KennyOffShore

FOUNTAIN SUCCESS STORY CONTINUES IN MARSEILLE

Can anyone stop the #99 Fountain 1st4boats.com team? That's the question being asked after the reigning champion crew of James Sheppard and Craig Wilson won Sunday's shortened Endurance race of the Grand Prix de Marseille. Their weekend haul of 200 points earned the two Brits the overall Powerboat P1 Grand Prix of the Sea victory on a wet Mediterranean Sunday.

This wasn't the Fountain team's easiest win, though, as they first had to come from behind and then defend their lead from a variety of challengers. "With such a great team around me, all I have to do is turn up and drive!" said an elated James Sheppard.

In the most dramatic moment of the weekend, the #60 GFN Gibellato, #66 Cranefields Wine and #57 Centaurian Yachts entries were involved in a racing incident which saw the #57 Belgian Outerlimits entry make a high speed dash for the harbor with a large hole in its port quarter.

There was more heartbreak for the pre-weekend championship leading #77 Lucas Oil team as they slowed from third place in the mid-stages of the race and limped home with only one working engine.

The closing stages of the race saw the gap close dramatically between the first four boats, emphasizing the value of the championship's power-to-weight regulations. Fountain eventually took the event points lead, with GFN Gibellato in second and Pignolo 53 in third.

Fountain Worldwide now moves into a clear lead that could get even bigger if they recover the 100 points they lost in the Italian Grand Prix of the Sea Sprint race in appeal. The next rounds of the Powerboat P1 World Championship will be in Malta June 6-8. For more information visit www.powerboatp1.com <http://www.powerboatp1.com/> .