Friday, 2 August, VIVERONE (Italy): Forty-one riders from seven countries are gearing-up in North West Italy for this weekend’s UIM-ABP Aquabike Class Pro European Championship taking place on the idyllic Lago di Viverone in the Province of Biella in the Piedmont region.
Up for grabs are European titles in four categories; Runabout GP1 & 2, Ski GP1 for men and women, Ski GP2 and Freestyle.
The riders take to the water for the first of three free practice sessions this afternoon to get a feel for the one kilometre 19-pin, anticlockwise course. A second free practice on Saturday morning is followed by official qualifying at 15.00hrs (local). A final free practice on Sunday morning is followed by heats 1 & 2 starting at 14.00hrs and 16.00hrs (local).
The Blue Riband category GP1 sees Italy’s 2011 World Champion Mattia Fracasso and countryman Lorenzo Bengalia, third overall in the world standings last year, heading a field of seven which includes French duo Jeremy Perez and David Chassier.
In Ski GP1 France’s defending World Champion Jeremy Poret will be looking to add another title and will resume his on-water battle with last year’s World number two, Spain’s Nacho Armillas, who defeated Poret to take his first GP title in Liuzhou in China last year.
Defending World Champion Stefania Balzer will lead out Marta Sorrentino, World number two Pija Sumer and the youngest of the quartet, Estelle Poret in the women’s division, with Aleksandar Petrovic, Roberto Mariani and Nicolas Deneille – all of whom competed in Sanya, China earlier this year – joined by William Bajolet in Freestyle. Seven riders start in Runabout GP2 and 9 in Ski GP2.
Entry list and revised timetable posted in races section on aquabike.net