Tomlinson onboard Fanciful 1 Evolution category sailing boat
On June 01, 2008
“Cigarette Racing Crew Europe-Sailboat 10.
World Copyright: Drew Gibson/Powerboat P1.”
Australian John Tomlinson – one of the offshore powerboat world’s most wealthy competitors – will take the throttles of the Cigarette Racing Crew Europe’s #10 Fanciful one Evolution category sailboat from the Malta Large Prix of the Sea on May 6-8, for the remainder of the season.
Tomlinson has won 35 US & national powerboat titles, has fragmented 10 water speed records, & has even graced the gold screen with stunt-driving role in the ‘06 movie Miami Vice. he will change long-standing friend & previous mentor Lino Di Biase in the Mercury-powered #10 Fanciful 1’s throttle seat alongside pilot Luca Formilli Fendi. Di Biasi will take the role of the crew’s technical administrator.
Tomlinson already has experience of Cigarette’s EVO-01P1 hull, having tried it in the run-up to this year’s season-opener. The crew has been one of the stars of the 1st two rounds of the season, leading three of the four regattas & currently occupying seventh position in the Evolution category standings.
Powerboat P1 commercial chairman Michael Wicks said that Tomlinson’s entry was another boost for offshore racing’s fastest growing series & would further aid Cigarette’s bid for this year’s title. “John is multiple world champ & his alliance with P1 speaks volumes for the credibility of this series,” Wicks added. “he has raced at the highest level & I think he’ll join significant value to the Cigarette crew over the left over regattas of the ‘08 season.”
In other news:
Uk-based Powerboat P1 SuperSport category outfit Crew Sunseeker are aiming to have their #11 Sunseeker Challenger sailing boat back on the water in time for the Tunisian Large Prix of the Sea in Hammamet on June 11-13.
The crew was artificial to miss last week-end’s Large Prix de Marseille after the #11 Sunseeker Challenger flipped & sunk during preevent testing.
The yacht has now been recovered & returned to Sunseeker’s base in Poole in the United Kingdom for repairs. “we have challenge at the of us but with the quality & character within the Sunseeker organisation, & with the support of our partners, we’re decided to bounce back & be up there at the front of the field as before long as feasible,” Dominic Byrne, Managing Chairman of Sunseeker Sales Group said.
‘The Fiat Powertrain Technologies engines have been removed & stripped down & the electrics are in the process of being replaced. Though there was significant impact & water damage, the hull & superstructure proved to be remarkably robust. it is credit to the composite & design crews at Sunseeker that barrel roll at more than 70mph has resulted in no more than few repairable surface cracks.”
Pilot Andy Wilby, who remained in the sailboat as throttleman Pete Small was thrown clear, has talked more of the accident & how it happened. “The water was choppy & as I turned-in we picked up off wave,” explains Wilby. “Normally that’s not difficulty, but as we were in the air gust of breeze caught us & turned the sailing boat at an angle. It skipped off the wave pair of times, but then dug in & flipped.”
‘I was still holding on to the wheel, irritating to steer. It was like being in washing machine until I was just ripped out of the yacht. It all happened so rapidly there was no time to believe or panic. Afterwards I realised how fortunate I was - how fortunate we both were. We’re sore & have cuts & bruises, but it could’ve been lot worse. It was only when I got out of the water that I noticed one Ieg of my regatta suit had been torn off. Our helmets did their work & the treatment we received was bright.”
‘Our frustration was that we had to watch the racing as an alternative of being out there. The yacht had been running well & we were looking great for feasible podium. That just rubbed saIt in the wound.”
by PowerboatP1.com media