Shortly after my post regarding Team Abu Dhabi winning the Class 1 Offshore World Championship – I had learned another Mercury powered boat had captured the Class 1 V World Powerboat Championship on the same weekend. That is newsworthy on its own. However – what is even more enticing is the boat is a 42-foot Fountain poker run hull powered by twin 700 SCi sterndrives. What’s more, the father and son team of Antonio and Giuseppe Schiano, owners of Hi-Performance Italy – a prominent Mercury Racing dealer in Naples, Italy pilot the boat.

Veteran powerboat racer Antonio Schiano said they had a specific strategy in place to capture the championship.  “Consistency ultimately wins races,” said Antonio.

“The first day went great. Chaudron were competitive but they ultimately failed an engine – giving us an advantage in the first race. Bernico also ran well and continued to be a threat in race two after a superior start. We decided to follow and put pressure on them. The strategy worked as they too ultimately succumbed to an engine failure that forced them out of the race,” Antonio said.

“The superior reliability of the 700 SCi sterndrives worked hand-in-glove with our consistency strategy to earn us the championship. We were perfect thanks to the wonderful work of the technicians of Hi-Performance Italy, Rosario Schiano, Vincenzo Guidone, Ciro Guide and Vincenzo Alessio, who prepared the boat and motors,” Antonio concluded.