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PORTO LIGHTS UP
IMPRESSIVE F1H2O
CALENDAR
STAR-STUDDED CAST SET
TO TAKE AQUABIKE WORLD
CHAMPIONSHIP TO EVEN
GREATER HEIGHTS
GUIDOCAPPELLINI JOINS TEAM
ABUDHABI AS TECHNICAL
DIRECTORANDCOACH
The news that the World’s leading
powerboat
Championship
will
rekindle its long-standing tradition
and association of racing in Portugal,
which began in 1999 and sees the
sport back racing on Portuguese
waters for the first time since 2011,
was warmly welcomed at press
conference at Pousada do Porto in
February, attended by the Mayor
of Porto, Rui Moreira, the Mayor of
Gaia, Eduardo Vítor Rodrigues, Idea
Marketing S.A. vice president Lavinia
Cavallero and F1 Atlantic team
owner-driver Duarte Benavente.
“Our sport has a long and deep
routed association with Portugal
and we are delighted to be back and
that the beautiful City of Porto is the
new venue and home for F1H2O,”
said Lavinia Cavallero. “Porto is a
spectacular setting and to be racing
here for the first time is something
that all of us are looking forward to.”
In addition to Liuzhou in China,
Abu Dhabi and Sharjah in the UAE,
Porto is one of four new venues on
the 2015 calendar, with races and
venues in Europe, China and Asia to
be confirmed in the coming weeks.
Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club (ADIMSC) has confirmed
the appointment of Italian racing legend Guido Cappellini as coach and
technical director of TeamAbuDhabi’s F1H20 racing teamon a three-year
contract.
The record-breaking10-timeUIMF1H20WorldChampion, fromComo in
Italy, will also be responsible for the supervision of all racing equipment and
on-event teamoperations. Themove has been taken by TeamAbuDhabi to
continue the ADIMSC’s forward-thinking strategy in line with the overall
vision of the Abu Dhabi Government and plans developed by the Abu
Dhabi Sports Council to promote and develop sporting disciplines.
Speaking at a recent press conference His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin
Khalifa Al-Nahyan, advisor to the Head of State and chairman of the board
of directors of ADIMSC, confirmed that the decision to replace former
team manager Scott Gillman with Cappellini was in the best interests
for the team for the coming season and to give Team Abu Dhabi the best
possible opportunity to achieve success. “We always seek to build a strong
team to represent theUAE capital on all levels.”
TheADIMSCalso thankedScottGillman formore than15yearsof devoted
service to the club and Team Abu Dhabi. Gillman will always be a part of
the treasured heritage of the teamand the decision to replace himwith the
Italian was purely based on a change in strategy and different path for the
future.
The registered and provisional rider line up for 2015
and the now customary season-opener in Doha, Qatar is
littered with World, European and National Champions as
the World’s number one Aquabike tour looks set to scale
event greater heights, with a provisional listing of 46 riders
from 17 countries set to kick-start their title challenge.
A quartet of French stars boasting World and National
titles head-up the challengers in Runabout, with defending
World Champion Teddy Pons set to lead out a maximum
field of 25 riders in Doha.
Pons will face still opposition, not least from Jeremy Perez
who narrowly missed out in the title chase last season but
rounded out the year in top spot in the prestigious World
Rankings, Francois Medori and Cyrille Lemoine.
Italy’s 2011 World Champion, Mattia Fracasso, heads-up
the European challenge, with the likes of Sweden’s Lars
Akerblom and Poland’s Andrezj Wisniewski looking to
break French dominance.
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