Saturday, July 20: Frenchman Morgan Poret and Hungary’s György Kasza secured wins in their opening Ski GP1 and Runabout GP1 Motos during a busy afternoon schedule of heats in challenging water conditions at the Grand Prix of Hungary on a quarry lake in Győrzámoly, near Győr.
Moto 2 successes fell to Croatia’s Dorian Jakopanec, the Estonian duo of Henri Koppas and Ander-Hubert Lauri, French girl Cyrielle Bramm, Jakopanec, Hungary’s Marvin Bohuslav, Lithuania’s Grantas Gurksnys, and local riders Kasza and Csongor Jászai in their respective Ski GP3, Runabout GP4, Ski GP4, Runabout GP4 Ladies, Ski Juniors GP3.3 and GP3.2, Runabout GP4 Juniors, Runabout Veterans GP1 and Ski GP2 categories.
Opening Ski GP1 success for Morgan Poret
Austrian Kevin Reiterer led Australia’s Jayden Richardson and Frenchman Morgan Poret from the start of the first Ski GP1 Moto that featured 22 starters from 10 countries. But Poret made the best getaway on his Kommander and snatched the early lead from Richardson, Reiterer and Oliver Koch Hansen. But Reiterer managed to snatch second place and began to apply the pressure on the leading Frenchman.
Mickaël Poret overhauled Koch Hansen to take fourth, as his brother continued to fend off Reiterer’s advances. He managed to hold on to take the chequered flag 7.64 seconds ahead of the former World Champion, with Richardson, Mickaël Poret, Koch Hansen, Valentin Dardillat, Alec Enderli and Axel Courtois completing the top eight until Richardson was later docked a lap for a start infringement that dropped him to 13th and moved the others up a place.
Both Felix Helgeson and Marc Hassner retired early in the Moto with Hassner damaging the nose of his Fast Powersports ski in the choppy water.
Morgan Poret said: “I am very happy to win the first Moto at the GP of Hungary. I had a good feeling in the water. I think it is also good for the European Championship and I hope to do the same in Vichy next week.”
Runabout GP1 heat win for local hero György Kasza
Czech Martin Doulik Junior headed 16 rivals into the first of the 20-minute Runabout GP1 Motos with UIM-ABP World Championship leader Samuel Johansson and Hungary’s György Kasza lining up behind. But Johansson made his traditionally strong start and the Swede snatched the advantage and began to pull away from Pole Andrzej Wisniewski, Kasza and Egidijus Kirilevicius. Doulik Junior hit trouble on the opening lap and plummeted out of contention and towards foot of the leader board.
Levente Kacor moved into fourth place, Zsolt Czeke snatched fifth and Linus Lindberg pushed Kirilevicius down to seventh, as Johansson continued to pull away from the chasing group. Kasza then overtook Wisniewski and the leading trio held station to within sight of the finish, only for Kasza to snatch the win from Johansson on lap 17.
Wisniewski was third and Kacor, Lino Araújo and Lindberg rounded off the top six after late woes pushed Cseke down to ninth. But Wisniewski was later docked a lap for ignoring signals and slipped to 10th with Kacor, Araújo and Lindberg benefitting from the Pole’s mistake. Krisztian Panyi-Horvath was a non-starter and Florian Bardoux, Manuel Reggiani and Doulik Junior were non-finishers.
Runner-up Johansson said: “I had a good Moto 1 and got the hole shot and led for most of the race but it was rough conditions. It was fun but on the final lap I got stuck behind some lappers and Kasza managed to pass me.”
Kasza said: “It was a nice race from the beginning until the last lap. I get passed Johansson on the last lap, so I am really happy. We see what happens tomorrow.”
Ski GP3 Moto 2 win for Dorian Jakopanec
Dorian Jakopanec had pipped Yoni Hamelin and Barnabas Szabo to Moto 1 success in Ski GP3 and the Croatian took pole for Moto 2 as a result. He made a strong start and maintained his advantage through the opening lap from Markus Erlach, Loris Lambert, Szabo and Andrea Bergamo with Hamelin down in sixth.
Jakopanec continued to pull away from his dozen rivals and was able to claim a second Moto win by 21.41 seconds. Erlach, Lambert, Szabo, Hamelin and Marten Tiik filled the remaining places in the top six. Gergo Simon finished down in 12th place after being docked two laps for cutting the course.
Henri Koppas wins second Runabout GP4 Moto
Winning Moto 1 enabled Petr Dryjak to start the second Runabout GP4 Moto from pole position ahead of Henri Koppas and Juliusz Roman. The Czech started well but was soon passed by Koppas and Ibiza-based Spaniard Alejandro Prats Palau as the Estonian moved into a four-second lead through lap four.
Koppas held on to his lead to earn the 25 points and set up the prospect of a thrilling Moto 3 showdown on Sunday. He finished 5.66 seconds in front of a resurgent Dryjak with Prats Palau, Roman, Michele Cadei and Jurica Marovic taking points for third, fourth, fifth and sixth. Stefan Salath was given a 25-second penalty for not maintaining his lane at the start and the Hungarian finished 11th as a result.
