Kunitch In Critical Condition After 1st Lap 4 Boat Crash!
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates : (19th October) - Italian Francesco Cantando powered his way to an 11 second victory over FranceÕs Philippe Dessertenne to take the 10th annual Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi the 10th and final round of the 20th anniversary season of the U.I.M. F1 World Championship for power boating.
Cantando knew he would have to at least win the event, mission accomplished, but at the same time hope that his fellow Italian Guido Cappellini of the Assicom Team finish at least 8th or worst in order for him to overcome a 16 point deficate. Cappellini did what he had to do, cruising home to the finish in a race marred by a horrendous crash that involved four boats and stopped the race in the first corner of the very first lap.
As the field was funneling down into the turn pin on the east end of the race course, for the 2nd straight week a multi boat accident had Victor Kunitch of the Latvian Vivid Team getting in contact with Andy Elliott of Great Britian along with Italian Franco Leidi and Emirates driver Awad Al Qubaisi. Boats were flying in every direction as drivers were trying to avoid each other and when the accident ended Kunitch got the worst of it with his safety cell completely damaged and the driver left exposed and sent via helicopter in critical condition at the local hospital.
Awad Al Qubaisi also went to the hospital but was later released, while Franco Leidi received facial cuts with a possible broken nose also headed to the hospital for treatment. It took 45 minutes before the ambulances were back into place and the boats taken off the course before the race would re-start. Saudi Arabian driver Laith Pharaon led after a great hole shot for the 2nd straight week until he was finally passed by Francesco Cantando, on a mission for a win that he would never give up at this point.
Defending World Champion Scott Gillman, lead driver of the Emirates Team, slid into 2nd from his pole position and remained their until the final 9 laps when he dropped out ending his most disappointing season in his last 10 years of racing. His teammate Thani Al Qamzi barrel rolled out of a 5th place battle on turn 6 ending his race on the 3rd lap making all 3 Emirates Team members out of home event.
French driver Philippe Dessertenne came home a strong 2nd followed by Pharaon who was closing and just 3 seconds back at the 39th and final tour. Italian Massimo Roggiero had another steady run and finished 4th while Cappellini took 5th cruising around at 3/4 speed with a championship to win.
Swedish driver Jari Honkala was classified a fine 6th place taking a good run at rookie of the year honors while Portuguese driver Duarte Benavente end his day in 7th after taking out a buoy and losing a lap after running up in the top 5 at one point. Dubai driver Salem Al Khattal took 8th from his Michael Werner prepared machine while Russian Stanislav Kourtsenovsky was 9th in the other Vivid machine and Malaysian driver K.Y. Loi got his first point of the season by finishing a fine 10th position.
Cappellini has now won his 6th title on the strength of 4 straight victories at the start of the season and having his boat never fail him throughout the season. Cantando did everything he could but could not overcome a crash in Sharjah that made him play catchup at the final event after the championship was his to win coming to the two U.A.E. events.
The 2001 season will be remembered for a season that saw 4 different winners including two new names to the winning roster and 42 drivers from over 20 different nations battling for world championship points. It was a season to remember with Cappellini now crowned for a 6th time !
