2013 UIM-ABP AQUABIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Aquabike Grand Prix of Qatar, November 13-16 – round 3
For immediate release
Saturday, November 16th, 2013
CYRILLE LEMOINE AND TIAGO SOUSA CLAIM
AQUABIKE GRAND PRIX OF QATAR VICTORIES
· Heat wins for Lemoine and Monti in Runabout and Ski Division
· Slovenian Rok Florjancic offers sensational Freestyle programme
· Qatar’s Sultan Al-Kuwari impresses with second in Freestyle
· Local Runabout rider Al-Haidus misses out on top five finish
DOHA (Qatar): Frenchman Cyrille Lemoine and Italy’s Alberto Monti claimed victories in their respective Runabout GP1 and Ski Division GP1 classes at the third UIM-ABP Aquabike Grand Prix of Qatar, which finished on Doha Corniche on Saturday.
Lemoine’s success capped a superb weekend for the St. Tropez rider, who followed up a first heat success and a world title in the parallel slalom by Friday by confirming victory in the overall Runabout class in the Aquabike Grand Prix of Qatar. Italian Mattia Fracasso was second and Kuwait’s Mohamad Al Baz finished third.
“This was a fantastic weekend for me – a grand slam,” said a delighted Lemoine. “I came here behind Youssef (Al-Abdulrazzaq) in the championship and now it’s all in my hands for the last one in Abu Dhabi.”
A last gasp second position for Frenchman Mickael Poret in an exciting Ski Division GP1 race ensured that he closed the gap on Portugal’s Tiago Sousa over the two heats but the Portuguese earned the Aquabike Grand Prix of Qatar victory, courtesy of his extra single point earned on Doha Bay. Alberto Monti sneaked through in the dying seconds to snatch the heat win after a disappointing race on Friday.
Slovenian supremo Rok Florjancic was a class of the Freestyle field and another maximum points haul was sufficient for this year’s unbeaten artist to stun the rest of the field in a thrilling Freestyle finale. His performance was sufficient to claim the 2013 world championship title after brother Nac could finish no higher than third. He now holds a 51-point lead with only 50 available at the final round in Abu Dhabi.
The Maribor rider delivered an action-packed three-minute display of flips, spins, pirouettes, somersaults, helicopters and ghost riding to comfortably beat his brother Nac. Qatar’s Sultan Al-Kuwari also produced an impressive performance to finish the second heat in a superb second position.
Pija Sumer had the measure of Italian Marta Sorrentino throughout the race weekend and another heat victory in the Ski Ladies GP1 category was sufficient for the Slovenian medical student to extend her championship lead. She mixed it with the men in the 10-bike race and finished behind Monti, Poret and Sousa in third.
“You know it is great to race against the boys and try and beat as many of them as I can,” said Sumer. “When you put a helmet on, the differences between us stop and it is me against them. Yes, they have more physical strength but I try and do my best.”
The event was organised by the Qatar Marine Sports Federation (QMSF) in conjunction with H20 Racing and the UIM and attracted 45 racers from 15 countries.
Ski Division GP1
Sousa led the Ski Division GP1 runners into the second race and was pursued by the new Parallel Slalom Ski GP1 World Championship winner, Mickael Poret, who had beaten him in a final run-off under lights on Friday evening.
Sousa started well and held an early lead over Poret, as Monti began a charge through the field after Friday’s electrical gremlins. He managed to sneak through into third at the expense of Sumer and passed Poret to take second when the Frenchman clouted a buoy and fell.
Monti continued to push hard over the closing laps and he sneaked into the lead on lap eight, as Sousa slipped into the clutches of Poret on a thrilling final lap. Sumer came home in fourth and first of the ladies and Slaven Ivancic and Hungarian Josef Bohuslav rounded off the top six.
Runabout GP1
Lemoine had clinched the Parallel Slalom World Championship medal in a final shoot-out against Jeremy Perez on Friday evening and the heat one winner led the field into the all-important second heat, with pre-Qatar favourite Youssef Al-Abdulrazzaq starting near the back of the field.
The Kuwaiti managed to surge through the back markers and climbed as high as ninth before being black-flagged for an overtaking manoeuvre. At the front of the field, Lemoine led from the start and gradually pulled away from the chasing pack. He slowed on the final lap and reached the chequered flag 4.41 seconds in front of Fracasso, with Al-Baz in third and Frenchman Jeremy Perez in fourth.
Poland’s Andrzej Wisniewski pipped Francois Medori to fifth at the final turn buoy. Qatar’s Mohammed Al-Haidus was also running well early on and held third position, before slipping back to fourth, then fifth and then retiring from the 13-lap race.
The final round of the 2013 UIM-ABP Aquabike World Championship takes place in Abu Dhabi on November 30th-December 1st.
2013 UIM-ABP AQUABIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Runabout GP1 -heat 2 results (unofficial @ 16.15 hrs)
1. Cyrille Lemoine (FRA) 13 laps
2. Mattia Fracasso (ITA) @ 4.41sec
3. Mohammed Al-Baz (KUW) @ 7.95sec
4. Jeremy Perez (FRA) @ 46.56sec
5. Andrzej Wisniewski (POL) @ 1min 19.06sec
6. Francois Medori (FRA) @ 1min 21.45sec
Ski Division GP1 -heat 2 results
1. Alberto Monti (ITA) 9 laps
2. Mickael Poret (FRA) @ 4.98sec
3. Tiago Sousa (POR) @ 7.87sec
4. Slavan Ivancic (CRO) @ 1min 22sec
5. Josef Bohuslav (HUN) @ 1min 44sec
Ski Ladies GP1 -heat 2 results
1. Pija Sumer (SVN) 9 laps
2. Marta Sorrentino (ITA) 1 lap behind
2013 UIM-ABP AQUABIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Current points’ standings – after Qatar
Runabout GP1
1. Cyrille Lemoine (FRA) 110 pts
2. Yousef Al-Abdulrazzaq (KUW) 100 pts
3. Jeremy Perez (FRA) 97 pts
4. Francois Medori (FRA) 69 pts, etc
Ski Division GP1
1. Tiago Sousa (POR) 107 pts
2. Alberto Monti (ITA) 105 pts
3. Nacho Armillas (ESP) 79 pts
4. Michael Poret (FRA) 78 pts
5. Slaven Ivancic (CRO) 63 pts, etc
Freestyle
1. Rok Florjancic (SVN) 200 pts
2. Nac Florjancic (SVN) 149 pts
3. Aleksandar Petrovic (SRB) 112 pts
4. Valerio Calderoni (ITA) 68 pts, etc
Ski Ladies GP1
1. Pija Sumer (SVN) 125 pts
2. Marta Sorrentino (ITA) 92 pts
3. Jennifer Menard (FRA) 45 pts
4. Yue Nixin (CHN) 36 pts
5. Li Qian Qian (CHN) 33 pts, etc
Ends
For further information:
Neil Perkins, NDP Publicity Services, Mobile: + 44 7831 123153, E-mail: ndppublicity@googlemail.com,
www.ndp-publicity.com (press releases).
www.qmsf.org
www.aquabike.net