Thursday, December 7: Jessica Chavanne clinched her second Ski Ladies GP1 World Championship title in style by winning the Grand Prix of Lake Toba-Indonesia recently.

An aerospace engineer by profession, Chavanne has been one of the leading lights on the UIM aqua biking scene for a number of seasons. After finishing 12th in the World Championship in 2018, the French girl rounded off the podium places in the slalom discipline in 2019 and finished sixth in the World Championship. She claimed her maiden title in 2020 and was runner-up last year to her great Estonian rival Jasmiin Ypraus.

Chavanne’s challenge for the world title this season began strongly in Sardinia where she claimed third position in Moto 1 and then back-to-back victories in Motos 2 and 3 to earn a five-point lead over Ypraus in the World Championship and seal victory in the Regione Sardegna Grand Prix of Italy.

Ypraus hit back strongly in Moto 1 on Sumatra’s spectacular Lake Toba and reduced runner-up Chavanne’s championship lead to just two points. But the French girl retaliated in Moto 2 and built on a good start to claim 25 points for the heat win and extend that cushion back to five points.

With both riders tied on 47 points apiece in the secondary tussle for Grand Prix glory, Moto 3 would decide the outcome of both the World Championship and the GP in Indonesia.

Chavanne made the better start but there was drama behind on the opening lap when Ypraus was wiped out by a wave, lost control and was hurled into the water, the incident wrecking the Estonian’s title chances and handing Chavanne a massive boost. The leader began to edge away from Sweden’s Sofie Borgström and Virginie Morales, although Ypraus did manage to get back on her bike and restart in eighth.

As Chavanne headed off towards the Grand Prix win and World Championship title, Ypraus managed to overtake Janina Johansson, Joana Graca, Emma-Nellie Ortendahl, Borgström and Virginie Morales to snatch third place behind Norwegian student Benedicte Drange. But it was not enough and Chavanne clinched the GP win and her second World Championship by 10 points.

The championship-winning season saw her claim four Moto wins, a second place and a third from the dozen riders to feature in the Ski Ladies GP1 category.