Thursday, July 25: Italian World Champion Roberto Mariani fended off the challenge from fellow countryman Massimo Accumolo and Portugal’s Paulo Nuñes to claim pole position for the first of the Freestyle Motos at the Grand Prix of Vichy in France on Thursday.

Mariani wooed the judges with a flamboyant display of acrobatic on-water antics to card more points for style and variety to finish clear of Accumolo and Nuñes.

The first of the Freestyle Motos takes place on Saturday evening.