Eyes on the Ciantars as 2009 season springs to life

Maltese waters will be transformed into a high-speed racing circuit this weekend as the 2009 Powerboat P1 World Championship sets off with the Malta Grand Prix of the Sea.

This year's GP offers an added attraction to local water sport enthusiasts as pilot Aaron Ciantar and throttleman Angelo Tedeschi will be defending their SuperSport world title.

They will do so for a new team after accepting the offer of Ukrainian businessman Victor Shemchuk to race for his Seagull team. Ciantar and Tedeschi will be competing in a Mercury-powered Chaudron boat.

The Ciantars' strong connection with powerboat racing has been further enhanced by the competitive comeback of Audrienne, Aaron's sister. Audrienne Ciantar, who partnered her brother in the early years of the Powerboat P1 Championship, has teamed up with Britain's Shelley Jory for the all-woman Racing Project team.

Ciantar and Jory will race the Chaudron boat used by SuperSport winners Conam Yachts last year.

Retaining his status as the no.1 pilot in SuperSport is Aaron Ciantar's one and only target this season.

"When you are the reigning world champion there can only be one objective - to defend your title," Ciantar said recently.

"We are aware that most of the other teams will be looking to offer a strong challenge this year but I'm very pleased with the performances of our new boat."

The Malta GP of the Sea event schedule kicked off yesterday with the 2008 Championship Awards reception at the Corinthia Hotel San Ġorġ, the home to the P1 staff and teams for the race weekend.

Official testing for the Evolution and SuperSport class boats takes place today, with the two World Championship rounds being staged tomorrow (70-mile endurance Race) and on Sunday afternoon (40-mile sprint race).

This year's P1 World Championship will feature a number of new teams and venues, with the series heading east to Istanbul in June for the very first Turkish Grand Prix of the Sea and then north to Gothenburg for the inaugural Scandinavian Grand Prix of the Sea in August.