Thursday, 1 May: With just over a month to the Grand Prix of Italy (5-8 June), round 2 of the UIM-ABP Aquabike Class Pro World Championship, a multitude of World Champions pepper the entry of the world’s best riders who now have their sights firmly fixed on Milan.
Add to the mix the first ever Aquabike Music Festival (AMF), organised by H2O Racing and AIM Group International, the tens-of-thousands of spectators who are expected to descend on Idroscalo are in for four days of spectacular racing and non-stop entertainment.
The opening round in Doha, Qatar produced a feast of breathtaking close-quarter racing and more of the same can be expected in Milan from the best of the best in one of the fastest and most dynamic motorsports there is.
French duo Cyrille Lemoine and Teddy Pons lock out the top two spots in the points table in Runabout GP1 and are set to continue their private duel after sharing a win apiece in Qatar, Pons winning race 2 by less than a bike’s length, and with the news that World Champion Yousef Al Abdulrazzaq is out, they will be looking to seize the opportunity to turn the title race into an all-French affair.
Looking to upset them and score a home win will be Italians Mattia Fracasso and Lorenzo Benaglia, with Francois Medori looking to get his title challenge back on track after failing to post points’ last time out.
In Ski GP1 round two of Europe versus USA-Jeremy Poret versus Chris MacClugage will unfold, the Frenchman’s double win and Qatar GP title giving him the short-term advantage over the unfortunate American who broke when leading race 2.
But determined to rewrite the script are a host of talented riders, Portugal’s Tiago Sousa, Spaniard Nach Armillas and France’s defending World Champion Mickael Poret, with Italian hopes riding on the shoulders of Alberto Monti.
In the Ladies division, Italy’s Marta Sorrentino will need to produce something special if she is to turn the tables on her French rivals Jennifer Menard and Estelle Poret.
The simple question in Freestyle is can anyone beat World Champion Rok Florjancic who is now unbeaten in 18 outings in nine Grand Prix, his main challengers will be brother Nac and the flamboyant Italian Valerio Calderoni.
For further information about the Aquabike Music Festival visit: amfevent.com