Ben Mazur
07-16-2007, 12:18 PM
Lucas Oil Outerlimits Racing Team Files Protest With Powerboat P1 And UIM!
(Issued by Lucas Oil Outerlimits Racing Team)
The Powerboat P1 Grand Prix of the Sea in Travemunde, Germany was a tragic one and difficult race for many teams. The Saturday endurance race was cancelled shortly after the start when two boats in two different classes collided. Fainplast, a 43' Metamarine boat in Evolution Class, boat experienced mechanical difficulties and greatly reduced speed, while the #03 Carpenter boat, a smaller Super Sport Class vessel, ran into the boat, ejecting both pilots and fatally injuring Sergio Carpentieri. Sunday's race was held as a tribute to Carpentieri, a much-loved member of the European racing community.
During the first lap of Sunday's sprint race, the Lucas Oil Outerlimits boat, while in second place, inexplicably lost power in both engines and was momentarily out of the race. Outerlimits president, Mike Fiore who was at throttles with Nigel Hook at the helm, re-started the engines and announced to his crew, who notified race control, that he was back in the race.
During the "down" engine time, the Outerlimits SV40 drifted off the race course, barely skimming the buoy noting the swimming area. The action was noted by an official and though Lucas Oil Outerlimits came in second in the race, the boat was disqualified for crossing into the swimming area of the Travemunde beachfront, directly parallel to the race course.
A formal protest to Powerboat P1 and the U.I.M. (official international sanctioning body of Powerboat P1 and APBA), is in process, as the team stated it could not immediately control the direction of the boat and did its best to comply with the set boundaries and safely re-enter the race course as soon as it was again under power. The process will likely take weeks to review and a statement will be released at the conclusion.
"It was an unfortunate situation," stated Fiore, "We were trying to get back in the race and maintain our own safety as well as that of the other racers on the course - especially after Saturday's tragedy. Safety is always our top priority and we will await the response of the U.I.M., hoping that they will understand the concerns, logic and reconsider their decision," he added.
The next Powerboat P1 race will take place in historic Cowes, England, August 26-27.
Maybe I am oversimplifying but wouldn't deploying the anchor that they are required to carry have stopped any unwanted drifting?
(Issued by Lucas Oil Outerlimits Racing Team)
The Powerboat P1 Grand Prix of the Sea in Travemunde, Germany was a tragic one and difficult race for many teams. The Saturday endurance race was cancelled shortly after the start when two boats in two different classes collided. Fainplast, a 43' Metamarine boat in Evolution Class, boat experienced mechanical difficulties and greatly reduced speed, while the #03 Carpenter boat, a smaller Super Sport Class vessel, ran into the boat, ejecting both pilots and fatally injuring Sergio Carpentieri. Sunday's race was held as a tribute to Carpentieri, a much-loved member of the European racing community.
During the first lap of Sunday's sprint race, the Lucas Oil Outerlimits boat, while in second place, inexplicably lost power in both engines and was momentarily out of the race. Outerlimits president, Mike Fiore who was at throttles with Nigel Hook at the helm, re-started the engines and announced to his crew, who notified race control, that he was back in the race.
During the "down" engine time, the Outerlimits SV40 drifted off the race course, barely skimming the buoy noting the swimming area. The action was noted by an official and though Lucas Oil Outerlimits came in second in the race, the boat was disqualified for crossing into the swimming area of the Travemunde beachfront, directly parallel to the race course.
A formal protest to Powerboat P1 and the U.I.M. (official international sanctioning body of Powerboat P1 and APBA), is in process, as the team stated it could not immediately control the direction of the boat and did its best to comply with the set boundaries and safely re-enter the race course as soon as it was again under power. The process will likely take weeks to review and a statement will be released at the conclusion.
"It was an unfortunate situation," stated Fiore, "We were trying to get back in the race and maintain our own safety as well as that of the other racers on the course - especially after Saturday's tragedy. Safety is always our top priority and we will await the response of the U.I.M., hoping that they will understand the concerns, logic and reconsider their decision," he added.
The next Powerboat P1 race will take place in historic Cowes, England, August 26-27.
Maybe I am oversimplifying but wouldn't deploying the anchor that they are required to carry have stopped any unwanted drifting?