The weeklong action of the UIM P750 World Inflatable Powerboat Championships drew to a dramatic close on Saturday, with the final discipline, a 120km endurance race, ending with just one point separating the first and second place overall winners in the Pro-Stock class.
The event, comprising circuit racing on the North End Lake, surf racing at Kings Beach, as well as long-haul endurance ocean racing was contested by teams from SA, Italy, Namibia, Germany and the Netherlands.
In the standard class, Dylan Bamberger and Carla Engelbrecht proved to be in a league of their own, dominating all facets of the event to be crowned world champions.
The Pro-stock class that was very evenly contested, saw the evergreen Wimpie Ackermann with co-pilot Monja Thiart triumphing.
In the Modified class, Renier le Roux and Johan Human from Klerksdorp proved that you don’t have to live at the coast to be world champions by winning the class by seven points.
Mayoral committee member for sports, recreation, arts and culture, Bassie Kamana, was on hand to present the awards at the closing function held at the Town Lodge Conference Centre overlooking the beachfront.
Kamana said: “It is events like these that ensure Nelson Mandela Bay is seen as the Watersport Capital of the World and we thank each and every team that participated and ensured that this world championship event was a success and look forward to hosting it again in the future.”
The SA teams took a clean sweep across all disciplines.
Results across the three internationally recognised classes:
Flatwater Circuit Racing
Standard Class: 1st Dylan Bamberger and Carla Engelbrecht; 2nd Renier Cronje and Francios van Rooyen; 3rd Nikki du Bois and Tertius de Kock.
Pro-stock Class: 1st JP Hamman and Corne Geldenhuys; 2nd Wimpie Ackermann and Monja Thiart; 3rd Flippie Schoeman and Wian Strydom.
Modified Class: 1st Renier le Roux and Jan Human; 2nd Reghard and Dagmar Roets; 3rd Ruben Scholtz and Reinhard Koekemoer.
Surf Circuit Racing
Standard Class: 1st Dylan Bamberger and Carla Engelbrecht; 2nd Nikki du Bois and Tertius de Kock; 3rd Renier Cronje and Francois van Rooyen.
Pro-stock Class: 1st Dreyer and JD van Niekerk; 2nd JP Hamman and Corne Geldenhuys; 3rd Wihan Malan and Henco Visser.
Modified Class: 1st Renier le Roux and Jan Nieman; 2nd Ruben Scholtz and Reinhard Koekemoer; 3rd Marc Gleed and Jaco van Deventer.
Long-haul Endurance Racing
Standard Class: 1st Dylan Bamberger and Carla Engelbrecht; 2nd Renier Cronje and Francois van Rooyen; 3rd Franco Jacobs and Carlo Johnson.
Pro-Stock Class: 1st Wimpie Ackermann and Monja Thiart; 2nd Flippie Schoeman and Wian Strydom; 3rd Ayrton Martinengo and Dean Kruger.
Modified Class: 1st Ruben Scholtz and Reinhardt Koekemoer; 2nd Renier le Roux and Johan Nieman; 3rd Marc Gleed and Jaco van Deventer.
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