4 2 月, 2023

Seeing Indonesia’s sports tourism development through Lake Toba F1 Powerboat Championship

Lake Toba, N. Sumatra, Indonesia, Feb 3, 2023 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - In developing its sports tourism potential, Indonesia holds many championships or sports events, and one of the closest is the F1 Powerboat (F1H2O) World Championship in Lake Toba, North Sumatra, on February 24-26. Lake Toba, one of the most spacious lakes in the world, offers a great destination for athletes to compete, and tourists to enjoy the scenic view.President Joko Widodo (L) inspects the road expansion and a bridge development in Tano Ponggol, Samosir, North Sumatera as a part of preparing the Toba Lake in North Sumatera as a world class tourism destination in Indonesia.Assistant Deputy for Sustainable Tourism Development at the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Kosmas Harefa, stated that the preparation for the F1H2O World Championship in Lake Toba reached 70 percent as of January 24. "It is expected that the preparations are in accordance with the target and all the main gates will have been completed by February 10," Harefa said in a virtual gathering.The F1 Powerboat is the world's largest motorboat racing competition for powerboats, on par with Formula 1 or MotoGP. Harefa revealed that one of the facilities' constructions, which is a centralized parking location, can accommodate three thousand to four thousand cars. "Currently, the Toba District Government, supported by the North Sumatra Provincial Public Works Office, has prepared a vast parking lot," he added. According to him, the number of visitors is targeted to reach 20 thousand to 25 thousand, by promoting the event intensively.Meanwhile, Minister of Youth and Sports Zainudin Amali said Lake Toba as the host of F1H20 is very ready to organize this activity, as proven by the venue readiness and other supporting facilities. "The government has prepared many F1 Powerboat post events, to support the economy of the Toba people," Amali, who serves as the Chairperson of the F1H2O National Committee, said.Lake Toba CoolerHe also ensured that the F1 Powerboat at Lake Toba will pamper the visitors, as he claimed the location is cooler than Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE), where the previous F1 Powerboat event was held on December 16, 2022. "In Sharjah, the venue was an artificial lake and the weather was very hot. This is very different from Lake Toba where the air is cool and not artificial," he explained. He emphasized, the government has been preparing this event very seriously and hoping for support from various parties to make F1 Powerboat 2023 a success.Moreover, he expressed hope that the F1 Powerboat implementation can result in the emergence of new water sports racing athletes in Indonesia. "We hope that this international event at Lake Toba can find new athletes and hopefully, they can excel," Amali said. He added, the event can promote local micro, small, and medium enterprises and show the world's trust in Indonesia in holding international events.Unique to the worldState-owned tourism holding firm InJourney said that the F1H20 circuit in Lake Toba is the most unique in the world. "This circuit is quite unique because the track is on the lake. We have carried out the homologation (verification of the track's safety), and the circuit length is 2.2 km. Its shape is unique because Lake Toba is a volcanic lake," InJourney's Marketing and Consumer Experience Director Maya Watono said on Wednesday.Furthermore, InJourney President Director Dony Oskaria said that the F1H20 will involve the local communities. Oskaria explained, the shores of Lake Toba can serve as places for the spectators and local people are allowed to collect fees as long as they are registered as InJourney official partners. InJourney also involved 500 students as event organizers and will give them certificates.Minister Amali said the F1H20 event can encourage Lake Toba as one of Indonesia's super-priority tourism destinations, just as Lake Toba has gained the trust of the F1 Committee to host F1H2O for the next five years or until 2027. By Kenzu Tandiah, Ed: Rahmad NasutionCOPYRIGHT (c) ANTARA 2023 Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

18 11 月, 2022

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Presents 2023 Rally Team Setups

TOKYO, Nov 18, 2022 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - TOYOTA GAZOO Racing (TGR) announced on November 18 its domestic and international rally entry structure and the outline of TGR Rally Challenge for the 2023 season.TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team (PHOTO BY Noriaki MITSUHASHI / N-RAK PHOTO AGENCY)- In the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), in which TGR will seek its third consecutive title treble, the team of Takamoto Katsuta and Aaron Johnston has been promoted to the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing WRT roster, where they will share the position of driving the third car with the team of Sebastien Ogier and Vincent Landais.- In the Japanese Rally Championship, in which Toyota employees participate as the team principal, engineers, and mechanics, TGR will continue to put into practice its approach of making ever-better motorsports-bred cars, with Norihiko Katsuta and Yusuke Kimura, as well as Tomoyuki Shinkai and Yuichi Ando, coming back from last season to compete in a new vehicle model that is currently under development.- To promote regional development by organizing rallies, TGR will once again work with local communities across Japan to hold the TGR Rally Challenge, in which anyone can compete.TGR will continue its practice of making ever-better motorsports-bred cars and pursuing activities to enhance the appeal and sustainability of motorsports.For more information, visit https://global.toyota/en/newsroom/corporate/38249869.html. Copyright 2022 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

