Powerboat P1 goes from strength to strength

Wednesday 23 July 2008

The #99 Fountain 1st4boats.com team are chased by the TV chopper in Tunisia

Tunisian Grand Prix of the Sea local organiser Philipe Benhamou has said that the Powerboat P1 championship has moved forward significantly in terms of professionalism and quality of teams and competitors since its last visit to the North African country back in 2003.

Powerboat P1 returned to Tunisia and the scenic coastal resort of Hammamet this season after a five-year absence, but Benhamou has a unique perspective on how the championship has grown, having been involved in the organisation of the event both then and now.

“I’ve been impressed by the level of performance of both the boats and the pilots,” Benhamou said. “The professionalism of the championship has improved a lot. The races were incredibly interesting to watch, and having the boats so close to the shore was a really good thing for the public to see.

“I’m very happy to see that some of the pilots from the Class 1 championship have joined Powerboat P1, and I was surprised to realise how the physical preparation of the crews and reliability of the boats are now so important – and how this adds to the professionalism of the pilots, the teams and the boat and engine constructors. It just shows that the level of the championship is getting higher and higher, and better and better.”