Life’s A Beach (And Then You Ride)
Pre-event fun at Cowes beach as WorldSBK goes naval
WorldSBK and WorldSSP riders today attended a pre-event in Cowes on Phillip Island ahead of the opening Round of the 2016 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, trying their luck at sandcastle building (quite successful) and paddle boarding (more questionable).
Rea, Hayden, Davies, Camier, De Angelis, Brookes, Guintoli, Epis, Sofuoglu and Krummenacher each joined forces with two local children to take on the challenge of two halves, first consisting of building a sand fort and then followed by a relay and paddle board race.
Team Rea ended the first half with a well-designed and professional sandcastle, but competition was stiff from the likes of Hayden and Brookes. Hayden’s soft toy penguin on his castle, an homage to Phillip Island, seemed like the winning detail until he was pipped at the flag by Australia’s own Josh Brookes. Brookes, in the dying seconds, swept through to victory by virtue of a small-scale erupting sand volcano, wowing the judges and sealing the win.
Part 2 saw the junior teammates of each rider tag them as part of a relay and set the riders running into the water to paddle board to a buoy (and back). Leon Camier, by virtue of a stunning start, took an early lead that would prove decisive. Nicky Hayden, after an incredible podium placement in the sandcastle challenge, sadly encountered problems off the line and failed to complete the lap. Later admitting to having refused to fully immerse himself in the ocean, the Kentucky Kid threw away a chance at victory as he watched Lachlan Epis challenge Camier for the lead. Young WorldSSP rider Epis then made a startling error and attempted to turn the wrong way round the buoy at the half way point, the confusion resulting in a collision between Chaz Davies and Kenan Sofuoglu that the Welsh Ducati rider was adamant about taking to Race Direction.
Camier, once back on land, could not be stopped and blasted over the line to take a well-fought victory, setting himself up perfectly for the weekend of racing that kicks off tomorrow at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit.
Race 1: Sandcastle
Champion – Josh Brookes, Milwaukee BMW
Runner Up – Nicky Hayden, Honda World Superbike Team
Race 2: Paddle Board Relay
Champion – Leon Camier, MV Agusta Reparto Corse
Runner Up – Randy Krummenacher, Puccetti Racing Team
