Grand Prix of Ukraine - Roggiero aims for Baba win



8:57 PM Wed 27 Jul 2011 GMT
'Race of the UIM F1 Powerboat Grand Prix of China. Final results are: winner Alex Carella Mad Croc F1 Team, second position for Sami Selio Mad Croc F1 Team and third Francesco cantando Singha Team.' Vittorio Ubertone/Idea Marketing
The Grand Prix of Ukraine 2011 is set to take place from the 28th July to the 29th July in the town of Vyshgorod which is just north of Kiev, Ukraine.

Long time boat racing star turned master boat builder Massimo Roggiero has turned his little boat shop in Busto Arsizio, Italy into a giant killer on the UIM F1 H2O World Championship tour in just six short years. Massimo's hulls have won two of the last four World Championships with Sami Selio of Finland at the controls of his Mad Croc Team BABA in both 2007 and again in 2010 and hopes to win this weekend.

'We have been unlucky so far this season as we chase our first victory this season,' said Roggiero, the winner of three Grand Prix victories. 'We led in Doha with Sami from pole position until he broke late in the event and again in the race in Portimao when Marit Stromoy had pole until she crashed out of the race on a re-start with driver Shaun Torrente of Team Sweden ending her dreams of a first Grand Prix victory.'

Thus far in 2011 the Qatar Team led by Jay Price's pair of victories in Doha and Portimao and his teammate Alex Carella winning two weeks ago in Kazan, Tatarstan at the Grand Prix of Russia has given the DAC hull three straight wins thus far.

'Last race for the first time we had more boats than any other manufacturer,' stated Massimo. 'We are always doing our best to make sure each racing client gets the personal service he or she deserves when they purchase a boat from BABA. Having been a driver I know what it takes to have a pleasurable experience at a race weekend and I try to carry that over to my clients.'

Drivers from 12 different nations have arrived at the Kiev Sea for this weekend's 239th Grand Prix in the UIM F1 H2O World Championship's history that dates back to 1981. Tomorrow's schedule has teams preparing their boats to go through official inspection with Friday highlighted with practice and official qualifying that takes place at 1800 local, 1500 GMT.

Saturday the 29th will host the official Grand Prix and the fourth stop on the 2011 UIM F1 H2O World Championship tour again at 1800 local and 1500 GMT.

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by Philippe Stiernon





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