Australian Motorcycle News — January 03, 2018

(Barry) #1

amcn.com.au 123


Morbidelli and


Pasini claim 100km


of Champions


NEWLY-CROWNED MOTO2 World
Champion Franco Morbidelli and
2017 rival Mattia Pasini reigned
supreme at the annual 100km
of Champions at the Valentino
Rossi Motor Ranch held over 16-17
December.
The duo beat the pairing of
nine-time world champ Valentino
Rossi and his half brother Luca
Marini in the 100km dirt track
event, while MotoGP star Danillo
Petrucci and Moto2 front-runner
Lorenzo Baldassarri completed
the podium. Franco Morbidelli


also took victory in the event’s
shorter Americana race.
“They were two very busy days
and today we were very lucky to
have a sunny day,” host Valentino
Rossi said. “We had many riders
in the race, 36, from the World
Championship, to the Superbike,
to the American flat track, all
very fast. Kudos to Morbidelli and
Pasini who were impeccable.
“We train all year round here
and it’s always nice to share the
Ranch with friends and riders in
an event like this.” KB

WESS

Flat Track

THE 2018 RACINGseason will
see an all-new off-road series
inaugurated when the eight-
round World Enduro Super
Series kicks off in May this year.
The WESS will use existing
classic and hard enduro, cross
country and beach racing
events in its line-up of rounds,
like Hard Enduro’s Extreme XL
Lagares in Portugal, which will
form the curtain-raising round
over 11-13 May. And while the
series will use its own dedicated
point scoring system, each of
the already established events
will continue to run under their
existing rules and regulations.
It’s open to anyone, from
amateurs to pro riders and given
the sheer number of entries that
will potentially front up, points
will be awarded through to
250th place.
It’s the brainchild of promoters
WESS Promotion GmbH which,
together with the individual
events, says it wants to connect
the diverse enduro landscape
while championing many of the
sport’s long-established values.
“We’ve partnered with
unique and distinctive events


to bring together a series that
truly celebrates the spirit of
enduro,” the website reads. “It
is about the coming together of
professional and amateur riders,

competing and having fun
shoulder-to-shoulder.”
The firm has also revealed
there’s “strategic international
growth” planned for the 2019

season and beyond, so our
fingers are crossed it’s taking a
hard look beyond Europe and
at Victoria’s Wildwood extreme
enduro event. KB

World Enduro Super Series launched


Moto2 stars
Morbidelli and
Pasini won in
Rossi’s back yard

2018 WORLD ENDURO SUPER SERIES
Rd1 11-13 May Extreme XL Lagares Portugal / Rd2 31 May-3 Jun Erzbergrodeo Red Bull Hare Scramble Austria
Rd3 8-10 Jun Trefle Lozerien AMV France / Rd4 24-28 Jul Red Bull Romanics Romania / Rd5 TBC Sept Red Bull 111 Megawatt Poland
Rd6 TBA / Rd7 26-27 October Gotland Grand National Sweden / Rd8 10 November Red Bull Knock Out Netherlands
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