Thursday, November 28: It could not have been scripted any better in a Hollywood movie. On the day that Swedish veteran Johan Johansson hung up his racing suit for the final time in the UIM-ABP Aquabike World Championship, his son Samuel was later crowned as World Champion for the first time. The baton has truly passed from one generation of the Johansson family to the next in epic style.

On the final morning of the Grand Prix of Lake Toba, Indonesia in Sumatra, father Johan had been honoured at the drivers’ briefing by H2O Racing’s founder Nicolo di San Germano for his unwavering support for the sport since the start of the championship under the auspices of Aquabike Promotion. He had also been awarded a signed photo from fellow aqua bike competitors.

Fast forward a few hours and the Swede is lining up alongside his son in the final Runabout GP1 Moto of the 2024 season on the world’s largest volcanic lake. His son Samuel headed into that final 25-minute race tied on points with the defending World Champion François Medori who, two days earlier, had added the World Endurance title to the European one he has clinched in Vichy in the summer.

Medori was fancied by many to complete the hat-trick but he hadn’t banked on the gritty determination shown by Johansson in that final Moto. The Swede managed to snatch the hole shot and grab control of the Moto with Medori running down in fifth place in the early stages. Samuel’s father Johan had nestled into 13th.

Medori passed Lino Araújo to snatch fourth and then he also overtook Jérémy Perez to move into third. György Kasza briefly overhauled Johansson to snatch the lead but the Hungarian was dramatically disqualified in the closing stages and Johansson held off a late Medori charge to seal the world title by just three points after six thrilling Motos in Vietnam, Sardinia and Indonesia. The triumphant Johansson’s father Johan finished his final UIM-ABP Moto in 10th.

Earlier in the day, Johan’s daughter Janina had rounded off her season in the Ski Ladies GP1 category with a third sixth-place of the Indonesian weekend to finish eighth overall in the Ladies’ rankings.

As Johan reflects on his own successful career, a new and exciting chapter has opened with Samuel and Janina flying the family flag into 2025 and beyond. The baton has well and truly been passed on.