Thursday, 15 August, VLADIVOSTOK (Russia): Jean-Bruno Pastorello extended his lead in Russky Offshore 2013 with a second straight heat win and with maximum points moves 19 clear in the overall standings with three heats to run.

The Frenchman again dominated the race leading from start-to-finish, completing the four laps in 2hrs 10mins 2.4secs to win by 43.91secs and on this form looks the rider most likely to take overall title honours on Sunday. “There was very little sea, it was very flat. Absolutely no waves,” said the Toulouse rider. “But at least we had good weather and today and we can see the island. It was quite easy for everyone. The conditions made it not really a racers race but an engine race. It was very hard [on the engine] as it was flat out all the time.”

The duel for second and third spots was fought out between Samuka Racing duo, Carlos Truta and Antonio Curtinhal and Russia’s Aleksei Chernukha, the hard-fought four lap long encounter decided ultimately in the third and final pit stop.

With third teammate Filipe Filipe sitting out the day Truta took the first leg putting them into third spot behind Chernukha before handing to Curtinhal.

With Pastorello pulling away Curtinhal chased down his Russian rival, with the decisive move coming in the pit stop giving the Portuguese team the advantage on the final leg which they held to take second spot.

It was a good result for the Portuguese outfit after yesterday’s breakdown and zero points tally and puts them right back in the hunt for title honours and leapfrogs then into fifth place. “Conditions were good and it was important for us to be running in the lead group. It is much easier to run at the front than in the chase pack,” said Carlos Truta. “Pastorello is a very good professional. We knew our fight was for second place. We were well matched on the water but we made our move on the final pit stop. We came in in third, short-filled with fuel and went out in second spot and Antonio brought us home.”

Chernukha’s third place was a two spot improvement on yesterday giving him the bragging rights as first Russian home and moves him up the points table into third place. “Because of the conditions this race was all about the engine. I was running maximum RPM from start to finish,” he said. “Physically I felt very good and it was a good fight with number 12. I thought I would take second but they were quick out of the pits. But overall I am pleased with a top three.”

Yesterday’s runners-up Alexander Shishov and Igor Chernikh had to settle for fourth spot and led home a close fought battle for a top six finish between Michael Karpov and Vick Team duo, Guadeloupe residents Vincent Thomas and Lucas Granger – both teams picking up their first points after yesterday’s DNfs.

Third spot keeps the Russian duo in second place overall despite being amongst a host of riders docked two points for missing buoys at the finish line at the end of lap two.

After yesterday’s top three finish it was not a good day for Russia’s Denis Belikov, picking up no points and dropping to sixth after breaking down on the last lap and being towed in.

Whilst the target for all riders remains to be to try to unseat Pastorello, the battle behind the Frenchman is closing up, with just 16-points separating the six chasing teams and looks to be a straight fight between Russsia, Portugal and Spain.

HEAT 2 results

1    8   Team France            FR     4   02:10:02.40   00:00:00.00   25  

2   12   Samuka Racing       PT    4   02:10:45.91   00:00:43.51   20  

3   37   Team Russia 37      RU   4   02:11:15.81   00:01:13.41   16  

4   58   Team Russia 58      RU   4   02:14:57.81   00:04:55.41   13  

5   32   Team Russia 32      RU   4   02:15:15.16   00:05:12.76   11  

6  971   VICK Team               GP   4   02:15:28.01   00:05:25.61   10  

7   21   Team Russia 21      RU   4   02:19:18.35   00:09:15.95    9  

8   78   Team Russia 78      RU   4   02:24:59.65   00:14:57.25    8   

9   55   Maremoto Jets          ES    4   02:24:10.52   00:18:08.12   7

10  77   Team Turkey            TR   4    02:26:40.75   00:16:38.35   6  

11  25   Team Russia 25      RU   4   02:32:44.22   00:22:41.82  5  

12  50   Team Russia 50      RU   4   02:37:18.16   00:27:15.76  4  

13  777   Team Russia 777  RU  4   02:39:47.08   00:29:44.68  3  

14   39   Team Portugal         PT   4   02:51:40.30        DSQ 

15   27   Team Russia 27     RU   3   01:45:05.10        DNF  

16   14   Team Russia 14     RU   3   01:45:07.48        DNF  

17    4   Foks Moto Woman   RU   0                                 DNF

18    5   Team Russia 5          RU   0                                DNS

19   88   Team Finland           FI   0                                   DNS

Race Time Limit: 02:53:23.20