Red Bull Air Race
Finale – Perth Western Australia
by David Morrell
David Morrell
Photography
Foreign
Correspondent For ILIPS Group International
Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania & The Pacific
Rim
Click on Images
Below For Larger Versions
Continued From Page
1
The
starting line-up for the race on Sunday was as follows:
| 1 |
Alejandro
MacLean |
#36 |
ESP |
Edge
540 |
| 2 |
Frank
Versteegh |
#69 |
NED |
Extra
300S |
| 3 |
Klaus
Schrodt |
#4 |
GER |
Extra
300S |
| 4 |
Nicholas
Ivanoff |
#7 |
FRA |
Extra
300S |
| 5 |
Nigel
Lamb |
#10 |
GBR |
MX2 |
| 6 |
Michael
Goulian |
#99 |
USA |
Extra
300SHP |
| 7 |
Steve
Jones |
#19 |
GBR |
Edge
540 |
| 8 |
Mike
Mangold |
#1 |
USA |
Edge
540 |
| 9 |
Peter
Besenyei |
#2 |
HUN |
Edge
540 |
| 10 |
Paul
Bonhomme |
#55 |
GBR |
Edge
540 |
| 11 |
Kirby
Chambliss |
#3 |
USA |
Edge
540 |
The
smoke settled after a day of exciting racing and the
results were in. American Kirby Chambliss placed third,
preceeded on the podium by Paul Bonhomme, who produced an
outstanding performance, giving him second place.
Kirby
Chambliss (USA) on a knife edge through
the quads
with a flotilla of boats with onlookers
watching from behind
Photo:
David Morrell / www.davidmorrell.com
|
|
The winner of the race was Hungarian champion Peter
Besenyei, with a blistering time of 02:39.78. Besenyei
was half a second faster than Bonhomme, the latter of
whom finished with a time of 02:40.37, followed by
Chambliss’ with a time of 02:42.24.
The win for Besenyei was his second “first
place” for the year ~ his first being a a win in
Barcelona in May. Paul Bonhomme’s second place
fulfilled his ambition and goal of a podium finish in
2006. In the World Series standings, Chambliss needed
only to be placed in fifth position in the final raceto
win the championship for 2006. Chambliss played a safe
race to ensure his victory in the championship series and
cruised into his first World Title in Red Bull Air Racing
via third position.
Kirby Chambliss
(Above) and Paul Bonhomme (Below) receiving their
trophies for the race.
Besenyei was thrilled with his victory, even though it
meant that he couldn’t take the championship title
with him. “The chance for the title was very slim
and that’s why I didn’t think about it,“
said Besenyei. “Victory in the season finale means a
great deal to me. The hundreds of thousands of fans along
the Swan River was an incredible experience, especially
from the sky.”
Besenyei was seen on the monitors with a camera in hand
while waiting for his chance to fly the course, snapping
pictures of the Perth crowds, possibly a sign of a
relaxed pilot even before a race.
Peter
Besenyei waving to the crowds before
receiving his trophy
Photo:
David Morrell / www.davidmorrell.com
|
|
Left
to right - Second place Bonhomme, First
place Besenyei
and Chambliss with third place, pose for
the spectators and the media
Photo:
David Morrell / www.davidmorrell.com
|
|
Kirby
Chambliss being presented the World
Champion trophy from the previous World
Champion, Mike Mangold
Photo:
David Morrell / www.davidmorrell.com
|
|
Red
Bull world Series Champion for 2006,
Kirby Chambliss being
sprayed with Sir James sparkling after
being presented with his trophy
Photo:
David Morrell / www.davidmorrell.com
|
|
With
speeds in excess of 400km/h, pilots having to negotiate
the air gates on tight and twisting courses, putting
their bodies through huge gravitational forces while
trying to beat the clock, in order to win in front of
cheering crowds both on the ground and around the globe,
the final race in Perth was an outstanding conclusion to
the 2006 Red Bull Air Racing season. The Red Bull Air
Racing event at Perth, in Western Australia, attracted
over 6 million people worldwide, who watch these eleven
highly skilled race pilots, live or televised, as they
compete in this high speed, demanding, if not
challenging, very unique kind of combined, athletic and
motorsports event.
Keep your eyes to the sky and look for a Red Bull Air
Race near you in 2007!
A
Red Bull Air Racer Over Perth, Western
Australia, for the 2006 Season finale...
Photo:
David Morrell / www.davidmorrell.com
|
|
|