3 10 月, 2022

Rovanperä crowned youngest ever champion with TOYOTA GAZOO Racing

TOKYO, Oct 3, 2022 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Kalle Rovanpera has become the youngest ever winner of an FIA World Rally Championship title* at the age of just 22 years and one day, after the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team driver and his co-driver Jonne Halttunen secured their maiden crowns in style with victory at Rally New Zealand.Taking the title in only his third season competing at rallying's highest level, Rovanpera is more than five years younger than the previous record holder Colin McRae was when he won the championship in 1995.Rovanpera has been the benchmark driver in the first year of the WRC's new hybrid Rally1 regulations, and his victory in New Zealand is his sixth of the season in the GR YARIS Rally1 HYBRID. Having led the standings since winning round two in Sweden in February, he has now clinched the title with two rallies remaining.His is the eighth WRC title to be won by a Toyota driver and the fourth in as many years. Rovanpera is the first Finnish driver to win the championship for 20 years and the first to do so driving a car built in Finland.Outstanding speed in difficult weather conditions has been a key attribute to Rovanpera's driving in 2022 and was also central to his victory in New Zealand, where the smooth gravel roads were hosting the WRC for the first time in a decade. After finishing the longest day of the rally on Friday in mixed conditions in fourth overall, he excelled on a soaking wet Saturday on his 22nd birthday to take over the lead and build an advantage of almost half a minute.Sunday brought further wet weather for the final four stages but Rovanpera managed his lead ahead of the rally-ending Power Stage. Only a top-four time there was needed to secure the two extra bonus points he required for the championship, but he nonetheless recorded the fastest time - the seventh occasion he has topped the Power Stage this season.The outgoing champion Sebastien Ogier completed a one-two finish for the team together with co-driver Benjamin Veillas on their fourth start of the 2022 campaign. Part of a close four-way fight for the lead earlier in the rally, they played an important role for their team-mates by taking points away from their championship rivals.The one-two finish overall, plus the first and third fastest times from the Power Stage, ensures that the team increases its manufacturers' championship lead to 81 points with 104 left available.For more information, visit https://toyotagazooracing.com/wrc/release/2022/rd11-day4/. Copyright 2022 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

15 8 月, 2022

Team HRC’s Tim Gajser Wins Fourth Championship, First in Two Seasons

TOKYO, Aug 15, 2022 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Honda factory team(1) Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) rider Tim Gajser (Slovenia) has won his fourth championship title, his first in two years, in the FIM(2) World Motocross Championship Premier MXGP class (450cc).This MXGP season kicked off in England in February, with Team HRC's Tim Gajser competing on Honda's factory bike, the CRF450RW.By the end of Round 15, Sweden, Gajser had 13 race wins out of 30, and eight round wins including two three-consecutive round wins. With a 115-championship points gap to his closest competitor, Gajser was poised to take the championship title.In Round 16 Finland held on August 14, Gajser finished 6th in Race 1 and 7th in Race 2, giving him a sufficient points lead over his closest competitor, finalizing his championship title with two rounds (four races) left to go.Tim Gajser won the MX2 (250cc class) world championship in 2015. He moved up to the premier MXGP class the following year, in which he earned the championship and the Rookie of the Year title. This win marks Gajser's fifth the FIM World Motocross Championship title.Tim Gajser | Team HRC"I definitely didn't ride my best, but I got the job done and that's what I set out to achieve at the beginning of the day. Five world titles, and I can't believe it. It really hasn't sunk in yet. A big thank you to the whole of Team HRC, the people at the races and all the support from Japan. Also thank you my girlfriend and all the support I receive from my fans around the world. It has been great to see so many of you cheering me on around the track and I can't thank you enough. It is a special moment for me and I am just so happy to have got my fifth title!"Koji Watanabe, Head of Corporate Communications Supervisory Unit,Honda Motor Co., Ltd. and President of Honda Racing Corporation"Congratulations Tim [Gajser] for winning the championship. Tim has had a solid season, free of serious injury, and dominating three rounds straight (winning both races in the round), to win back the title. I am proud of him, as he has grown as a rider from his defeat last year. I am truly grateful to all the team staff who supported him to become champion once more, and our many sponsors and motocross fans who support our racing activities."(1) Factory team: Racing team operated by manufacturer. In Honda's case, HRC-operated team.(2) FIM: Federation Internationale de MotocyclismeFor more information, visit https://global.honda/newsroom/news/2022/c220815eng.html. Copyright 2022 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

