Wednesday, November 8: François Medori currently leads the Runabout GP1 category in the UIM-ABP Aquabike World Championship and the experienced Frenchman will be eyeing a first world title since 2012 and the top step of the podium in the UIM-ABP Aquabike Endurance World Championship when he tackles both disciplines at the Grand Prix of Toba-Indonesia from November 22nd-26th.
Medori, 37, lines up in a provisional field of 19 riders for the Runabout GP1 Motos and a quality group of 24 for the three-day endurance championship on Indonesia’s spectacular Lake Toba. He has an eight-point advantage over fellow countryman Jeremy Perez in the Runabout GP1 points’ standings after the opening round in Sardinia. An all-French top three is rounded off by Jean-Baptiste Botti, with Kuwait’s Yousef Al-Abdulrazzaq and Ibiza-based Spaniard Alejandro Molina Miranda within striking distance in fourth and fifth positions.
Away from the sport, Corsica-born Medori is a doctor of pharmacy. He opted to venture to Southeast Asia instead of the island of Martinique to experience first-hand the world class Indonesian reception and hospitality and stunning Lake Toba that already hosted the opening round of the UIM F1H2O World Championship so successfully for the first time this year.
François said: “I chose to come to Indonesia, instead of competing in the Martinik Cup, because I lead the World Championship (Runabout GP1) after my win in Olbia. I have already won the Martinik Cup three times in a row and I came back to the UIM in 2021 after seven years stopping in the championship. This year, I have a good chance to win the championship again for the first time since 2012.
“There will be some serious rivals out there. Rivals like Jeremy Perez, Yousef Al-Abdulrazzaq, Samuel Johansson and many more… I will also race in the Endurance World Championship with an old hull I use for the Martinik Cup and I already won lots of races with it. The hull is good in big waves, so we will see how the conditions will be for the three days of endurance. I will do my best to have the best result in this race also. There are big rivals in this category as well, like Jean Bruno Pastorello, who win all the endurance race he participate in! It will be a big fight to try to win the race. I want to thank all my team Easy Rider for the two race skis and I hope to put Easy Rider Ski on the podium in Indonesia!”
Medori dominated the 2012 UIM-ABP Aquabike World Championship, winning both Motos in Italy and China on his way to a 43-point victory over fellow countryman Cyrille Lemoine. The following year he finished fourth behind Abdulrazzaq, Lemoine and Perez and repeated the feat the following season by rounding off the year in the wake of Teddy Pons, Perez and Lars Akerblom. Last year, he finished second in Runabout GP1 to Marcus Jorgensen after four consistent Moto finishes in Spain and Sardinia.
Medori has also achieved success in the endurance element of the sport and, most recently, teamed up with Alex Barret to finish second to Pastorello and Botti at the 2016 UIM-ABP Aquabike European Endurance Championship at Solenzara in Corsica.
The Karo, Dairi and Samosir Cups (November 22nd-24th) kick-start five days of Indonesian competition for the 2023 UIM-ABP Aquabike Endurance and Aquabike World Championships on Lake Toba. The Runabout GP1 Motos will be held on November 25th and 26th.