PENNESI PLEASED WITH METAMARINE PROGRESS
Friday 03 July 2009
Metamarine claimed the fastest time in qualifying
With the Metamarine boat-building factory a stones throw away from the action, Pennesi and team-mate Luca Nicolini embarked on a successful qualifying session.
And their endeavours bore fruit when they recorded a time of 02:41.20.
Marco Pennesi was a happy man following the announcement of the official timings. "It is an unexpected result as our boat is not suited to the conditions we found today. It is a very large boat and she prefers a rougher sea."
"I have found my confidence again with the boat and the team. I am very happy indeed. We have to make use of our privileged position which we want to use to make the buoy in first position. However, if it goes wrong, we will be in the middle of sixteen boats."
Their time was narrowly quicker than the Outerlimits hull of SNAV OSG - who made a timely return to form following a disastrous Grand Prix of the Sea in Turkey.
Title hopefuls Cigarette Smash Poker were third quickest while Championship leaders #47 Silverline recorded a time of 02:53.20 but the boats of #77 Lucas Oil Outerlimits and #33 Furnibo were unable to run due to technical problems.