18 7 月, 2022

Rovanpera reigns again in TOYOTA GAZOO Racing one-two

TOKYO, Jul 18, 2022 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Kalle Rovanpera has continued his remarkable 2022 season in the FIA World Rally Championship with his fifth victory from the last six events, leading a one-two finish at Rally Estonia for the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team after a high-speed battle with team-mate Elfyn Evans.After a series of rougher gravel events, the smooth and fast stages of Estonia provided a test for the outright performance of the new generation of Rally1 cars, one the GR YARIS Rally1 HYBRID passed with flying colours by dominating the weekend. It recorded the fastest time in all 22 full-length stages, beaten only narrowly in the two short super special stages held on Thursday and Saturday evenings.The weather ensured a challenging weekend from start to finish with short and sharp rain showers making conditions extremely changeable and unpredictable for the drivers.Evans excelled in a mostly dry start to Friday, winning all four stages during the morning to lead Rovanpera, who did well sweeping the loose gravel stages as championship leader and then capitalised on wet weather in the afternoon to move ahead. He and co-driver Jonne Halttunen were then dominant through Saturday, winning seven stages in a row and continued that form into Sunday morning.The worst of the weather however was saved for the final two stages. Both Rovanpera and Evans were more than half a minute slower than some competitors as conditions worsened during SS23 but were able to maintain their overall positions. They then made the most of improving conditions as the sun came out for their runs at the deciding Power Stage, Rovanpera setting the best time by a huge 22.5 seconds over Evans to claim maximum points for himself and co-driver Jonne Halttunen, who increase their championship lead to 83 points after seven of 13 rounds.Evans and his co-driver Scott Martin have climbed to third in the standings after a second straight second-place finish and their third of the season.With the Power Stage result, TGR also scored maximum points towards the manufacturers' championship this weekend and now lead by 87 points.Fighting back after losing time when a tyre came off its rim on a landing on Saturday, Esapekka Lappi won two stages on Sunday and gained sixth place overall on the final stage, where he set the fourth-fastest time despite experiencing considerably worse conditions than his team-mates.Takamoto Katsuta continued his unbroken scoring record so far in 2022 in his TGR WRT Next Generation entry by finishing fifth overall, improving his confidence and performance over the event despite the difficult conditions.For more information, visit https://toyotagazooracing.com/wrc/release/2022/rd07-day4/. Copyright 2022 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

6 6 月, 2022

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing with positives to take from Sardinia

TOKYO, Jun 6, 2022 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team driver Kalle Rovanpera has extended his FIA World Rally Championship lead after completing a clever drive to finish fifth overall in a very demanding Rally Italia Sardegna.Ambient temperatures in excess of 35 degrees centigrade combined with rough and rocky roads to make the island event the toughest challenge yet for the new generation of hybrid Rally1 cars introduced this season. The GR YARIS Rally1 generally ran reliably and fast in the demanding conditions but a couple of small incidents prevented the car from continuing its winning streak for a fourth consecutive rally.Both Elfyn Evans and Esapekka Lappi showed speed and confidence to win stages and take turns in the overall lead, only for significant impacts with the harsh terrain to cause damage that sadly took them out of contention for a top result.As well as gaining valuable lessons for the continued development of the GR YARIS Rally1, the team leaves on a positive note thanks to Rovanpera's fifth place. Running first on the road and sweeping the loose gravel roads as series leader hampered Rovanpera more than on the previous round in Portugal, but the young Finn maintained his trademark cool and delivered another mature performance to stay out of trouble and pick up places as others hit problems. As well as finishing fifth overall he also set the second-fastest time in the rally-ending Power Stage, earning four bonus points to increase his championship lead from 46 to 55 points.Running under restart rules, Evans and Lappi were just behind Rovanpera in the Power Stage results in third and fourth, with Takamoto Katsuta making it four GR YARIS Rally1 cars in the top five in his TGR WRT Next Generation entry. Those results ensure TGR still leads the manufacturers' championship by 39 points.Katsuta finished one place behind Rovanpera in the overall standings in sixth: his fifth top-eight finish from as many events in the Rally1 car.Quotes:Akio Toyoda (Team Founder)"To our mechanics, on this weekend, I feel especially thankful to you all. Both those in Sardinia who fixed Elfyn's and Esapekka's cars for them to restart the next day, and those at Fuji Speedway who worked very hard to fix the damaged GR86 and GR Corolla to get them back into the 24-hour race that Jari-Matti and I were driving in. For us drivers, the hardest thing is not being able to keep driving, because it makes it not possible for us to repay our supporters. Your great effort saved many drivers, including myself, this weekend. I really want to thank all of you who take care of the cars for the team and the drivers, and I appreciate your continued professional work for our ever-better car making. Let's keep working together towards our goal all the time.From:Akio Toyoda, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing founderMorizo, Master driver of Toyota Motor CorporationAkio Toyoda, ROOKIE Racing founderMorizo, Driver of ROOKIE Racing"Kaj Lindstrom (Sporting Director)"It has certainly been a challenging weekend and different to what we came here for, because we go to every rally to try to win. But we are still leading the manufacturers' championship and Kalle has extended his lead in the drivers' championship. You don't need to win every rally to win a championship and Kalle did a really nice performance opening the road, so it was job well done from him. What happened to Elfyn and Esapekka earlier in the weekend was disappointing but this is part of rallying. We have had a very good start to the season with the new regulations and in these rough conditions this weekend we discovered that there are things we can still work on. It's also a good thing to know that there is still potential for us to improve the car and be better on the next events."Elfyn Evans (Driver car 33)"Today we were aiming towards the Power Stage and although we didn't come away with as many points as we would have liked, some points is better than none. It's another difficult weekend for us but there were at least some positives to take away from it, with some good moments inside the car in terms of stage times and in terms of feeling once again. The speed was quite good at many points but things just didn't go our way. Now we try to improve for Kenya."Kalle Rovanpera (Driver car 69)"We knew that today our only goal was to reach the end and try to score some extra points on the Power Stage. The feeling was not as good as I would have liked and it was quite tough but we still managed to be second-fastest, so four more points, together with fifth place on the rally. It was a tough weekend. We just knew that we had to be clever because results like this can be important when we count the points at the end of the year. We scored more than our nearest rival in the championship so we can be quite happy with that."Esapekka Lappi (Driver car 4)"Today we tried something a bit different to help the team for the next rally in Kenya and I think the changes worked really well. Considering we were opening the road, it felt really good. The speed has been great on this event, as it has been on every surface so far this year, and that means that the car is easy to drive. We just need to put it together. Yesterday I think we were a bit unlucky but that's how rallying is sometimes: you get surprises. We'll try to take the positive things from this rally into our next event."For the latest results please visit www.wrc.com.What's next?The legendary Safari Rally Kenya (June 23-26) returned to the WRC calendar in 2021 after almost 20 years. Even in its modern guise, the only African round of the championship provides gruelling conditions on rough and rocky roads as well as high speeds across open plains. Copyright 2022 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

