Sail-World.com : Grand Prix of Gabon - Victory to start in pole position
Grand Prix of Gabon - Victory to start in pole position
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'Grand Prix of Gabon 2012'
Raffaello Bastiani
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In the Grand Prix of Gabon, Victory’s Arif Al Zafeen and Mohammed Al Marri will line up for race 1 in pole position after posting the quickest time in today’s official qualifying, which was attended by the country’s President, Ali Bongo Ondimba and Prime Minister, Raymond Ndong Sima.
The Victory duo posted the best time of the 90 minute session, 3.08.39secs, on their first of three flying laps around the 5.14Nm circuit to take their fourth consecutive pole position since teaming-up in Dubai last year. 'I think we were a little lucky today and had the best of the conditions,' said defending World Champion Al Zafeen. 'We had a good set-up but will change to longer props for the race because the corners are long and it is possible to stay on the throttle. The circuit is good but the conditions are very changeable.'
Today’s result gives Al Zaffeen and Al Marri their tenth and eleventh career pole position wins and extends their lead in the Edox Pole Position Championship to 21 points over UAE rivals, Team Abu Dhabi.
Fendi Racing’s Luca Fendi and Giovanni Carpitella marked their first outing running in their Victory hull with SCAM engines, posting the quickest time in the morning’s practice session and then producing their best result in qualifying to go second quickest in 3.12.04secs and move up into third place in the points table. 'This is a boat with an amazing pedigree,' said Luca Fendi. 'It is very different to our last boat and we still need to time to get used to it. But I am very pleased with today’s result. We are closing the gap on Victory and this is very significant.'
Team Abu Dhabi’s Rashed Al Tayer and Majed Al Mansoori were once again very competitive and in the mix going third fastest and now move into second place in the overall Edox points standings.
The Welmax (9) duo of William Nocker and Kurt Olsen produced one of the best results of the day in fourth place - the scratch pairing coming together at the eleventh hour with Nocker making his Class 1 debut and Olsen called-up to step in and replace Jorn Tandberg - and finish ahead of their teammates, Paul Gaiser and Bjorge Jacobsen. 'Our laps were far from perfect but we have only had six or seven laps in the boat together,' said newcomer Nocker. 'But to get fourth in qualifying and to be the best of the V8s in my first time in Class 1 is great.'
There was frustration for Guido Cappellini and Giampaolo Montavoci in Spirit of Gabon, who, after posting the third fastest time in practice and looked to be on target for quick times in qualifying were halted on both their runs by a recurring electrical problem. 'For one of the shortest boats out there it is very good in these rougher conditions,' said Cappellini. 'We are a little limited on set-up because the propellers we ordered months ago haven’t turned up but we will get round this. Qualifying was very frustrating but we have already showed we have good pace.'
There was also disappointment for Zabo-Isiklar’s Ugur Isik and Christian Zaborowski who failed to get out on the water after damaging their driveshaft at the end of practice and FA.RO Accia’s Gian Maria Gabbiani and Luca Nicolini who also failed to get out.
Gabon Grand Prix, Edox Pole Position – Results:
1. 3 Victory - A Al Zafeen (UAE) / M Al Marri (UAE) - 03.08,39
2. 10 Fendi Racing - L Formilli Fendi (ITA) / G Carpitella (ITA) - 03.12,04
3. 5 Team Abu Dhabi - R Al Tayer (UAE) / M Al Mansoori (UAE) - 03.14,89
4. 9 Welmax - W Nocker (ENG) / K Olsen (NOR) - 03.18,04
5. 90 Welmax - P Gaiser (BRA) / B Jacobsen (NOR) - 03.28,25
74 Spirit of Gabon - G Cappellini (MON) / G Montavoci (ITA) - DNF
23 FA.RO. ACCIAI - G M Gabbiani (ITA) / L Nicolini (ITA) - DNS
91 Zabo-Isiklar - U Isik (TUR) / C Zaborowski (NOR) - DNS
Edox Pole Position Championship - after round two:
1. 3 Victory Team - 40pts 2. 5 Team Abu Dhabi - 21pts 3= 10 Fendi Racing - 15pts 3= 96 Spirit of Qatar - 15pts 5. 90 Welmax - 14pts 6. 95 Spirit of Qatar - 12pts 7. 9 Welmax - 9pts 8. 74 Spirit of Gabon - 5pts 9. 91 Zabo-Isiklar - 4pts 10. 23 FA.RO. ACCIAI - 3pts
 | Grand Prix of Gabon 2012 - Raffaello Bastiani |
 | Grand Prix of Gabon 2012 - Raffaello Bastiani |
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9:31 PM Thu 12 Jul 2012GMT
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