P1 World Powerboat  08:30-08:45 GMT  10-MAY-2009  WF Date Shot:  Location: VALETTA Country: MALTA Sound:    Language:  Aspect ratio: 4:3 Source: GBICN Restrictions: Free worldwide access to all broadcasters This material is free of rights and free of charge in Europe (W3A), the Americas (NSS806) and Asia (Asiasat2) Dopesheet: SURPRISE VICTORY FOR BRITISH NEWCOMERS TEAM 26 AND FANTASTIC COMEBACK FOR ITALIAN?S CIGARETTE Malta, 9 May 2009: Today?s opening round of the Powerboat P1 World Championship in Malta resulted in a nail biting finish as SuperSport and Evolution class teams raced together in an awesome spectacle of power along Valetta?s historic coastline. A speeding penalty cost Baia Attolini the chance to claim a season-opening victory in the SuperSport Sprint race, handing the race victory to British new boys Team 26 Racing. With such small margins for error, it was just a single lap that proved the defining moment of the race.Lap eight of 11 proved decisive as Baia Attolini shelved the lead for the first time before regaining it whilst the pre-race favourites, Seagull Chaudron, wrestled the lead before a spin-out on the East end of the course, allowing both Baia and Team 26 Racing through into the top two places. Despite qualifying third in PowerPole, Baia Attolini made the early running and took to the front from the first buoy, with Seagull and the all-female #44 Ikocasa crew third. The second lap saw Team 26 Racing glide past Ikocasa, allowing the British crew of Daniel Cramphorn and Kim Collins to move closer to the front-runners of Baia Attolini and Seagull Chaudron. Having waited patiently for an opening, with three laps to go Team 26 Racing capitalised on a slight coming together between Baia Attolini and Seagull Chaudron, causing the latter to spin out, to slip into second. However, following investigations by the stewards, it was later revealed that a four minute penalty was to be imposed on the Baia Attolini team for speeding on three separate occasions. Baia?s misfortune was Team 26 Racing?s gain with the debutants picking up the full complement of 100 points in their maiden Powerboat P1 race. In the closed canopy Evolution class, Italian stallions Cigarette Smash Poker romped to an impressive victory to register maximum points, despite being handed the least favourable lane after the PowerPole qualifying session. The crew consisting of Luca Formilli Fendi and Matteo Nicolini registered the win by an astonishing 50 seconds from closest rival Lucas Oil Budweiser. Qualifying second from PowerPole, Lucas Oil Budweiser made the first move and led for the opening two laps ahead of Cigarette Smash Poker and SNAV OSG Racing. But an inspired move on lap three on the West side of the course from Fendi and Nicolini in the Cigarette Smash Poker boat saw them ease past the American outfit and stave off the remaining challenge for the remaining eight laps. OSG SNAV later recovered well after a stunning 360 degree spin at the beginning of the eighth lap. Silverline came home in fourth place whilst German team Cranefields Wine laboured to a fifth place finish after retiring one lap from the chequered flag. -Ends- FOR FULL CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS AND OTHER STORIES FROM THE DAY'S RACING, PLEASE VISIT WWW.POWERBOATP1.COM Shotlist: 2009 POWERBOAT P1 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 1 MALTA ? NEWS EDIT, SATURDAY INFORMATION AT www.powerboatp1.com 10:00.00 >> EDIT START GENERAL VIEWS ? VALETTA MALTA 00.17 START SPRINT RACE start lap + 10 laps Evolution class start lap + 9 laps Supersport class 00.30 EVOLUTION CLASS P1 #10 Cigarette Smash Poker Evolution Italy P2 #88 SNAV OSG Evolution Italy P3 #77 Lucas Oil Budweiser Evolution USA P4 #47 Silverline Evolution Great Britain 00.43 SUPERSPORT CLASS 2008 Supersport champions #43 Seagull Chaudron Supersport Ukraine 00.55 P2 #77 Lucas Oil Budweiser Evolution USA P1 #10 Cigarette Smash Poker Evolution Italy 01.05 SUPERSPORT CLASS P1 #38 Baia Attolini Supersport Italy P2 #43 Seagull Chaudron Supersport Ukraine 01.13 Collision #38 & 43 01.19 Retired #22 Big Sergio Evolution Italy 01.31 SUPERSPORT CLASS P1 #38 Baia Attolini Supersport Italy P2 #43 Seagull Chaudron Supersport Ukraine 01.52 EVOLUTION CLASS P3 #88 SNAV OSG Evolution Italy 02.01 SUPERSPORT CLASS P1 #38 Baia Attolini Supersport Italy P1 #38 Baia Attolini Supersport Italy EVOLUTION CLASS P1 #10 Cigarette Smash Poker Evolution Italy P2 #43 Seagull Chaudron Supersport Ukraine 02.44 LAST LAP EVOLUTION CLASS P1 #10 Cigarette Smash Poker Evolution Italy 02.56 CHEQUERED FLAG P1 #10 Cigarette Smash Poker Evolution Italy 03.08 SUPERSPORT CLASS P2 #26 Team 26 Racing 03.17 EVOLUTION CLASS P2 #77 Lucas Oil Budweiser Evolution USA 03.24 P1 #10 Cigarette Smash Poker Evolution Italy 03.30 SUPERSPORT PODIUM In the Supersport class #38 Baia Attolini was penalised for over speeding the 85mph limit and #26 Team 26 racing was declared the winner. 03.47 >> DANIEL CRAMPHORN - #26 DRIVER 04.08 >> END EVOLUTION CLASS RESULT Race time 1 #10 Cigarette Smash Poker 34:01,71 minutes 2 #77 Lucas Oil Budweiser 34:44,00 3 #88 SNAV OSG 35:14,94 SUPERSPORT CLASS RESULT Race time 1 #26 Team 26 Racing 37.20,65 minutes 2 #43 Seagull Chaudron 37.25,98 3 #17 Spirit of Belgium 38.57,58 Keyframe:  Id Item: 433385 Tx_Time: 08:30 - 08:45   Tx_Date: 10-MAY-2009  Status: TRS Origin: MTPBS  Origin City: VLTA Item type: WF