28 2 月, 2022

First and Third for TOYOTA GAZOO Racing’s Flying Finns on Snow

Toyota City, Japan, Feb 28, 2022 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - The TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team is celebrating the first win for its new GR YARIS Rally1 car after Kalle Rovanpera secured victory on Rally Sweden, round two of the 2022 FIA World Rally Championship. Rovanpera's fellow Finnish driver Esapekka Lappi finished third to complete a double podium finish for the team on his first start for TGR since 2018.Car 69 (Kalle Rovanpera, Jonne Halttunen)For most of the rally, all three of the team's drivers were part of a close fight for victory on the unfamiliar, high-speed, snow-covered roads around the event's new base in Umea. Rovanpera was disadvantaged on Friday by having to run first on the road as the highest-placed driver in the championship, but concluded Satuday leading team-mate Elfyn Evans by 8.3 seconds.Evans was penalised 10s overnight after an incident at the end of Saturday's final stage, but his hopes of victory were ended in Sunday's opener. Having started with the centrally-supplied hybrid system deactivated due to an issue, Evans then had a spin in the stage and damaged the front of the car. After stopping to make repairs he reached the end of the stage but, with the hybrid unit not showing the green light as required, was forced to retire in accordance with FIA safety procedures.Rovanpera won the first of Sunday's four stages as he added to his lead, even though he was also carrying a hybrid issue, and finished 22s clear as he and co-driver Jonne Halttunen secured the third win of their WRC career. By winning Rally Sweden, Rovanpera emulates his father Harri who achieved victory on the event in 2001. He has also moved into the drivers' championship lead by 14 points.Lappi was in a close fight for second position throughout Sunday, ultimately finishing just 8.6s away as he and co-driver Janne Ferm completed a fantastic comeback weekend with the team.TOYOTA GAZOO Racing has also taken the lead of the manufacturers' championship with an advantage of 24 points.Three GR YARIS Rally1 cars finished in the top four places overall, with Takamoto Katsuta and co-driver Aaron Johnston finishing in a fine fourth position and scoring good points for TGR WRT Next Generation.For more information, visit https://toyotagazooracing.com/wrc/release/2022/rd02-day3/. Copyright 2022 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

7 1 月, 2022

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing will announce challenges for making ever-better motorsports-bred cars at Tokyo Auto Salon

Toyota City, Japan, Jan 7, 2022 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - TOYOTA GAZOO Racing (TGR) will exhibit at the Tokyo Auto Salon 2022 customized car event held at the Makuhari Messe (Chiba City) for three days from January 14 to January 16, 2022.*TGR strives to "offer ever-better motorsports-bred cars", and is participating in top categories such as the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) and the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) along with domestic rallies and races. The technology and knowledge gained through these activities is used in the creation of new road cars.This year's exhibition will feature the world premiere of the GR GT3 Concept, a racing-dedicated concept car that incorporates the knowledge and refined technologies TGR has gained in the field of motorsports, as well as the fully tuned model of the GR Yaris.Furthermore, as a way to communicate the appeal of motorsports, the GR010 HYBRID that won all races in 2021, the first year of Hypercar class of the WEC, and cars from domestic and international competitions such as the SUPER GT, Japanese SUPER FORMULA Championship and Japanese Rally Championship will be exhibited.In addition to the exhibition cars listed above, some parts from the 2022 lineup of GR Heritage Parts for customers who truly love their vehicles will also be exhibited.Further information regarding the exhibition cars and booths will be announced in due course, and the press conference scheduled on January 14, can be accessed from the following link.The TGR booth will be operated with the utmost care to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and ask for your understanding and cooperation.*January 14: Open to media and industry insiders, January 15-16: Open to Public Copyright 2022 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

