The WSK Champions Cup in Adria awarded the first titles of 2020 at the end of a hard-fought weekend with 170 drivers on track. The winner of OK was Taylor Barnard (KR-Iame-Bridgestone/Team Rosberg), that of OK-Junior Alfio Andrea Spina (KR-Iame-Vega/Team KR), and Mini’s Anatoly Khavalkin (Parolin-TM Racing-Vega/Team Parolin).
The opener of the WSK season offered an excellent spectacle with the WSK Champions Cup, the traditional event that awarded the first titles of 2020 at the Adria Karting Raceway in the 15th year of activity of WSK Promotion. The 170 drivers on track came from 37 different countries to battle out the victory in the three entitled categories OK, OK-Junior and Mini. Novelties and new lineups were present and some drivers switched to higher categories too. Interestingly, three sisters from the Czech Republic were present: Babickova Eliska and Tereza in OK, Perta in OKJ challenged several strong rivals.WSK Champions Cup also had the duty to provide a first indication on the main protagonists of this new season and the first titles of 2020 were claimed in Adria by the Brit Taylor Barnard (KR-Iame-Bridgestone/Team Rosberg) in OK, the Italian Alfio Andrea Spina (KR-Iame-Vega/Team KR) in OK-Junior, and the Russian Anatoly Khavalkin (Parolin-TM Racing-Vega/Team Parolin) in Mini.
Barnard dominates the OK final.
OK Prefinals in the morning had the first twist following a penalty handed to the Dutch Thomas Ten Brinke (Kosmic-Vortex-Bridgestone), who was the quickest after heats. Prefinal-A was therefore won by the Brazilian Rafa Camara (Exprit-TM Racing), while the Brit Taylor Barnard (KR-Iame) won Prefinal-B. Andrea Kimi Antonelli (KR-Iame) could not take part in the final stages due to the fever and flu after being the quickest in qualifying and claiming the victory in the first qualifying heat.The Final was eventually dominated by the British driver Taylor Barnard, who led the race throughout. The Spaniard Josep Marti Sobrepera (KR-Iame) managed to climb up to P2, but he was later on found under-weight and penalized. The second place was therefore inherited by the Russian Kirill Smal (Energy-TM Racing) and the third by the British driver Harry Thompson (KR-Iame), who lost a few positions. The Brazilian Matheus Morgatto (Parolin-TM Racing) managed to recover 21 places up to the final P5 behind the Russian Nikita Bedrin (Tony Kart-Vortex).
OK Final classification: 1. Barnard (GBR); 2. Smal (RUS); 3. Thompson (GBR).
Maiden win for Spina in OK-Junior.
In OK-Junior, the British driver Arvid Lindblad (KR-Iame-Vega) confirmed his speed and won Prefinal-A, followed by his teammate Alfio Andrea Spina, while the Norwegian Martinius Stenshorne (KR-Iame) won Prefinal-B leading the Brit Freddie Slater (Kosmic-Vortex). Final-B’s victory went to the Pole Tymoteusz Kucharczyk (RK-TM Racing). The Final has been lively and hard-fought with several drivers aiming to the win. Eventually, Alfio Andrea Spina (KR-Iame-Vega) claimed his maiden win in OK-Junior. He had to face the challenge of the Norwegian Martinius Stenshorne and Singapore’s Christian Ho at the end of a good comeback race. The all KR-Iame podium welcomed several teams: KR Motorsport with Spina, Rosberg Racing Academy with Stenshorne and Sauber Karting Team with Ho. The fourth and fifth positions went to two protagonists of the weekend: the Russian Artem Severiukhim (Tony Kart-Vortex) that was fourth and the Brit Arvid Lindblad (KR-Iame) fifth, after holding P2 early on.
OK-Junior Final classification: 1. Spina (ITA); 2. Stenshorne (NOR), 3. Ho (SGP).
Mini’s final dominated by the Russian Khavalkin.
Mini’s Prefinal-A was won by the Russian Dmitry Matveev (Energy-TM Racing-Vega), as his fellow-countryman Anatoly Khavalkin (Parolin-TM Racing) won Prefinal-B. The victory of the Final-B went to Tiziano Monza (KR-TM Racing). The Russian Anatoly Khavalkin had the upper hand in the Final dominating the race from lights to flag. The second position went to another Russian, Gerasim Skulanov (IPK-TM Racing), while the fight for the third position was won by Rashid Al Dhaheri (Parolin-TM Racing), who led the Russian Dmitry Matveev (Energy-TM Racing). The fifth position went to the Pole Jan Przyrowsky (Parolin-TM Racing), who led his fellow-countryman Maciej Gladysz (Parolin-TM Racing), that had previously led the pack after qualifying heats.
MINI Final classification: 1. Khavalkin (RUS); 2. Skulanov (RUS); 3. Al Dhaheri (ARE).
The next appointment on track is for next week – from January 31st to February 2nd, in Adria for the first of the four rounds of WSK Super Master Series.