Koppas said: “The weather is difficult, like in Estonia. I had a great fight with Palau and the Czech guy (Dryjak). The third Moto will be nice. Let’s hope for a win.”
Moto 2 Ski GP4 glory for Ander-Hubert Lauri
Moto 1 winner Yoni Hamelin headed young Estonian Ander-Hubert Lauri, Jennifer Poret, Daniils Potrivailo, Grantas Gurksnys and Christina Mahringer into the second of the Ski GP4 Motos.
The Belgian maintained his lead through the opening turn buoys but was passed by Lauri before the end of lap one, as Mahringer moved his Yamaha up to third ahead of Gurksnys and Potrivailo.
Lauri and Hamelin began to edge away from the pursuing quartet as the Moto progressed and Lauri passed the chequered flag 5.49 seconds ahead of his Belgian rival to set up a Sunday showdown for Grand Prix honours. Poret, Mahringer, Gurksnys and Potrivailo finished third, fourth, fifth and sixth.
Second Runabout GP4 Ladies success for Cyrille Bramm
Cyrielle Bramm dominated the opening Runabout GP4 Moto and the French girl lined up on pole for Moto 2 from Ilaria Vanni, Arianna Urlo and Markéta Hollerová. Eleven girls started the race and Bramm made a strong start to lead from Vanni, Urlo, Mercédesz Cseke, Nicole Cadei and Nikola Dryjakova through lap one.
Cadei passed Cseke to take fourth, as Bramm managed to hold off the pursuing Italian duo of Vanni and Urlo. Bramm continued to lead throughout the Moto and recorded her second success of the weekend by 3.16 seconds. Vanni and Urlo filled the podium places and Cadei, Cseke and Dryjakova rounded off the top six. Hollerová finished seventh but Portugal’s Luisa Beja retired on the opening lap.
Moto 2 Ski Junior GP3.3 and GP3.2 success for Jakopanec and Marvin Bohuslav
Croatia’s Dorijan Jakopanec and Marvin Bohuslav of Hungary had won the opening Ski Juniors GP3.3 and GP3.2 World Championship Motos and had favourable starting positions for Moto 2. Ander-Hubert Lauri and Maxime Arthebise lined up alongside the Croatian in Ski GP3.3.
Bohuslav was the only registered rider in the GP3.2 category but Jakopanec came under pressure from Lauri from the outset in GP3.3. The Croatian led by 5.91 seconds through two laps and eventually reached the finish with an advantage over the young Estonian of 7.78 seconds. Behind Lauri, Arthebise finished third and Lajos Komonyi and Leo Kete were fourth and fifth after trouble struck Mio Petrovic and he slipped to the rear of the field. Pelle Stenborg was a non-finisher.
Runabout GP4 Junior Moto 2 win for Grantas Gurksnys
Lithuania’s Grantas Gurksnys led the opening Runabout GP4 Junior World Championship Moto from pole to the chequered flag and lined up ahead of Dovydas Kutra, Erikas Butkus, Katarina Sepp and Via Petrovic for the start of Moto 2.
Sepp made a storming breakaway and snatched the early initiative from the pole sitter, Petrovic, Butkus and Kutra. Gurksnys managed to pass the Estonian on lap three, regained the lead and began to pull away from the chasing group. He held on to take a comfortable second successive Moto win by 30.32 seconds with Sepp, Petrovic, Kutra, Butkus and Rihard Leinsalu filling the remaining places inside the top six. Adas Zalagaitis of Lithuania was docked a lap for missing a turn buoy and finished at the rear of the field in 10th.
György Kasza earns second Runabout Veterans GP1 Moto win
György Kasza had dominated the first Runabout Veterans GP1 Moto and had the starting advantage over Lithuanian rival Mindaugas Jaciauskas and fellow countrymen Sándor Major, Zsolt Cseke and Krisztian Panyi-Horvath for Moto 2.
The winner of the opening Runabout GP1 Moto held his nerve and led through lap one and began to pull away from the chasing quartet, as Panyi-Horvath moved up to second at the expense of Jaciauska and Major. Kasza duly delivered another polished performance to confirm a second Moto win of the afternoon by 4.11 seconds. Panyi-Horvath finished as runner-up and Jaciauskas and Major were third and fourth. Cseke was a non-starter.
Csongor Jászai snatches Moto 2 win in Ski GP2
Dutchman Daan Hoeke managed to get the better of Hungarian Csongor Jászai in the first Ski GP2 Moto and the duo lined up in front of Marlon Tikk of Estonia, Finland’s Jerry Olin and Luuk Hoeke for Moto 2.
Jászai made the better start and led from Tiik, Hoeke and Olin through lap one. He then tore away from his eight rivals and extended his lead to 10.82 seconds after four tours of the race course. Tiik maintained second but Hoeke passed Olin to hold third place. There were no late dramas for the Hungarian and he rounded of a thrilling day’s action in Hungary with a 2.43-second win. Hoeke and Tiik made the podium in second and third and Olin, Luuk Hoeke and Manuel Leite completed the top six.
Moto 2s and 3s make up the timetable for Sunday morning and afternoon action consists of the remaining nine Moto 3s and Freestyle Moto 2 before the prize giving ceremony rounds off the weekend’s hectic itinerary.