13 12 月, 2021

Honda’s First Formula 1 World Championship Title for 30 Years

TOKYO, Dec 13, 2021 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Red Bull Racing Honda driver Max Verstappen won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the 22nd round of the 2021 Formula 1 World Championship and the 26 points he scored was enough for him to take the World Championship title. This is Verstappen's first ever title and for Honda, it is the first for 30 years, since Ayrton Senna won it in 1991.The Dutchman, now 24, made his debut in 2015, when he was just 17 years old, making him the youngest ever driver to start a Formula 1 Grand Prix. Even back then, he was already tipped for greatness. In 2019, he won the Austrian Grand Prix, to give Honda its first win in the current hybrid era. So far this season, Verstappen has won 10 races, starting with the second round, the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, also taking victory in the historic race around the streets of Monaco, as well as his home Grand Prix on F1's return to Zandvoort.Max Verstappen"It feels incredible to be World Champion and I couldn't have asked for a more insane last race of the year. It was a bit of a rollercoaster, from not really having a chance of winning until the last lap, everything came together, and we had to go for it. I kept saying to myself, I am just going to give it my all and I have until the end and that is what we did. Of course, with that safety car restart in the last lap we had the fresher tires but you still need to do the move - luckily it worked out. I want to say a big thank to Checo, because of his performance today, I won the Championship, he was driving his heart out for this Team. Today showed exactly what great teamwork is, he's an amazing teammate. Mercedes won the Constructors' and we won the Driver's Championship so it really shows that throughout the whole year we pushed each other to the very end. Lewis is an amazing driver, there is no discussion about it. Of course, we had our moments throughout the season but I think you know that after everything we had an amazing fight this season and I think both teams gave it their all."Christian Horner, Team Principal, Red Bull Racing Honda"I said it was going to need something from the racing Gods in the last ten laps and thank goodness for that safety car. It has been a great competition this season and for Max to win the World Championship, it is not just about the race here, it is about the whole year and how incredible and consistent he has been as a driver. All credit to Lewis too, he has been a phenomenal opponent all year and a great World Champion, he has been formidable and that is what makes it even more of a monumental achievement to win this. This Championship came down to the last lap and it was a great strategy call by the Team to make that pit stop onto the set of softs and then it was down to Max to make it happen, which he did in typical Max style. I was screaming from turn five all the way down that back straight. He got the job done. I am just so proud of Max and the team for what we've been through this year and what we have achieved against some fierce and great opponents. Checo was the perfect teammate today, what he did keeping Lewis behind, on totally worn tires, was just super driving. Without him today Max probably wouldn't be World Champion, the whole Team executed their strategy, flawlessly. On balance after 22 races we have won this World Championship on the facts. I would also like to thank Honda for their teamwork and support over the last few years. We will continue our partnership in a different way, but we look forward to continuing the success."Toshihiro Mibe, Director, President and Representative Executive Officer Honda Motor co., Ltd."Congratulations to Max on his first world championship title and to Red Bull Racing, our partner since 2019. I watched the race at HRD-Sakura and was very impressed by Max and the team who never stopped challenging for the world championship title until the end. We also thank Scuderia AlphaTauri with whom our association with Red Bull began, as well as our suppliers and all our fans who have always supported us. For Honda, this title is the goal we set ourselves ever since we returned to F1 in 2015 and today we have written a new chapter in Honda's history. I'd like to thank all the Honda employees who have made it possible. Well done, you did it!" Copyright 2021 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

13 12 月, 2021

Honda’s First Formula 1 World Championship Title for 30 years Max Verstappen Wins the 2021 Drivers’ World Championship

22 11 月, 2021

Toni Bou Wins 30th Consecutive World Championship Title

TOKYO, Nov 22, 2021 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Repsol Honda Team rider Toni Bou has won his 15th consecutive FIM(1) X-Trial World Championship at the final round in Barcelona on November 21. With his 15 consecutive victories in the FIM Trial World Championship, Toni Bou has won an unprecedented 30 consecutive world championship titles.Toni Bou is a HRC (Honda Racing Corporation) contract rider racing for Honda's factory team(2) Repsol Honda Team. This season's X-Trial was contested over two rounds, the schedule being shortened due to the coronavirus pandemic. After winning the opening round in Andorra on November 7, Bou secured his 15th X-Trial World Championship title by winning the Barcelona round as well.The non-speed Trial competition is contested by riders overcoming obstacles to reach the goal on their bike, without touching the ground with their feet as much as possible. The two Trial world championships are X-Trial (or indoor trials), contested over a man-made course set up in a stadium with a glamorous atmosphere, and Trials, a dynamic category held between May and September at outdoor venues taking advantage of natural terrain.Toni Bou | Repsol Honda Team"Luckily, the mistake in section one just after the start made me get into the trial. From then on, I knew that I had a tough heat with Adam in the same group and I had to do really well. It was another great night at the Palau Sant Jordi. I am very happy and grateful to everyone who has helped me. We've worked very hard, we've done things very well and that's the only way to do it. We have long since surpassed our limits, we are living a dream and to have reached 30 consecutive titles is a great achievement. I also want to congratulate Gabriel Marcelli, because he deserved his second place. He works very hard and is a strong rider. He has been doing really well for quite a while now." (1) FIM: Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme(2) Factory team: Racing team managed by the bike manufacturer. For Honda, Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) manages its factory teams. Copyright 2021 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

