Sunday, 20 December, SHARJAH (UAE): The climax to the 2015 UIM-ABP Aquabike Class Pro World Championship ended in the most dramatic fashion, with Sharjah Grand Prix race 1 winner and race 2 leader Jean-Baptiste Botti breaking down on the final lap and handing the Runabout GP1 world title to Kuwait’s Youssef Al Abdulrazzaq.
There was also heartbreak for championship challenger Jeremy Perez whose title hopes ended early, breaking down after just 1 lap.
After winning race 1 and moving to the top of the points table Botti looked to be on course for his first title and had held off Abdulrazzaq for 13 of 14 laps when disaster struck, suddenly stopping and seeing his title hopes go up in smoke. “It’s just crazy.” he said.
Abdulrazzaq swept passed the stricken bike of Botti to take the race overall Grand Prix win, after finishing fifth in race 1, and clinching the world championship for the second time in two years. “You never know what’s going to happen in racing so you have to keep in the race. You just never know,” said Youssef Al Abdulrazzaq. “I have had my share of bad luck and today my luck turned.”
Second place in the Grand Prix went to Sweden’s Lars Akerblom with a fourth and second, rounding out a strong finish to his season with a second podium, third place going to Qatar’s Waleed Al Sharshani.
Despite their disastrous day, Botti and Perez rounded out the year in second and third in the overall world championship standings.
After securing the Ski GP world title with victory in race 1 this morning, Austria’s Kevin Reiterer blew away the opposition in the final race of the year to complete the Sharjah win double and take his third Grand Prix win of the season.
Starting from pole position Reiterer was immediately out front and in a class of his own disappearing off into the distance to run unchallenged throughout the nine laps, taking the chequered flag to win by 41.44s. “I just can’t describe how I feel,” he said. “After this morning the pressure was off so I had the chance to just go out and enjoy the race. It was bad luck for Jeremy and Nacho in race 1 but that’s racing and it could have been me who had problems. There were some nerves this morning after the problem yesterday, but as soon as I put the bike on the water it sounded good and during both races ran really well.”
Raphael Maurin ended his season with his first Grand Prix podium of the year, following up his second place in race 1 with third to take second, with Stian Schjetlien another to end the season with a best set of results, a third and fourth putting him on the podium in third.
After breaking this morning and losing the title, Jeremy Poret bounced back and from the back of the pack of 14, forced his way through to finish second and take the runners-up slot in the world championship standings ahead of Nacho Armillas who retired from race 2 after crashing in race 1.
In the ladies division the post-race penalty given to France’s Jennifer Menard, dropping her from second to sixth in race 1, and her second place in race 2 was enough for Menard to complete the successful defence of her world title, with Sweden’s Emma-Nellie Ortendahl taking the runners-up slot. “After breaking down in the first race of the year and now coming back to win the title I am really happy,” said Menard. “My whole team has been fantastic and to win the championship for the second time is great for us all.”
But it was Portugal’s Beatriz Curtinhal who was crowned Grand Prix champion in Sharjah after taking her first title on the tour in her first season winning both races comfortably, Menard finishing second with Spain’s Sandra Fernandez third.
After two spectacular heats in Freestyle, Rok Florjancic pulled out a champions’ performance to come from third place after heat 1 to win, taking the overall Grand Prix victory, the top three split by just one point, and his second consecutive world title. “That was the tightest battle I have had. I really had to pull out everything I had and use every ounce of energy. I think it was one of my best routines and of course am very pleased to still have the title.”
Second place in the Grand Prix went to the UAE’s Rashid Al Mulla, with Nac Florjancic in third and finishing second in the title race to his elder brother, Italy’s Roberto Mariani completing the championship podium.
For full set of results: www.aquabike.net