News
Friday, May 30: Hungary’s Csongor Jaszai, Spaniard Alejandro Prats Palau and Frenchman Mathys Mezière won their opening Motos in the Ski GP3, Runabout GP4 and Ski GP4 categories at the Grand Prix of Poland late on Friday afternoon.
Jaszai holds off Lambert to earn Ski GP3 Moto 1 success
Dorijan Jakopanec was on pole for the first of the Ski GP3 heats but he was not able to maintain the advantage and Loris Lambert moved ahead after the opening lap from Alexandre Bourgeois, Csongor Jaszai and the pole sitter. The top four held station through three laps and Lambert had extended his advantage to over one and a half seconds into lap seven.
All 10 riders took the start and it was developing into a procession until Jaszai passed Bourgeois to claim second place. He then overtook Lambert on lap nine but the Belgian regained a slim lead late on only to be passed yet again by the determined Hungarian. He held on to claim the first Moto win of the new UIM-ABP season from Lambert. Jakopanec finished third ahead of Bourgeois and Michael van Reybroeck.
Jaszai said: “I was fourth at the first buoy and then I passed the guy in front of me. It was really nice race conditions and I was able to pass the guys in front of me. I had a terrible start but it’s a great result and now I need to go for a rest to prepare for tomorrow and try and come back for a win in GP2 and GP3.”
Manuel Leite was handed a 25-second penalty for not maintaining his line and Bram Hoeke was docked two laps for short-cutting.
Moto 1 Runabout GP4 success for Prats Palau
Alejandro Prats Palau led the opening Runabout GP4 Moto from pole and stayed in front of Juliusz Roman, Henri Koppas, Grantas Gurkšnys, Karl Kesküla and Kutra Dovydas through the opening two laps.
The Spaniard stayed ahead of his 14 rivals through the next couple of laps and began to edge away from Roman and Koppas. Dovydas began to slip out of contention as Gurkšnys retained fourth and Erikas Butkus and Kesküla settled into fifth and sixth.
Prats Palau was not to be denied and he claimed the 25 points with a comfortable win over Roman, Koppas, Gurkšnys and Butkus after Kesküla dropped out of contention eight laps into the Moto and finished at the rear of the field in 15th.
Mathys Mezière storms to opening Ski GP4 Moto win
Mathys Mezière lined up in front of fellow Frenchman Lucas Mouchotte, Latvia’s Daniils Potrivailo and Gurkšnys for the start of the first Ski GP4 Moto. He started strongly and surged away from his rivals with Lithuania’s Gurkšnys passing his Baltic State rival early in the heat.
The four riders held their positions throughout the Moto from then on with the impressive Mezière over a minute clear of his nearest rivals at the chequered flag.
Freestyle pole for Mariani
Defending European champion Roberto Mariani got his Freestyle campaign off to the perfect start with pole position for Moto 1.
The Italian carded 193 points with the judges for variety, quality and content in his on-water performance to finish 22 points ahead of Germany’s Thomas Wolf.
Massimo Accumolo and Paulo Nuñes were third and fourth.