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2025 UIM-ABP World Aquabike Championship
MOTO 2 SUCCESSES FOR DRANGE AND KOCH HANSEN IN INDONESIA
Sunday, August 17: Moto 2 success in the Ski Ladies GP1 and Ski Gp1 categories at the Grand Prix of Indonesia went to Benedicte Drange and Oliver Koch Hansen after two thrilling race heats that kick-started the action on Sunday.
Drange earns victory in Moto 2 in the Ski Ladies GP1 category
Benedicte Drange ‘s reward for dominating Moto 1 was pole position for Moto 2. The Norwegian lined up ahead of Jasmiin Ypraus, Estelle Poret, Naomi Benini and Jessica Chavanne.
Once again, the in-form girl from Bergen dominated proceedings and took the chequered flag 18.119 seconds ahead of Ypraus with Poret, Chavanne and Benini filling the other places in the top five. Virginie Morlaes and Joana Graça came home a lap behind in sixth and seventh and Janina Johansson was two laps adrift in eighth.
Neither River Varner nor Sofie Borgström were classified as finishers and Varner was also docked 30 seconds for not maintaining her lane at the start.
Drange said: “It was a good race. This time I wasn’t first off the pontoon. I had a speed and took the hole shot. I was unsure which split to take and I saw I had a gap behind and took the slower split. It was a good race. I am really happy.”
Moto 2 Ski GP1 success for Oliver Koch Hansen
World Champion Quinten Bossche got the better of all his rival in the opening Moto and the Belgian had pole for Moto 2 from Oliver Koch Hansen, Jéremy Poret, Toshi O’Hara and Mickael Poret.
But Oliver Koch Hansen, who has shown terrific form in the European Championship this season, came through to take the laurels in the second of the Motos. Toshi O’Hara was a somewhat surprising second, albeit 11.347 seconds adrift of the triumphant Dane, and Jéremy Poret rounded off the podium places. The two talented youngsters, Yoni Hamelin and Ander-Hubert Lauri, were an impressive fourth and fifth.
Quinten Bossche retired after six laps and his demise threw the battle for Grand Prix honours wide open. He was joined on the retirement list two laps later by Michael Poret. Outside the top five, Alex Barret, Valentin Dardillat, Benjamin Scharff, Felix Helgeson and Soshi Sato wrapped up the top 10. Alec Enderli was a non-starter, while 15th-placed Anthony Beernaut was docked a lap for ignoring signals.
Ends