Thursday, 19 September: Eight Chinese riders have been confirmed for next months’ Grand Prix of China and will take on the World’s best riders when they line up in Liuzhou on the River Liu.

In Runabout GP1 Wu Rong Hua, Yang Liu, Liu Yi Cheng and Yue Dezhi face the daunting prospect of mixing it with the likes of Championship leader, Kuwait’s Youssef Al Abdulrazzaq and a trio of French stars, Jeremy Perez, defending World Champion Francois Medori who took both heat wins in Liuzhou last year  and multiple-champion Cyrille Lemoine.

There is also the mouth-watering prospect that Russian Aquabike ace Aleksei Chernukha, who won the Iron Man award and finished runner-up in last months’ gruelling 1000km Rally Jet World Championship – Russky Offshore 2013 in Vladivostok may well be in the starting line-up.

In what is shaping up to be an enthralling fight for the men’s Ski GP1 title, Fan Zhi Xiong and Li Chao Fan will come up against Spaniard and double heat winner in Viverone [Italy] Nacho Armillas, the 2013 European Champion, Portugal’s Tiago Sousa and Italy’s Alberto Monti.

Making a welcome return to race in the ladies division is Li Qian Qian who finished fourth overall in Liuzhou last year. She will be joined by Yue Nixin to take on world number two Pija Sumer from Slovenia and Italy’s Marta Sorrentino.