MEDIA INFORMATION
2025 UIM-ABP European Continental Aquabike Championship
MOTO 2 GLORY FOR DRANGE, KOCH HANSEN AND PEREZ
Saturday, July 5: Norway’s Benedicte Drange, Dane Oliver Koch Hansen and Jéremy Perez prevailed in the remaining second Ski Ladies GP1, Ski GP1 and Runabout GP1 Motos at the Grand Prix of Mira after a hectic Saturday afternoon’s action in Portugal.
An amended timetable saw the first of the Freestyle Motos wrap the day’ action with defending European Champion Roberto Mariani getting the better of fellow countryman Massimo Accumolo and Portuguese entrant Paolo Nuñes in the day’s on-water acrobatic finale. Mariani amassed 187 points compared to 141 for Accumolo and 116 for Nuñes.
Drange takes her second Ski Ladies GP1 Moto win
Defending European champion Benedicte Drange had stunned her illustrious rivals to bounce back from an illness-induced lay-off to win the opening Moto and the Norwegian sat on pole for Moto 2, ahead of Estelle Poret, championship leader Jessica Chavanne, Jasmiin Ypraus and Lou Dardillat.
Drange maintained her excellent run of form to stay ahead and she began to edge into a useful lead from Chavanne, Ypraus, Poret and Virginie Morlaes. Naomi Benini, Joana Graça and Lou Dardillat completed the running order. Ypraus managed to overtake Chavanne and grab second but Drange was running strongly at the head of the field and increased her lead to over nine seconds through lap five.
That time difference started to fall briefly as Ypraus applied the pressure but Drange responded well and headed into the final two laps with a 9.16-second lead. The World Champion was unable to catch Drange and the girl from Bergen reached the finish with a winning margin of 5.85 seconds to record her second win of the day. Ypraus and Chavanne wrapped up the podium places from Poret, Morlaes, Graça and Dardillat after Benini failed to pass the chequered flag on her ski and was sidelined.
Drange now has a 10-point lead over a tying Poret, Ypraus and Chavanne in the push for the Grand Prix win. She said: “It was a good Moto this time also. I did the hole shot. I am so happy with my mechanics. They have made me feel awesome this year. I took the lead and I led all the way.”
Oliver Koch Hansen storms to Moto 2 win in Ski GP1
Morgan Poret had taken full advantage of Quinten Bossche’s engine woes to win the opening Ski GP1 Moto and the Frenchman started the second heat ahead of Oliver Koch Hansen, Mickael Poret and Alec Enderli. Bossche started from the rear of the field, ahead of his fellow countryman Yoni Hamelin. Valentin Dardillat, Ander-Hubert Lauri and Mads Koch Hansen were non-starters.
Oliver Koch Hansen made the best start and came through the opening lap ahead of Morgan and Mickael Poret and a flying Bossche, who had carved his way through the field. Maxence Russel and Matteo Benini settled into fifth and sixth ahead of Enderli and Kerto Kase.
Koch Hansen appeared to have the measure of his rivals and the Dane extended his lead to a staggering 17.51 seconds into lap six with Morgan and Mickael Poret and Bossche trailing in his wake. The Dane’s pace was rewarded with a 22.32-second victory, as Morgan Poret, Bossche, Mickael and Jéremy Poret and Benini wrapped up the remainder of the top six.
Morgan Poret and Koch Hansen are now tied on 47 points apiece heading into their final Moto on Sunday. Mickael Poret is a distant third, nine points behind.
Koch Hansen said: “So far so good. One race to go and hopefully that will be a win! The start was really tight. Me and Mickael (Poret) were side-by-side. He tried to close. I said no way and I held on.”
Second Runabout GP1 Moto success for Perez
Jéremy Perez had been the man to beat all weekend in Runabout GP1. He won the opening Moto from pole and lined up ahead of Pierre-François Savelli, Robin Laforge and Petr Dryjak for the start of Moto 2. Lino Araùjo, Martin Doulik and Rasmus Koch Hansen were not among the 11 original starters, although Araùjo and Doulik did later tag on to the Moto at the rear of the field.
Perez held off Savelli through the opening lap and began to edge away from his fellow Frenchman. Andrzej Wisniewski also began well to hold third ahead of Krzysztof Olszewski, Laforge and Jean-Baptiste Baldassari.
Perez stayed clear of drama to secure his second win of the weekend and a maximum 50-point haul to take into the final showdown on Sunday. He finished 16.59 seconds in front of Savelli with Laforge, Wisniewski, Olszewski and Florian Bardoux rounding off the top six. Perez now leads Savelli by six points heading into the final Moto. He said: “I am very happy to win Moto 2. Now I want to win the Grand Prix here tomorrow.”
Ends