World’s most iconic tourist destinations, Ibiza, on
5-7 September.
The news of the inclusion of the V1 class [formerly
Evolution] resulted in an immediate and positive
response with five teams signing up, Searex from
Germany, RG87 and Tommy Racing from Italy,
Chaudron from Malta and Silverline from the UK.
With the rules for Class 1 well set, it was agreed
that for 2014 the V1 boats will follow the existing
technical rules of the UIM EVO class with new
procedures to be adopted for 2015 and beyond
with regard to measurement certificates and pre-
race safety checks, that are already in place in
Class 1.
The key technical criteria for V1 is governed by a
minimum-maximum length of 10.97 to 13.41m and
a minimum weight of 4000kgs, with capacity set
at 13.000cc for inducted diesel and 9.315cc for
inducted petrol engines, normally aspirated petrol
engines set at 11.000cc. The maximum power
output for petrol-engined boats is a DPO (declared
power output) to weight of 1hp per 3.5ksg with
diesel-engined boats set at 1hp per 3.35ksg – all
boats limited to three engines per Grand Prix and
all running cast propellers.
The racing format, devised to ensure greater event
and racing entertainment for spectators, sponsors
and media will see Class 1 and V1 running together
on a simple mirror-image circuit with separate sets
of turn-buoys, Class 1 turning on the inside marks,
V1 the outside and a spectacular rolling start with
all boats running line-a-breast.
The target for any aspiring title contender in 2014 in
Class 1 is simple, to try to break the vice-like grip that
Dubai’s Victory Team has had on the coveted Sam
Griffith Trophy since 2007, courtesy of Champions
Arif Al Zaffain, Nadir Bin Hendi, Mohammed Al
Marri and the late Jean-Marc Sanchez.
Their recent domination speaks for itself and not
since the glory years from 1998 to 2006 when their
then nemesis Spirit of Norway won six World titles
to Victory’s three and dominated Pole Position
winning six titles to Victory’s one has a team got
close to taking their [Victory’s] crown or compete
with them for race wins, other than the odd fleeting
incursion of success by Jolly Motor, Maritimo, the
Qatar Team and more recently Victory Australia
and LFF8.
2013 saw Arif Al Zaffain and Mohammed Al Marri
extend the teams’ remarkable record of wins to 98
from 175 starts in 21 years to wrap up a 13th World
title and a ninth Pole Position Championship. But
despite a 31-point winning margin over Zabo-Isiklar
the duo that came together in 2011 and have won
14 times did not have it all their own way.
They kicked off in style in Sanya in China to
complete the win-treble and take an early lead in
the title race but were pushed hard throughout
qualifying and in race 1 by Zabo-Isiklar. In Turkey
the rails seemed to come off – albeit momentarily
– the usually tight turning Victory hull, Al Zaffain
and Al Marri spinning out twice in race 1 and retiring
before resuming normal service to take the win in
race 2.
Their troubles continued in Italy and despite closing
out the Pole Position Championship and winning
race 1, a broken propeller in race 2 ended their
hopes of lifting an eighth European title, limping
across the line in sixth. In Abu Dhabi they eased
to a fourth pole in qualifying but another broken
propeller in race 1 gifted the win to their teammates,
but Al Zaffain and Al Marri wrapped up the season
with a Championship winning drive to seal a 13th
crown.
Victory remains the team to beat in 2014 with Nadir
bin Hendi returning to partner Arif Al Zaffain, but
they are likely to face an increasingly strengthening
challenge from Zabo-Isiklar and LFF10.
2013 was the year that Zabo Racing’s Christian
Zaborowski and Ugur Isik staked their claim as
potential race and title winners and but for a rather
large slice of misfortune would have picked up
their long overdue race win.
They gave Victory a run for their money in race 1 in
China, leading for over half race distance, finishing
second, and were set to do it again when they
barrel-rolled out of race 2. Repaired and ready to go
again in Turkey, Zaborowski and Isik clawed their
way from the back of the pack to take a brilliant
second but failed to start race 2. They completed a
hat-trick of second-placed finishes in the opener in
Italy and were in front with less than half a lap to the
chequered flag when they ran out of fuel, limping
home in third. Another second place in Abu Dhabi
and a herculean and spirited effort by Zaborowski
and Isik to just finish secured them their best ever
result in the Championship, the runners-up slot.
Looking to unseat them and Victory will be Fendi
Racing’s Luca Formilli Fendi and Giovanni Carpitella
whose season was a mix of great performances
and technical woes, and on several occasions they
were in winning positions when their races came to
a premature halt.
They settled for the third step of the podium twice
in China and were on course for a win in Turkey
when a torque sensor let go and curtailed their race,
but they bounced back to finish second in race 2.
An overzealous first corner in Italy taking out a turn
buoy, resulting in a 25-second penalty, cost them
second place and another broken torque sensor
in race 2 robbed them of a win. They rounded out
there year with a fourth and a second in Abu Dhabi
to take third overall in the title race.
H20 MAGAZINE - SEPTEMBER 2014 | 33
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