Six Champions Crowned in Sardinian Aquabike Thriller
Six world champions were crowned and four Grand Prix victors celebrated in a thrilling finale to the Regione Sardegna Grand Prix of Italy in Olbia, where dramatic battles and stunning comebacks defined three days of fierce competition.
Siimann Snatches World Title with Final Lap Heroics
Mattias Siimann produced the performance of the weekend in Runabout GP2, storming from sixth place to win the final moto and retain his world title in sensational style. The Estonian had entered the decisive race tied on points with Davide Pontecorvo, who held second place heading into the closing stages.
Alessandro Fracasso led the race throughout, but Siimann mounted a remarkable charge through the field. He dispatched Domantas Vaznys and Ruben Jimenez Riquelme before passing Pierpaolo Terreo with nine minutes remaining, closing within three seconds of Pontecorvo.
In a pulsating finale, Siimann overtook the Italian on lap nine before catching and passing Fracasso on the final lap to secure both the moto win and the world championship. Pontecorvo finished second in both the race and the standings, with Fracasso third overall.
World Titles Decided Over Three Motos
Csongor Jäszai claimed the Ski GP3 world championship after entering the final moto tied on 47 points with Dorijan Jakopanec. The Hungarian held off constant pressure from his Croatian rival to win by 4.278 seconds, sealing both the Grand Prix and world title.
Baptiste Calmels secured the Ski GP4 crown despite finishing third in the final moto. The Frenchman fought back from fifth at the start, overtaking Mansour Abuljadayel and Daniils Potrivailo to clinch the points required. Markus Erlach won the moto ahead of Ander-Hubert Lauri.
Karol Puzelevic dominated the final Runabout GP4 moto, winning by 48.315 seconds to take the world title from compatriot Grantas Gurkšnys, who suffered mechanical problems on the final lap and slipped to sixth. Alessandro Prats Palau inherited second place in both the moto and championship.
Urlo Takes Home Glory
Rome-based Arianna Urlo delighted the home crowd by winning the Runabout GP4 Ladies world championship on Italian waters. She held off Aurora Filiberti to win the final moto by 2.798 seconds, with defending champion Cyrielle Bramm securing second overall in the standings.
Mattias Reinass retained his Ski GP2 world championship for the second successive year, holding off Karl-Joosep Steinberg and Jäszai to win the decisive moto by 1.683 seconds and claim the Grand Prix victory.
Bossche Storms Through Field
Quinten Bossche produced one of the most remarkable drives of the season in the final Ski GP1 moto, charging from the rear of the field to claim victory. The Belgian, starting last after his Moto 2 retirement, passed rivals relentlessly to snatch the lead from Japan’s Toshi O’Hara in the closing stages, winning by 5.201 seconds.
Mickael Poret finished third to secure Grand Prix honours, whilst championship leader Oliver Koch Hansen extended his title advantage to 11 points over Jéremy Poret with one round remaining.
Drange Prevails as Ypraus Hits Trouble
Benedicte Drange claimed her first World Championship Grand Prix victory in Ski Ladies GP1 after title leader Jasmiin Ypraus suffered pre-moto engine problems. The Norwegian held off Estelle Poret to win the final moto by 3.636 seconds.
“It’s a victory and it’s my first World Championship Grand Prix victory, so I am really happy about that, finally,” said Drange.
Ypraus, forced to use a backup ski, struggled to 11th place and surrendered the Grand Prix lead. Poret now holds a seven-point championship advantage heading to the Qatar finale.
Medori Extends Championship Lead
François Medori controlled both Runabout GP1 motos to claim Grand Prix victory and extend his world championship lead to 16 points over Jéremy Perez. The Corsican avoided traffic issues to win the final moto by 1.764 seconds ahead of Perez.
“Today and yesterday was an incredible battle with him,” said Medori. “He rode really well and is at his best level. I gave all I could in this race and I am really happy to win in front of my kids and my wife.”
Mariani Edges Al-Mulla in Freestyle
Roberto Mariani secured Freestyle Grand Prix honours on a tie-breaker from Rashid Al-Mulla after both riders finished level on points. The defending European champion’s second moto victory proved decisive, extending his world championship lead to 10 points over the Team Abu Dhabi rider.
| Category | World Champion | Grand Prix Winner |
|---|---|---|
| Ski GP3 | Csongor Jäszai | Csongor Jäszai |
| Ski GP4 | Baptiste Calmels | Baptiste Calmels |
| Runabout GP4 | Karol Puzelevic | Karol Puzelevic |
| Runabout GP4 Ladies | Arianna Urlo | Arianna Urlo |
| Ski GP2 | Mattias Reinass | Mattias Reinass |
| Runabout GP2 | Mattias Siimann | Mattias Siimann |
| Ski Ladies GP1 | – | Benedicte Drange |
| Ski GP1 | – | Mickael Poret |
| Runabout GP1 | – | François Medori |
| Freestyle | – | Roberto Mariani |
The UIM-ABP World Aquabike Championship concludes with the final round in Doha, Qatar, at the end of October.
Neil Perkins, is a seasoned sports journalist and PR professional. Educated at Adams’ Grammar School, Newport, he developed a lifelong passion for sport, including football, cricket, golf, and snooker.
Perkins began his career as a trainee accountant before moving into sports journalism in 1986 with Motoring News, covering events worldwide. In 1990, he founded NDP Publicity Services in Shropshire, specialising in sports public relations. Over three decades, he has worked across 114 countries for governments, sporting federations, royalty, celebrities, and major events such as the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, and Winter Olympics.
Outside work, he follows Ipswich Town FC, enjoys fishing in Spain and Shropshire, and travels to destinations including Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Catalunya, and Mexico.
