French former World Champion Jessica Chavanne and her fellow countryman Jeremy Perez claimed victories in the opening Ski Ladies GP1 and Runabout GP1 Motos at the Grand Prix of Poland on Saturday.
The first of the Ski Division GP1 Motos was pushed back to the end of the day’s itinerary after the race was red-flagged following an accident involving Czech racer Lukas Binar. He crashed heavily and was taken to hospital for treatment. World Champion Quinten Bossche had led from Oliver Koch Hansen, Mickael Poret, Mattias Reinass and Yoni Hamelin after lap one when the race was stopped.
Ypraus stays ahead of Chavanne to win opening Ski Ladies GP1 Moto
World Champion Jasmiin Ypraus had been able to see off her arch rival Jessica Chavanne in qualifying for the eagerly-anticipated first Ski Ladies GP1 Moto. The Estonian held off the French challenge through lap one and managed to extend her lead, as Virginie Morlaes, Lou Dardillat and Naomi Benini trailed in their wake.
Ypraus extended her lead to six seconds heading into lap eight but she hit serious technical trouble on that lap and slipped out of contention, leaving the door open for Chavanne to take the lead from Morlaes, Dardillat, Benini and Janina Johansson.
Chavanne duly romped to an emphatic win and maximum points with Morlaes and Dardillat completing the first podium of the season and Benini and Johansson rounding off the top five. Joana Graca finished sixth.
Chavanne said: “It was a good race but I am sad that Jasmiin broke her ski. In the beginning, we were so close and we had a fight until the middle of the race and then I saw her stopped. I hope she will be good for tomorrow.”
A disappointed Ypraus said: “It is better that this happens at the beginning of the season than the middle or at the end when it matters most. It must be something electrical, not the engine, so that is good. It slowly died on me. I had a good view of the race and all the other girls passing me.”
Opening Runabout GP1 success for Perez
Runabout G1 debutant Robin Laforge had been the surprise pole position winner on Friday afternoon and the Belgian lined up at the start of Moto 1 ahead of Jeremy Perez and World Champion Samuel Johansson. Eighteen riders began the heat.
But the Belgian was unable to fend off the advances of his more experienced rivals and he was down in third at the end of lap one with Perez leading from Johansson. Local star Andrzej Wisniewski was in fourth ahead of Linus Lindberg, Pierre Francois Savelli and Lino Araujo.
Perez began to edge away from the Swede as gaps developed at the head of the leaderboard through five laps. Both Savelli and Araujo passed Lindberg on lap seven and Johansson closed slightly on the leader. There were no changes on the leader board through 13 laps with Perez managing to hold off Johansson and he was able to secure a vital victory.
The Swede finished second and Laforge, Savelli, Araujo and Wisniewski rounded off the top six. Lindberg was docked two laps for a course violation and also had a jump start.
