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The French-Italian duo won both races last weekend at
the third round of the 2026 World Championship, held on the scenic Lake Como in
Italy. Pinelli and Bubacco also made history by becoming the first team powered
by Mercury Racing 200 ROS four-stroke engines to win the 3D World Championship.
Eight teams entered the event, which counted towards
both the World and European Championships, with the latter being decided over a
single event. Having delivered strong performances since the beginning of the
season with their new 200 ROS engines, Pinelli and Bubacco arrived in Como as
leaders in the World Championship standings, ahead of the Blu Banca Team
pairing of Italian throttleman Serafino Barlesi and Swedish driver Joakim
Kumlin.
Pinelli and Bubacco of Foresti & Suardi made a
strong start to Friday’s long race in their white Doug Wright hull, taking the
lead and ultimately securing the win. The Swedish team of Groth Fyrö Racing,
with Fredrik Groth Fyrö and Filip Eriksson, finished second in their Victory
race boat, while the Johnsson Racing team of Marcus Johnsson and Jussi
Myllymäki took third place in the only US-built Skater boat competing in
Europe.
At this point, François Pinelli and Saul Bubacco had
already secured the World Championship title. The duo went on to win Saturday’s
second and shorter race, bringing their Offshore 3D season to a brilliant
conclusion. The podium order remained unchanged, with Groth Fyrö Racing and
Johnsson Racing finishing second and third, respectively.
UIM World Championship medals were awarded to Pinelli
and Bubacco at the Yacht Club Como facilities. Thanks to their good performances towards the end of
the season, Groth Fyrö and Eriksson finished second in the World Championship
standings, while defending World Champions Barlesi and Kumlin took third place.
The latter pair would go on to win the long-distance Centomiglia del Lario race
the following day in their Blu Banca XCAT boat.
With the European Championship decided by the results
of the two races held in Como, Foresti & Suardi, Groth Fyrö Racing and
Johnsson Racing claimed first, second and third place in the final standings,
respectively. The Tessilmare team of Italian Giampaolo Montavoci and Belgium Francis
Notschaele, who suffered an accident at the Arendal World Championship Round
earlier this year, repaired their boat on time for Como and finished fourth.
Photos: KCS Photography by Kurt & Claude, Laura Bettinardi
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