HERE ARE THE CHAMPIONS !

21st August 2005

This weekend, 6 nations were represented by the 22 pilots registered in the last race of European Women' S Cup on the circuit of Schleiz in Germany: Holland, Germany, Italy, France, Slovenia and Hungary.

the Schleizer-Dreieck circuit is very fast, with descents, rises and turns blind; a circuit for” big heart”, selective and technical, where the experience is determining.

As soon as the free training of Friday, the pitch is given: Nina Prinz, a young German woman rider of 22 years old, to the handlebar of her GSXR 1000, make a time of 1.34 which puts her at more than 5 seconds of our challenger girls in class1000. Only another german woman, Ela Seestaller on her ZXR1000 with 1.37.8, and Alessia Polita on its 600, which once again appears very powerful on unknown circuits of her, with 1.37.4, succeed in reducing the ditch of the gap….

But for the 5 last, the limit of qualification is reached, and it will be tough for them to take part in the race.

The qualifying of Saturday will confirm the hierarchy.

In the 1000 class, Nina remains untouchable with a time of 1.32.580, follow behind her Ela Seestaller with 1.35.197, Samuela De Nardi with 1.37.265, Fabienne Migout with 1.38.220 and Marion Voigt with 1.41.838.

In the 600 class, Alessia confirms her very good fettle with 1.35.856, with a substantial lead over her pursuer Iris Ten Katen with 1.40.978, then Ilse Roquette with 1.42.128, Annalisa Picariello with 1.42.887, Lydia Jean with 1.43.103 and Petra Sovegjarto with 1.43.643. These 3 last being in competition for the 2nd place in the general standing in the class 600.

Sandrine Martin, 3rd in the general classification in the 1000 class had to fight to defend her chances. Indeed, following a big fall Friday, whereas she had produced a stopwatch of 1.45.430 in the first test of the free training, the really alarming state of the motor bike led her to think to give up, even if she had not suffered too much physically…. But the precious help of the race organizers, the paddocks solidarity and her tenacity allowed to qualify and bo part of the race.

Sunday morning, the warm-up:

It ‘s under a thick fog and a light rain that the pilots awake for warm-up scheduled at 8.30 am… The track being impracticable because of the almost null visibility, the session will be delayed until 10.45 am, with the rain tires this time.

And it’s Alessia Polita in 1.46.388 which will realize the best time with one second in advance on Nina Prinz in 1.47.418, follow Fabienne Migout in 1.52.413, Ela Seestaller in 1.53.339, Iris Ten Katen in 1.57.402, Lydia Jean in 1.57.873 and Samuela De Nardi in 1.58.245.

The fog rises and the rain stops: how will be the track for the race envisaged at 12.50 am?
Then the choice of the tires becomes determining.

12.40 am, and 20 girls on the pit-lane:

Under the umbrellas of some “umbrella-boys”, the carriages of tires make their ballet, being activated according to the explanations of the pilots after the 1st turn of recognition and the sight of the sky balancing between dark and cleared up clouds… but the issue will give reason to those, in majority, who have chosen dry tires, which was not the choice of Samuela De Nardi and Monica Liscaio who will keep their rain tires. If the first one will be strongly penalized by her too tender tires until the race end and will have to preserve a “cool” drive, the second will decide to leave the race at the 2nd turn.

Others will choose mixed one between front rain tire and rear dry tire like Alessia Polita, Romaniello and MG Vita, they will penalized by a trajectory becoming completely dry .

The start is given and it’s Nina Pinz who takes the lead, followed very near by Ela Seestaller and Fabienne Migout, determined to do the maximum just like Alessia Polita. Another group with Iris Ten Katen, Lydia Jean having taken also a very strong rhythm from the beginning, then Petra Sovegjarto, Annalisa Picariello, Ilse Roquette, Romaniello, Tina Kastranik a young Slovenien woman aged 16 year old, Samuela De Nardi and Marion Voigt.

At the 7th turn, Romaniello falls, then Annalisa Picarellio shortly after, fortunately without gravity, but they loose precious points for the general standing.

Very quickly the 2 Germans women will escape, Nina Prinz standing alone at the top of the race and thus ensuring her victory.
Ela Seestaller takes the 2nd place and Fabienne Migout the 3rd place, Alessia Polita is 4th , Iris Ten Katen 5th and Lydia jean 6th.

Race results:
Class 1000
1rst: Nina Prinz (Germany)
2d : Ela Seestaller (germany)
3rd : Fabienne Migout (France)

Class 600
1rst : Alessia Polita (Italy)
2d : Iris Ten Katen (Holland)
3rd : Lydia Jean (France)

final rankings of the EW’sCup:
Class 1000
1rst champion of the European Women’s Cup 2005 : Samuela De Nardi (Italy) with 63 points
2d and vice champion: Fabienne Migout (France) with 56 points
3rd : Sandrine Martin (France) with 34 points.

Class 600
1rst Champion of the European Women’s Cup: Alessia Polita (Italy) with 75 points
2d and vice champion: Lydia Jean (France) with 45 points
3rd: Petra Sovegjarto (Hungary) with 44 points.

This 1rst publishing of the European Women' S cup saw the participation of women coming from 6 different countries, of all levels and all ages, from 16 to 48 years old.

Its goal was to gather pilots of all origins, eager to compete, in order to share their experience, to get to know each other and make them known!

For us the goal of this year 2005 was achieved, with wonderful cross-borders races and meetings.

For that, we want to thank especially the European Federation, the UEM, which allowed the birth of this project, and supported us throughout the year.

We thank also all the women pilots who participated to this project and allowed it to exist, without them nothing would be possible.

We thank the organizers of the circuits who took care of us and the media which spread the information in each country.

The future:
the confirmation and the continuity of this project which is already so promising, with an ultimate wish : that this Women Cup becomes a true Championship.

But also to develop the recognition of the women pilots and promoters by the Federations, the sponsors and the media.

See you soon !

 

To download the press release here