The aquabiking is a discipline which has become the leading motorboating number of practitioners: there are 25 thousand members in the world and the 250 riders representing 28 countries. It is two consecutive years that the Salento is home to the spectacular competitions of this sport: after Castro last year, was Otranto to host the first stage of the championship UIM-Abp-Aquabike Class Pro World Chamionship – Grand Prix of Italy in which they are intervened teams and drivers with their personal water craft or aquabike or aquascooter, call them what you like, have animated the body of water of the port of the town.
And we start right from them, from rumbling protagonists, telling this Otranto’s long weekend which saw darting these racing cars on the hair of the crystal-clear water of Adriatic Sea. Personal watercraft are divided into two categories: Ski, designed to be driven up, requiring physical strength, agility in the legs and arms, and are used in the Freestyle category. The Runabout are large water jet which provide guidance seated and which also include a saddle.
Spectacular the stunts of Free Style, in which the pilots, with their performances than three minutes have exalted the people: every rider fact makes a series of evolutions, maneuvers and figures that are rewarded with points awarded by the judges. Count the spectacular exhibition, the technical aspect and the novelty of the proposed figures. And this year there was no story, and the first two podium places went to the Croatian brothers Rok and Nac Floriancic despite the favorite was given Rashid Al Mulla, from UAE.
We of Città Meridiane before races we interviewed engaging and helpful Roberto Mariani, Roman from Rome, but with his feet in the water and head in the clouds, which in 2014 was Italian champion in the Free Style category. Our interview will soon be online in the Video section of the blog.
Coordinated by a staff, technicians and pilots, including two hundred employees, in compliance with Regulation UIM (Union Internationale Motonautique), the event was organized with the free practice, pole position to determine the starting grid of the Grand Prix and the real race. The route of the Ski Ladies categories, Ski Division One men and Runabout GP, bordered by a series of buoys has been the scene of close and adrenaline racing among the 60 pilots from 21 countries. Special features of the opening day of the World Aquabike Grand Prix Italy was the dead enginee, ie a departure from the shore rather than from the sea. It’s a shame having been unable to attend our position because the images show that was truly spectacular, with holder who barely held back the bikes roaring up at the start of the UIM commissioner, Luca Filiberti! Real surprises have taken place in the 25 minutes of the game Runabout: white flag and last lap with number 25 of the Polish Andrzej Wisniewski, who heads right away, broke in half. From then on, the battle was tough until the Hungarian Jorgensen Marcus with the number 11, finished in pole closing with the final victory. Other winners in the race Moto 1 are: in the Ski Ladies Swedish Emma Nellie Ortendahl, true queen of the stage with two wins out of two more Pole on Friday, and in SKI GP Division One Spaniard Nacho Armillas.
To kick off the Aquabike World Championship was the President UIM (Union Internationale Motonatique), Raffaele Chiulli, recently appointed President ARISF, the association of non-Olympic federations, but recognized by the IOC, and vice president of SportAccord (association that brings together international sports federations that are part of the IOC). Unfortunately, the stage of Otranto did not bring luck to the Italians who have not gone very well: Fracasso closes at a share of 13 points, 7 points for Secchiaroli, a single championship point instead to Alessio Schintu. It only saves Monti in the men’s category Sky with a fifth place in the provisional overall standings. Presenting the awards in Sunday’s final evening of June 12, the mayor of Otranto, Luciano Cariddi, the president of H2O Racing, Nicolò di San Germano, UIM President, Raffaele Chiulli and organizational manager Gp Italy, Mariangela De Carlo.
Among the roar of the engines on the water, the music of the bar Maestrale on the pier and the comings and goings of all riders and organizers very busy from the various requirements imposed by the event, we of Città Meridiane, including our Arturo, which this year was equipped with not only the press pass but also to pass in order to be admitted in the VIP Lounge H2O, we enjoyed moments of peace, tranquility and relaxation. The first was the evening spent at Masseria Muzza for the welcome drink in an atmosphere of great sophistication enhanced by the whiteness of the structure in contrast with the sky burning from dusk doubled from ponds all around. A perfect setting to wear the blue waves caftan silk by Fontanarosa Atelier, intriguing for its transparency but of great elegance, combined to “Leaves” earrings in gilded bronze by Julia Barela Jewels. The last was to the gala dinner at the Casamassella Castle, a fairy-tale place between environments and gardens offered the ideal stage to the closure of this Italian round of the World Aquabike Championship. Between one and the other, we rested very well between the green and the swimming pool of Residence Altair nearness of Laghi Alimini, where the twittering of birds have replaced the sometimes deafening noises caused by fireballs, and the grace and the availability of Andrea and Fabio have literally conquered us making forget for a while the frenzy in Otranto. Where, however, we could appreciate an angle of pure gastronomic poetry and absolute calm on the shaded terrace of Il Giardino nascosto through Simona dishes, bright as her eyes and fresh as her smile. We’ll tell you soon our dining experience and its nice story in the section Buongusto of our blog.
Good bye Otranto!
