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VICHY, FRANCE – September 6: The 2026 UIM-ABP Aquabike European Continental Championship reached its conclusion in Vichy, France, where the final Motos of the season delivered a series of decisive performances and confirmed the new European Champions across all categories.
In Runabout GP1, Francois Medori was the dominant force of the weekend, taking victory in all three Motos and securing Grand Prix of Vichy honours. The reigning World Champion was particularly impressive in Moto 2, winning by 56.87 seconds, before lapping Jeremy Perez in the final Moto. Medori’s limited participation in the European campaign meant he was not eligible for the title, allowing Jeremy Perez to successfully defend his European crown with 197 points, ahead of Pierre-Francois Savelli on 167.
Quinten Bossche completed a perfect European Championship season in Ski GP1. The Belgian maintained his unbeaten record in Vichy, winning both Motos with commanding leads of 41.34 and 27.31 seconds respectively. The result secured Bossche both the Grand Prix of Vichy and the European Championship in dominant fashion.
The Ski Ladies GP1 title went to Benedicte Drange, despite a flawless weekend for Estelle Poret. The reigning World Champion won every Moto in Vichy and took the Grand Prix, but her absence of points from two Motos in Hungary proved decisive in the championship battle. Drange finished the season on 194 points, with Jessica Chavanne second on 184 and Poret third on 166.
In Freestyle, Steven Royer impressed the Vichy crowd with a spectacular Moto 2 performance, scoring 176 points for a routine featuring 360s, backflips and plenty of style. He narrowly edged Roberto Mariani, who scored 175. Mariani nevertheless had done enough across the weekend to secure another Freestyle European Championship, retaining the title alongside his status as reigning World Champion.
The championship battles continued through the remaining categories, with several titles decided in the final Moto.
In Runabout GP2, Mattias Siimann delivered when it mattered most, winning Moto 3 while championship rival Karl Keskula could only manage seventh. The result overturned the standings and handed Siimann the European title by the narrowest possible margin, 185 points to 184. Henri Koppas claimed Grand Prix of Vichy honours after securing three consistent results, completing an all-Estonian top three.
Robin Sylvester secured the Ski GP2 European Championship after finishing second in the final Moto behind Daan Hoeke. Hoeke dominated the race and crossed the line 19.52 seconds clear, but Sylvester’s runner-up finish was enough to seal the championship by nine points. Sylvester also took Grand Prix of Vichy victory, finishing one point ahead of Hoeke.
A dominant final performance from Leo Kete saw him claim both the Ski GP3 and Ski Junior GP3.3 European Championships. Kete won Moto 3 by more than 20 seconds and secured Grand Prix of Vichy honours in both categories.
In Runabout GP4, Jose Vainio bounced back from a sixth-place finish in Moto 2 with a convincing Moto 3 victory, winning by 15.20 seconds. The result secured the European Championship, with Vainio finishing ten points ahead of Arti Molter.
Daniils Potrivailo claimed Grand Prix of Vichy honours in Ski GP4, ending Csongor Jászai’s winning run in the category. Jászai responded in the final Moto with a 4.55-second victory over Tomaz Kete, but his strong results throughout the season ensured that he left Vichy as the European Champion.
The Runabout Ladies GP4 title also went down to the final round. Ilaria Vanni claimed her first win of the season in Moto 3, while Aurora Filiberti secured the Grand Prix of Vichy with 62 points. Despite finishing sixth overall in Vichy, Alizée Vanden-Blecken had built a sufficient points advantage earlier in the season to secure the European Championship.
Finally, Runabout Junior GP4 saw Lisa Benaglia take Grand Prix of Vichy victory after winning the opening Moto. Jose Vainio then responded by taking the remaining two race wins. Despite his retirement in Moto 1, Vainio’s perfect score in the final two Motos was enough to secure the European title by seven points over Adele Reiner-Latoseva.
With the final chequered flag now falling in Vichy, the 2026 UIM-ABP Aquabike European Continental Championship has reached its conclusion, with a new group of European Champions crowned after a season of high-speed racing, close battles and dramatic title finales.
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