10:06 PM Sat 24 Sep 2011 GMT
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'Sprit of Qatar in Arendal Norway - Class One World Powerboat Championship 2011'
Simon Palfrader
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The Italian Grand Prix will be held on Lake Como from 14-16 October and Steve Curtis is on his way to Cernobbio, where he is looking to win his fifth European title which would be a second for Sheikh Hassan.
The Spirit of Qatar pairing carry a five-point advantage over Victory's Arif Al Zafeen and Nadir bin Hendi in the European points table and need to keep their rivals behind them, as they did in the Norwegian Grand Prix, to secure their first Class 1 title together. 'It will be a tough two races for us. Flat lake races do not suit our boat and it is very unlikely there will be any bumpy water which would give us the chance to claw back time,' said Curtis. 'We have worked on one or two modifications to improve our acceleration which is the key to the type of courses we run these days'.
'The lack of buoyancy on this type of water is the same for everyone but I think it will suit the characteristics of some boats better than us. Cappellini's new modified boat is one that I think will be very quick.' The 47 year-old from Hythe in Hampshire is clearly confident that the team is now in a better position to carry the fight to Victory Team, who he considers to be their main rivals, and hinted that they would be running some new equipment, but would not be drawn further, and that they may also try out a new areo-package.
Curtis lifted his first European crown in 1998, taking back-to back-titles in 2002/3 and his last in 2006 - all with Bjorn Rune Gjelsten in Spirit of Norway. His record in Class 1 remains unequalled; he won his first two World titles in 1985 and 1987 when the Championship was decided by three races at a single venue, his next coming in 1998, the first of five alongside Gjelsten, including a hat-trick of titles from 2002-2004, winning with Bard Eker in 2005 and a year later with Gjelsten. Since 1992 he has won 41 races from a 126 starts, taking 48 wins in Pole Position - winning that Championship eight times.
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Casey, TAS
