrow, starting at 12.30 p.m. on both days.

Prior to the start of the second event of the 2007 Powerboat P1 World Championship, the top three teams in each category are:

Evolution Class: 1. OSG Racing (Italy) 110 pts; 2. Wettpunkt.com (Austria) 90; 3. Trident Corse (Italy) 70.

SuperSport Class: 1. Extremeboat (UK) 110; 2. Racing Project (Italy) 90; 3. Bullet Racing (UK) 70.