Union internationale motonautique

One of the major events of the 2026 Circuit Hydro season took place last weekend in Chodziez, with no less than three UIM World titles up for grabs. Drivers competed over two days of racing for the F125, F250 and OSY400 World Championships, while some also competed in the F500 class, which held its penultimate World Championship round in Poland.

A fierce battle for the F125 World title had been going on throughout the season, with Andrea Ongari arriving at the final event as the championship leader by a narrow margin over fellow Italian and promising driver Gabriele Rossi. Ongari, a two-time UIM World Champion in the OSY400 and F250 categories, held his nerve and secured his first F125 World title in style by topping the overall classification across the heats contested in Chodziez. Rossi finished second in the championship standings, while another Italian, Luca Finotti, completed the overall podium in third.

In F250, Italy's Massimiliano Cremona continued to shine, adding another trophy to his already impressive collection by claiming a fifth consecutive World title in the class. Three wins in the three first rounds of the championship had put him in a commanding position ahead of the fourth and final round, and he sealed the title by finishing second overall in Chodziez behind his brother Alessandro, who steadily improved throughout the season to secure the silver medal in the championship. Britain's Thomas Mantripp completed the podium after a consistent campaign.

Defending World Champion Cezary Strumnik entered the standalone OSY400 World Championship as one of the leading favourites, thanks to his impressive record in the category over recent seasons. A closely fought battle unfolded throughout the weekend against fellow Pole Jeremi Jozwiak, with the pair separated by mere seconds in each of the four heats. Strumnik once again emerged victorious, winning all four heats to claim another World title. Jozwiak finished second, while Lithuania's Arvydas Dranseika rounded off the podium.

In F500, another defending World Champion, Marcin Zielinski, bounced back after a disappointing third round of the World Championship, where technical issues had allowed his rivals to close the gap in the standings. By taking the overall victory in Chodziez, the Pole strengthened his championship lead with 67 points, holding a small four-point advantage over Estonia's Erko Aabrams on 63. The fifth and final round of the F500 World Championship will take place in Ruse, Bulgaria, on 22–23 August, alongside the standalone Circuit GT15 European Championship.