News

Thursday, July 9th - With one week left until rider registrations close, the provisional entry list for the next round of the UIM Aquabike European Continental Championship in Gyor, Hungary already lists 120 names, with many more expected to join in the coming days. Following the success of the opening round in Mira, Portugal at the start of the month, in which the 138 riders present broke the previous Mira registration record, riders have rushed to claim their spot for Aquabike’s return to Gyor on July 17-19.

Among the riders already registered are those who left Mira with a perfect score, having won three out of a possible three Motos in the 2026 season’s opening round. The pressure will therefore be on the likes of Jose Vainio in Runabout GP4 and Estelle Poret in Ski Ladies GP1 to repeat their dominant performances in Mira and widen the gap at the top of their category’s standings even further.

Meanwhile, the Freestyle category will hinge on whether current World and European Champion Roberto Mariani can make it a comeback story. The Italian dominated Freestyle in last year’s Championship, but problems with his bike in Mira mean he is currently third in the standings. Mariani will therefore have to bring his best in Gyor to climb back up the standings and reignite his chances of retaining his European title.  

Particular attention from Gyor’s home fans will be on Csongor Jászai, the young Hungarian rider who dominated all his Ski GP4 races in Mira to leave the Portuguese town with a full 75 points. The current Ski GP3 World Champion competed in the Ski GP3 category in Gyor last year, coming achingly close to a perfect performance after winning the first two Motos, but finishing in second place in Moto 3. Competing instead in Ski GP4 this year, Jászai will be hoping to go one further this time, continuing his winning streak from Mira and putting him firmly at the front of Ski GP4 standings.

Gyor will also host the single-event Junior World Championship, comprising the Runabout Juniors GP4, Ski Juniors GP3.2, and Ski Juniors GP3.3 categories. Many riders are already registered in each category, ready to prove themselves the future of Aquabike racing and fight for the chance to claim the World Champion mantle.