19 11 月, 2021

Golf: South Korea’s Lee6 leads LPGA Tour Championship

MIAMI (AFP) - Lee6 Jeong-eun fired eight birdies in an eight-under-par 64 on Thursday (Nov 18) to grab a one-shot lead at the US LPGA Tour Championship at rainy Tiburon Golf Club in Florida. Lee6, the 2019 US Women's Open champion, hit 14 of 14 fairways in regulation and 18 of 18 greens to put herself in position to achieve her aim of capturing a 2021 title in final event of the season. "I had a good time today," she said. "My goal was bogey free, so, I achieved it. "My goal is to win once this year, unfortunately just one tournament left. I'm going to try my best." Lee6 - who has the numeral added to her name to distinguish her from other players on the Korean tour with the same name - said work on swing changes had made for an inconsistent 2021 campaign, but now that she's more comfortable she can attack with accuracy. That was especially useful on Thursday, on the rain-softened and receptive Tiburon course in Naples, Florida. "It was raining so the greens were soft and we could clean the ball in the fairway," said Lee6, who was a stroke in front of four players. American Mina Harigae's bogey-free 65 was highlighted by a chip-in eagle at the 17th. She was joined by compatriot Jennifer Kupcho, France's Celine Boutier and South Korean Kim Sei-young. Boutier had seven birdies without a bogey, while Kim had nine birdies and two bogeys and Kupcho nabbed seven birdies to join the group at seven-under. Kim, who rolled in a 25-foot birdie putt at the 72nd hole to lift the title at Tiburon in 2019, was also in attack mode on the rain-softened course set up for scoring. "I had a lot of chances for birdie today," she said. "I expected a lot of rain today but there wasn't. We got the rain starting on hole 16. But the course was a little wet, so we attacked the pin when it was available." World number one Nelly Korda led a group of eight players on six-under-par 66. South Korean Ko Jin-young, who has swapped the top ranking with Korda this season as they racked up eight titles between them, made three of her five birdies on the back nine on the way to a three-under-par 69. Korda arrived in Naples off a roller coaster win in the Pelican Championship in Sunday. Now the 23-year-old is seeking a second back-to-back brace of victories this season after winning the Meijer LPGA Classic and Women's PGA Championship in successive weeks. Korda and Ko played alongside former world number one Lydia Ko of New Zealand in a marquee grouping, "I kind of saw that video of Lyd saying she was third wheeling, but I felt like I was third wheeling because they were speaking Korean," Korda said. "It was fun. I like playing with them and they played well, so it was nice." Her round itself, Korda said, was "pretty good". "I hit majority of the greens and I didn't really make any mistakes. Two loose shots that I kind of had too much curve on them and two three-putts. "But I definitely made a good bit of my putts out there as well." More on this topic Related Story Golf: LPGA championship increases prize pool to US$7 million in 2022 Related Story Golf: Top-ranked Nelly Korda survives triple-bogey to win Pelican Championship in play-off

5 11 月, 2021

Formula One: I will win or lose the title in the right way, says Hamilton

MEXICO CITY (REUTERS) - Lewis Hamilton said on Thursday (Nov 4) he would win or lose "the right way" after fears that the Formula One title battle with Red Bull's Max Verstappen could be decided by a collision at the final race. The 36-year-old Mercedes driver is chasing a record eighth championship but is 12 points adrift of Dutch youngster Verstappen with five rounds remaining, including Sunday's in Mexico City. The two have collided twice already this season and Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff recently raised the spectre of past clashes between Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost and Michael Schumacher and Jacques Villeneuve. "If it was to come to the scenario of the last race in Abu Dhabi and they were to be racing each other for the title, whoever is in front is absolutely going to try to do the same as in the Senna-Prost years," the Austrian told the Daily Mail. "If you are racing for the championship and you see it fading away because the other guy is overtaking you, what tool have you got other than the one that makes sure he can't overtake? "We've seen it with Schumacher and Villeneuve, we saw it with Senna and Prost twice." Hamilton, whose team have won the last seven drivers' and constructors' crowns, made clear that was not how he went about his business. "We've never won a championship in that way. I have never won a championship in that way, and would never want to," the Briton told reporters at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. "I'm here to win in the right way, and that's through sheer skill and determination and hard work." More on this topic Related Story Formula One: 'Red Bull want me to win in Mexico,' says home star Perez Related Story Formula One: Title race stacking up in favour of Red Bull's Max Verstappen Hamilton, the most successful driver in the history of the sport with 100 career wins and 101 pole positions, said he would take defeat in the same way. "I always want to win it the right way," he said. "And if you're going to lose it, you lose it the right way also. With dignity and knowing that you've given it your all and you've done things the right way. "All you can do is give it your all and work as hard as you can with the team. If it doesn't work out, then you live to fight another day." More on this topic Related Story Motor racing: Hamilton hopes Mercedes avoid altitude sickness in Mexico Related Story Motor racing: Formula One says Miami GP set to be a sellout

