F1 Superboats aiming for Gold Coast final

by Bob Wonders on 18 Aug 2008 Additional safety demands cause organisers to cancel round five of the F1 Superboat series.

The F1 Superboats ‘Grand Final’ remains scheduled for the Gold Coast despite organisers being forced to cancel round five after failing to meet perceived safety concerns.

Series managing director, Kirk Tsaccounis was forced to cancel the round when the organisers were unable to meet additional safety requirements demanded.

Expressing his disappointment at the loss of the race, Tsaccounis said the event, now in its fourth year, had won support from many local organisations, including the Gold Coast City Council and Gold Coast Tourism.

“The Gold Coast Water Police and Marine Safety Queensland had imposed certain safety demands on us, and I’ve no doubt we could have met those demands given the time to do so,” Tsaccounis explained.

“That was not to be and we were left with no alternative but to cancel the fifth round.”

Tsaccounis intends to engage professional risk management experts and representatives from Work Cover to ensure all safety demands are met for the proposed Grand Final of the series scheduled for November 2.

All rounds in the series are conducted to strict UIM (Union International Motonautique), governing body of world powerboat racing and APBA (Australian Power Boat Association) guidelines.

Organisers have not encountered safety problems with NSW or Victorian authorities.

Expressing his disappointment at the loss of the race, Tsaccounis said the event, now in its fourth year, had won support from many local organisations, including the Gold Coast City Council and Gold Coast Tourism.

The series certainly has the support of the Gold Coast City Council.

Councillor Bob La Castra, chairman of the council’s events advisory committee, described losing the race as “a blow.”

“It’s disappointing in that it has been promoted and a lot of people were expecting it to go ahead,” he said.

“This is a real Gold Coast style event, like the Indy Cars, with the power and the glamour to attract fans and I think it’s very sad to lose it.

“There is also the loss of national television coverage of the event, impacting on the loss to the Gold Coast – one can only hope that everything can be sorted out in time for the Grand Final,” he added.

Shane Vella currently leads the series after racing to three wins at Newcastle on June 15 to comprise 104 points for the round and 302 points for the series.

Rhys Coles (220 series points) and Craig Truslove (193) are snapping at Vella’s heels.

The stage is certainly set for a ‘nail biting’ Grand Final.