Saturday, November 16: Jessica Chavanne, Morgan Poret and François Medori clinched vital opening Moto wins in their respective Ski Ladies GP1, Ski Division GP1 and Runabout GP1 categories at the final round of the UIM-ABP Aquabike World Championship at the Grand Prix of Lake Toba, Indonesia in Sumatra on Saturday afternoon.
First blood in Ski Ladies GP1 for Chavanne
Pole sitter Jessica Chavanne led Jasmiin Ypraus and Benedicte Drange from pole position among the 11 Ski Ladies racers chasing Moto 1 glory. Chavanne held her line to stay ahead of Ypraus, Drange and Emma-Nellie Ortendahl through the opening lap. Estelle Poret failed to start the heat and that will prove costly in the title battle with Ypraus.
The French girl maintained her lead although Ypraus kept the pressure on throughout the Moto and was just 1.349 seconds behind with less than four minutes on the clock. Chavanne held on over the closing laps to record a narrow win by just 1.318 seconds with Drange, Ortendahl, Borgström and Janina Johansson filling the top six places.
Chavanne said: “Yasmiin pushed me really hard. It was really tight. I tried not to make a mistake but, in one moment, I made one little mistake. But I took first place. I enjoyed this race. It is enjoyable to have a battle like this.”
Ski Division GP1 Moto 1 success for Morgan Poret
Kevin Reiterer started from pole position but Morgan Poret led from his brother Jérémy, Reiterer and Valentin Dardillat through the opening lap. Dag Martin Drange was a non-starter.
The Frenchman continued to fend off his brother’s challenge as the top four held station and Mickael Poret and Quinten Bossche trailed in their wake in fifth and sixth positions. There were no changes to the running order over the closing laps and Morgan Poret held on to beat his brother Jérémy by 2.617 seconds to confirm 25 valuable championship points in his quest for a podium finish to the World Championship season.
Reiterer came home in third ahead of Dardillat, Bossche and Mickael Poret with Alec Enderli climbing to seventh and Toshi Ohara, Oliver Koch Hansen and Alex Barret rounding off the top 10.
A delighted Morgan Poret said: “It’s amazing. I stay focused on my race. I saw Jérémy behind me and Kevin and I made no error. I am very happy. Thank you Kommander for my ski. Quinten (Bossche) is too far in front of me (for the title) but it is possible to pass second. I will be happy just to be in the top three.”
Medori snatches opening Runabout GP1 Moto win
Young Swede Samuel Johansson started the 25-minute opening Moto from pole position and led from early leader Hungarian racer György Kasza and François Medori into the second lap. Frenchman Jérémy Perez and Rasmus Koch Hansen were running in fourth and fifth positions among the 17 starters.
Kasza survived a violent spin but it cost him his second place to Medori, although the Hungarian was under investigation from race officials. Medori began to pressurise his title rival Johansson and the duo became embroiled in a gripping duel in gloomy, wet and choppy conditions. Medori’s pressure paid off and the determined Frenchman managed to pass the Swede and take the lead: it was clear that the effects of three days of endurance racing had not taken their toll on the Corsican.
Once he had taken the lead, Medori began to surge away from Johansson, as Perez overhauled Kasza - when the Hungarian had to pass a penalty buoy - and Koch Hansen retained fifth ahead of Lino Araújo, Andrzej Wisniewski and Martin Doulik Junior.
Medori moved ahead of Johansson in the title race with an 12.457-second win over Kasza to set up the prospect of a thrilling battle for the world title in Moto 2. Johansson finished the Moto in third and Perez and Koch Hansen rounded off the top five. Doulik Junior, Araújo, Ruben Jimenez Riquelme, Wisniewski and Jun Ikoma completed the top 10. Linus Lindberg took a tumble in the last five minutes but managed to continue.
But Kasza was later docked two laps for course cutting and Chen Shan was penalised for dangerous driving. Kasza’s penalty meant that Medori and runner-up Johansson are now tied on points in the title race with Perez, Doulik and Araújo climbing to third, fourth and fifth in the Moto.