1 11 月, 2021

HISTORIC Hypercar Title for TOYOTA GAZOO Racing

Toyota City, Japan, Nov 1, 2021 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - TOYOTA GAZOO Racing made endurance racing history as the first World Champions of the Hypercar era with a one-two victory in the 6 Hours of Bahrain.Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Jose Maria Lopez won the penultimate round of the 2021 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) in their #7 GR010 HYBRID. Sebastien Buemi, Kazuki Nakajima and Brendon Hartley completed a perfect result for the team, bringing the #8 car home in second place.In very hot and challenging conditions, mechanics, engineers and drivers worked intensively to earn TOYOTA GAZOO Racing's fourth World Championship in WEC, and its third in succession. The victory also maintained the GR010 HYBRID Hypercar's 100% winning record in 2021, with one race remaining.Focus now switched to the drivers' title fight in next weekend's final race. The Le Mans-winning #7 crew moved a significant step closer to retaining the World Championship they won in Bahrain 12 months ago. Their third win of the season extends their advantage over the #8 drivers to 15 points.The contest between the two GR010 HYBRID crews was intense throughout the event and, when the race got under way, Sebastien in the #8 held the advantage from pole position. But Mike pursued him throughout the first stint and the pair were separated by less than a second for the opening 45 minutes.The cars were closely matched and the lead changed hands several times in the early stages as the momentum swung. Eventually the #7 established itself at the front, suffering slightly less from tyre degradation on a day when all Hypercars faced the same issue.At half distance, Jose led by just 10 seconds from Sebastien but the battle took a decisive turn after four hours when the #8 was delayed during a tyre change and dropped to third. Although Brendon swiftly overtook the Alpine to reclaim second, he trailed Kamui by around 40 seconds.The GR010 HYBRIDs maintained their pace at the front and Kamui was at the wheel of the victorious #7 car when it crossed the line after 185 laps. Kazuki following 51.401secs later to complete the one-two.The end of this six-hour contest marks the halfway point in WEC's Bahrain double-header. The teams will immediately begin preparations for an eight-hour race on Saturday 6 November which brings the curtain down on the 2021 WEC season and decide the outcome of the drivers' World Championship.Koji Sato, GAZOO Racing Company President"Congratulations to car #7 for three consecutive victories, and car #8 for taking second place with their outstanding work to earn this fantastic one-two finish. Thank you so much for bringing the first Hypercar World Championship to TOYOTA GAZOO Racing. At the beginning of the race, I was thrilled to watch the battle between our two Hypercars, but despite the difficulties of working in 35degC, the efforts of all the team brought a great result. I am deeply grateful to the drivers for their huge effort. Now the final race of the season is only a week away and the drivers' World Championship will soon be decided. I hope for an exciting end to the season, and I look forward to seeing who will come out on top. The team will work hard to prepare in the best possible way."Mike Conway (GR010 HYBRID #7)"I'm very happy with the win; it's good to get maximum points and secure the World Championship for the team. It was a great job by all the crew, and my team-mates performed really well all day. In my stint it was a case of managing the tyres from the start. There were a lot of unknowns because we have never taken tyres so far into a race before, but it all worked out well. It's a positive day for us in the drivers' championship but it's still all to play for next week, so we need to work hard to clinch it."Kamui Kobayashi (GR010 HYBRID #7)"The team did a great job. Congratulations to everyone on becoming Hypercar World Champions. We had struggled a bit on Friday but we found the reason and therefore were confident for the race. The whole crew did a really good job in the race, and Mike and Jose had strong pace as well. They gave me the car in a good position and my stint was really smooth. By the time I was in the car for my stint to finish the race, the temperature was a little less so it wasn't as demanding on me or the tyres. I just maintained the gap and brought it home."Jose Maria Lopez (GR010 HYBRID #7)"Congratulations to all the team, who did a fantastic job today, and through the whole season, to become World Champions. Mike and Kamui were amazing today in the race, very solid as always. Tyre management was tricky and we were not sure how it would go, but as a team we didn't make any mistakes and this put us in the position to win. It's a very important result for the team and really good for us in the drivers' championship."Sebastien Buemi (GR010 HYBRID #8)"I am a competitor and we never like to finish second, but this was an amazing result for the team. We had some challenges with the tyres today; perhaps more than car #7, who did a great job. For TOYOTA GAZOO Racing to finish first and second is a great way to wrap up the Hypercar title in its first season. It comes from an enormous amount of hard work from the mechanics, the engineers and the entire team. We have to congratulate them on this incredible achievement."Kazuki Nakajima (GR010 HYBRID #8)"It was tough race with the heat, but the temperature was a bit better for me at the end of the race. We ran an aggressive set-up to try to maybe get an edge, but it didn't work out that way. Nevertheless, we finished second and we are still in contention for the title. Congratulations to car #7, they drove a great race. TOYOTA GAZOO Racing is a World Champion again and the team really deserve this. It is good to have this wrapped it up already; now it means we can go out and have some fun in the final race."Brendon Hartley (GR010 HYBRID #8)"Car #7 was a little bit quicker than us and they deserved to win. We had some tyre degradation issues and I had one or two things happening with the car, but we will learn from this. Well done to car #7. We are still in the fight for the drivers' World Championship but car #7 has made it hard for us in the last race. It's an awesome achievement from the team to win the Hypercar World Championship in the first year so big congratulations to everyone. I know how much hard work has gone into this and everyone in the team deserves this title."6 Hours of Bahrain results:1st #7 TOYOTA GAZOO Racing 185 laps2nd #8 TOYOTA GAZOO Racing +51.401secs3rd #36 Alpine (Negrao/Lapierre/Vaxivierre) +1 lap4th #31 Team WRT (Frijns/Habsburg/Milesi) +5 laps5th #28 JOTA (Galael/Vandoorne/Blomqvist) +5 laps6th #38 JOTA (Gonzalez/Da Costa/Davidson) +5 laps Copyright 2021 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

