Tuesday, 29 September: Sweden’s Lars Akerblom heads to China this week looking for a repeat of his biggest win on the UIM-ABP tour, with France’s Didier Chabert hoping to lay down his best form and will line up as the new French Champion in Runabout GP1.
Akerblom will be the first to admit that his season so far has been disappointing, but he heads back to Liuzhou where last year he took his first heat and overall win on the UIM-ABP tour to seal third in the title race.
The 31-year-old from Orust Island won the Nordic Championship in Bergen and is optimistic he will be more competitive in China and in the UAE. “I have made some adjustments on my runabout to solve some of handling problems I experienced in Castro [Italy] and now it handles like it should and I hope for a big comeback in the last this 2 last races.”
Amongst those lining up against him will be Chabert; the 39-year-old from Lyon is currently sitting in seventh spot in the championship after a solid two events and has enjoyed a good run in the European-Continental series taking second in Porec and Mrandela and winning in Valras to take second overall, his season high point winning the French National title.
Other news:
The remarkable case of Alberto Monti continues as he yet again adds to his already impressive and extensive CV that boasts World, European and National titles and dating back some time, the 49-year-young hotelier from Ravenna going unbeaten to win the Italian Ski GP1 national title, with youngster Nicola Piscaglia finishing second.
Ski GP2 European Champion Nacho Armillas completed his fitness training for China covering a remarkable 800kms in 4 days competing in an MTB endurance event from Madrid to Lisbon, teaming up with MOTO GP’s Carlos Checa and Dakar competitor Lucas Cruz.
Ski Ladies front runner Emma-Nellie Ortendahl says she is back in business after a seven-week illness that cut short her summer competition. But the youngster from Alvangen still managed to win the Swedish Championship. “I am really looking forward to competing in Liuzhou and give it my best. After all this is my first year of competing at this high level on a GP1 Ski, so I really hope to stay on top of the field. But there are some really good girls out there to challenge me, but I'll give it all I've got out on the track, but anything can happen so we'll see how my form is to handle the hard challenge ahead.”