*Botti wins in Runabout – race red-flagged after Ugo Fidelin crashes out
* Rok five short of magic 100 mark
Saturday, 23, May, CASTRO (Italy): On an afternoon when the sea conditions were extremely tough the World’s best [Aquabike] riders produced a breath-taking show of skill and fitness to battle the elements in heats 1 of the Grand Prix of Italy in Castro.
On a memorable afternoon for the Poret family, eldest brother Mickael and the youngster of the family, Estelle, delivered a famous double victory, Mickael’s win bringing out the tears. “I am very emotional. It has been a very long time since my last win. I have spent time in hospital for an operation on my back and since everyone has worked so hard, on me and the bike and engine to get me back to here.” he said
Victory in Runabout went to France’s Jean-Baptiste Botti who was leading the field of 22 when the race was red-flagged and stopped on lap 8 after an accident involving Martinique rider Ugo Fidelin, who was later taken to hospital.
UAE rider Khalifa Belselah led from the start but was overhauled by Botti on the back straight on lap 3 and then began to open up a clear lead.
Behind the two leaders Kuwait’s Yousef Al Abdulrazzaq and Qatar’s Thamer Al Darwish held off the chase from French trio Francois Medori, Teddy Pons and Jeremy Perez, the race order remaining the same when the red flag was raised and the race stopped. “I am pleased to win but was sorry to hear that Ugo had crashed and I wish him well.” said Botti.
In Ski GP1 the French brother-sister duo enjoyed two very different Victories, Mickael leading from start-to-finish to take a win, his sister leaving it till halfway round the final lap before passing race-long leader Emma Nellie Ortendahl to hit the front and take the chequered flag to win by over eight seconds. “I am very tired it was such a hard race,” said Estelle. “I was third right at the start behind Jennifer and slowly I could see I was catching Emma and pushed very hard on the last lap. I am very happy, my third win and also because my brother won to.”
The senior Poret’s win came at the expense of his brother and defending Champion Jeremy who crashed heavily at the beginning but recovered well to finish in sixth, with the youngest of the three brothers, Morgan, finishing in fourth.
Austria’s Kevin Reiterer enjoyed an early three lap tussle with Norway’s Stian Schjetlein before moving into to second spot but was unable to close the gap to the race leader. Third place went to Alex Barret passing after Schjetlein on lap 4 of 7.
Sweden's Ortendahl will be bitterly disappointed not to have taken her maiden win on the UIM-ABP tour after leading for five of the six laps, but again showed after her Slalom win in Qatar that she is a star in the making.
Jennifer Menard and Kylie Ellmers traded places several times during the six laps, Menard ahead in third from the end of lap one behind Ortendahl and Poret, Ellmers passing her on lap four, Menard taking the place back a lap later and going on to finish in third.
In Freestyle Rok Florjancic was again knocking on the door of the magic 100 mark, scoring 95, out- scoring his brother Nac in all categories to take the win by 23 points, Roberto Mariani and Alberto Camerlengo both struggling in third and fourth.
Results:
http://aquabike.net/results/2015/italy-castro