Saturday, 10 June, VIESTE (Italy): Sweden’s defending world champion Emma-Nellie Ortendahl simply outclassed the field of 11 in Ski Ladies GP1 to take her second win of the season in the opening Moto at the UIM-ABP Aquabike Grand Prix of the Mediterranean in Vieste.

 

The new championship point’s leader made a blistering start from pole and was eight seconds clear by the end of lap 1 and then simply disappeared into the distance to run out a comfortable winner by over a minute. “That was more like it. Back to my normal style of racing,” said Ortendahl. “I made a great start, got into a really good rhythm and just raced at a pace I felt comfortable with. These conditions really suited me. Anything under half a metre I am very confident and find it much easier to read the conditions.”

 

Despite picking up a place at the start, France’s Estelle Poret had no answer to the exceptional pace of her main rival and was comfortable in second for the majority of the eight laps but then had to stave off a late challenge from New Zealander Kylie Ellmers, who continued her impressive run of form, finishing third.

 

Jonna Borgstrom lost ground after starting from P2 and despite pushing hard at the end missed out on a top three slot by one second, with Katriin Nilbe and Virginie Morlaes rounding out the top six.

 

For full classifications: www.aquabike.net/results

 

[For further information and to watch all the action from Moto 2 on Sunday streamed live; visit aquabike.net]