The second of the Ski Ladies GP1, Ski Division GP1 and Runabout GP2 Asian Continental Championship Motos and the first of the Runabout GP1 Motos for the Old Doha Port Grand Prix of Qatar were held in punishing heat on Friday afternoon.
A flying Benedicte Drange stormed through the Ski Ladies GP1 field to snatch a vital victory in the second of the Motos. But second-placed Estelle Poret heads into the final heat on Saturday with a 15-point lead in the World Championship over defending champion Jasmiin Ypraus.
Drange said: “In Moto 1, I had the lead and then my fuel pump broke. I was full speed on the stretch and it broke. I did not finish and it was a heartbreak because I was going for a title. I thought to myself, I will start as nine or 10 in Moto 2 and the championship is not on the line anymore. I needed to bring back my joy of racing. When I had a championship, it was too much pressure. I don’t enjoy it. I went out had fun, did the best I could and had a brilliant start. I swept past half the field and passed Jasmiin on the first lap. Then I took Estelle and Jessica (Chavanne). It was probably the best race I have done in my career. I am super happy and dedicate this victory to my team and my mechanics.”
Veteran Kevin Reiterer stormed through to earn Moto 2 success in Ski GP1 after pole-sitter and Moto 1 winner Quinten Bossche shut down on the opening lap and was later disqualified for a course infringement. Third place for Denmark’s Oliver Koch Hansen gave him an 18-point lead over Jéremy Poret to take into the final Moto on Saturday.
Reiterer said: “This morning I thought it was going to be easier than yesterday but it was up and down like crazy. We had rollers coming in from boats that we weren’t expecting on the straights. We were just taking off. It was really rough, one of the roughest and hardest Motos I have ever done. I got off to an okay start and then Quinten’s boat shut off and he fell back. I tried to pace myself, save some energy and put in some good laps if there was a fight later. Five to seven seconds was a good gap so that you don’t have to worry in the splits.”
François Medori headed into the opening Runabout GP1 Moto with a 16-point World Championship advantage over Jéremy Perez but engine issues sidelined the Corsican after he had passed Yousef Al-Abdulrazzaq to take the Moto lead. The Kuwaiti regained the advantage to win the Moto only to lose out to Perez near the finish. The Frenchman now takes a nine-point lead over Medori into the final Moto.
The triumphant Perez said: “I feel really good. It was a really difficult race. I push and push and György passed me and I passed him again om the last corner. I am happy to win. François was faster than me but we will see. The strategy now will be to get a good start in Moto 2 and try to push and not to lose places. I know that I need to finish four or five so I will manage my race.”
Emirati Amer Hawair clinched a lights-to-flag second victory in the Runabout GP2 category to put him in a strong position to seal the title at the final race on Saturday.
Drange flies to Ski Ladies GP1 Moto 2 success
Moto 1 winner Estelle Poret knew that a top finish would put her in a superb position to claim the world title on Saturday. She lined up on pole ahead of Naomi Benini, Jasmiin Ypraus, Jessica Chavanne, River Varner and Virginie Morlaes. The cruel engine problem in Moto 1 had pushed title contender Benedicte Drange to the rear of the 10-boat field.
Chavanne stormed through to get the hole shot and took the outside split ahead of Poret, Varner, Drange, Ypraus, Benini, Morlaes, Sofie Borgström, Emy Garcia and Janina Johansson. Chavanne maintained her lead through the opening lap but Drange managed to pass Poret and take second position, although, as long as Poret finished the two remaining Motos, Drange was helpless in her quest for the title.
Drange held on to nail the Moto win by 2.398 seconds and picked up 25 invaluable championship points.
Poret passed Chavanne to finish second and a resurgent Ypraus snatched third from Chavanne to finish ahead of Benini, Garcia, Varner, Morlaes and Borgström.
Varner then incurred a two-lap penalty for course cutting and Benini was docked 40 seconds for lane indiscipline. Benini finished fifth ahead of Morlaes, Borgström and Varner.
