The Chaudron story in the powerboats championship is now in its seventh year. It was a modest start in 2004 while, both as boat builders and crew, the Ciantar family observed, integrated and discovered.
Wicked Valletta was their first racer in the SuperSport category of the powerboat championship.
Initially, the 10-metre Chaudron 33 shied away from making the winners' podium, yet their participation was being followed, studied and assessed and eventually in 2007 came a significant breakthrough - Italian racing aficionado Angelo Tedeschi commissioned the Ciantars to build a 13-metre boat for the new season.
Furthermore, the Italian owner insisted that Aaron Ciantar would team up with him as driver, a crucial offer, where the only regret was the relinquishing of the brother-and-sister team.
Yet, Audrienne Ciantar's presence on the powerboats circuit was only temporary withheld.
One must remark that the 2005 championship was a rewarding experience to the Maltese participants as "46 ESI Chaudron" gained third place overall in SuperSport.
Furthermore, the Ciantars won two awards, namely, Sportsperson of the Season, won by Charles Ciantar, and Rookie of the Year which went to Aaron.
In 2006, Aaron and Audrienne, raced the striking 'Casino at Portomaso' 10-metre yellow boat.
Fruitful venture
This Italian-Maltese partnership was a big success. The Chaudron-built 'Roscioli Hotels Roma' won the SuperSport category for both the 2007 and 2008 seasons.
This competitive achievement further strengthened the standing of the Maltese brand on the international scene to the tune that a Ukrainian powerboat enthusiast, Victor Shemchuk, approached Chaudron with a business proposal.
He would order a Chaudron powerboat to contest the champ-ionship on condition that Aaron would join his team as driver.
Shemchuk did eventually order a 13-metre Chaudron on agreement that Aaron, together with Tedeschi, the 2007 and 2008 winning duo, join and race for the Ukrainian team.
In the agreed arrangement, Shemchuk was to be the team's navigator, a role which, on some occasions, he handed over to the fourth member of the squad, Oleksiy Chendekov.
The business-sport scheme of Shemchuk paid dividends as this winning team raced "Seagull Chaudron" to conquer a highly-contested 2009 SuperSport championship, establishing unique records in the process.
Shemchuk became the first Ukraine national to win a powerboats championship on his first attempt, Tedeschi made it a hat-trick of consecutive championships, Aaron Ciantar, as a driver, made it a double with a follow-up victory to that of 2008, and boat builders Chaudron made it an extraordinary hat-trick of wins as constructors.
Season 2009 also saw the first ever all-female team on the P1 circuit.
This was made up of Shelley Jory (driver) and Audrienne Ciantar (throttle). The 'girls' raced Tedeschi's 2007 Chaudron winner, renamed 'Iko Casa', and finished fifth overall.
Since their baptism-of-fire in 2004, there has been a cycle of five Chaudron boats on the circuit. The first four raced in SuperSport with the current one experiencing the Evolution Class.
The 2010 P1 season presents new daring adventures yet endowed with experience and success, the Ukrainian-Maltese partnership faces the oncoming challenges with confidence and determination.
'Ukrainian Spirit', with Shemchuk and Ciantar as crew, is an innovative test, making it a year to look forward too.
Yet, on May 7-8, the first outing of the P1 season at the Yalta Grand Prix of the Sea, misfortune struck following a few thrilling moments.
"We started at seventh place but by the fourth lap we were leading the fleet, a position we held for five laps. Then, half-a-lap from the finish line the engines blew," related Aaon Ciantar.
A great disappointment indeed having to face repeat break-downs - apparently three engines blew up over a number of days - on the first real tough testing opportunity for a new boat.
Yet, the problem has been identified and referred to the engine manufacturers where it has been recognised as a 'factory problem'.
As a result of this, 'Ukrainian Spirit' will be having new engines of a different brand for the next racing meeting.
Irrespective of the Yalta failure, is the Ukrainian-Maltese team still confident that 'Ukrainian Spirit' will leave its mark on the 2010 Evolution championship?
"Well, both Victor and I believe we have a powerful boat and if everything goes as planned we should have a rewarding season. Yalta was our first experience in the Evolution championship and except for the engine failures it was a positive performance which left a good impression, well recognised by all the other drivers," Ciantar said.
But besides the closed canopy, what makes Evolution and SuperSport classes different?
"Power. In the Evolution Class there is no speed limit, obviously giving way to much more powerful racing and extra fun," Ciantar remarked.
So, the Chaudron saga in world class powerboat racing goes on, living new experiences and facing new challenges which records have shown could easily turn into opportunities.