26 10 月, 2021

2021 NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters to begin

TOKYO, Oct 26, 2021 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - NEC Corporation (TSE: 6701) today announced its ongoing sponsorship of the NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters, the International Tennis Federation's (ITF) year-end championship, where the world's top ranked wheelchair tennis players compete from October 31 to November 7, 2021 at the United States Tennis Association (USTA) National Campus at Lake Nona, Orlando, Florida, USA.NEC has been the title sponsor of the NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters since its inception in 1994, and celebrates 30 years of sponsoring the ITF wheelchair tennis activities. The prestigious tournament sees elite players compete in three divisions (men, women and quads) over eight days, and marks the end of the wheelchair tennis season with finals on Sunday, November 7.NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters 2021The top eight men, eight women and eight quad players have qualified to play at the 2021 NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters based on the ITF Wheelchair Tennis Rankings as of September 13, 2021.A number of players who have benefitted from the ITFs development programme have gone on to compete in the NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters.David Haggerty, ITF President, said, "As the ITF's year-end wheelchair tennis championship, the NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters is arguably the most competitive tournament of the year as the world's best players face their biggest rivals in round-robin competition to earn the right to go on and play for the titles. After having to cancel the event in 2020, we are very much looking forward to returning to the USTA National Campus once again for another memorable week of wheelchair tennis."Takayuki Morita President and CEO of NEC Corporation said, "As title sponsor of the NEC Masters since 1994, we look forward to this exciting tournament once again, which in addition to thrilling championship tennis, also provides an excellent opportunity for the world to discover and engage in an inclusive sport."Wheelchair tennis traces its beginnings to California, USA, in 1976 and has since spread across the globe. In 1992, the ITF created a tour for players, the NEC Wheelchair Tennis Tour, which consisted of 11 international tournaments. Wheelchair Tennis has also been a full medal sport at the Paralympic Games since 1992. It is still today one of the fastest growing wheelchair sports in the world, both in size and popularity, featuring currently over 160 events worldwide each year. In 1994, the ITF launched the NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters as the supreme year-end challenge of the Tour.Today, NEC is the title sponsor of the NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters and an Official Partner of the UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour. NEC celebrates 30 years of partnership with the ITF this year. To commemorate this occasion, NEC will donate wheelchair tennis equipment through the ITF to encourage more athletes to engage in this popular and inclusive sport.To learn more, access the following:1) About NEC Wheelchair Tennis Sponsorshiphttps://www.nec.com/en/global/ad/wheelchairtennis/index.html2) 2021 NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters daily schedule, bit.ly/3CffOpn.About NEC CorporationNEC Corporation has established itself as a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies while promoting the brand statement of "Orchestrating a brighter world." NEC enables businesses and communities to adapt to rapid changes taking place in both society and the market as it provides for the social values of safety, security, fairness and efficiency to promote a more sustainable world where everyone has the chance to reach their full potential. For more information, visit NEC at https://www.nec.com. Copyright 2021 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

18 10 月, 2021

Evans and TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Seal Second in Spain

Toyota City, Japan, Oct 18, 2021 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Elfyn Evans finished second overall at the Rally de Espana to set up a final-round FIA World Rally Championship title decider with his TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team team-mate Sebastien Ogier, who finished fourth.Car 33 (Elfyn Evans, Scott Martin)Evans and co-driver Scott Martin had led the rally after winning the first three stages on Friday, but despite battling hard didn't quite have the level of performance over the rest of the weekend to maintain the fight for the victory. Still, the second-place finish ensures that Evans remains in with a shot of a maiden drivers' championship going into the final round in Italy.Ogier was in contention for a podium position all the way to the end of the rally, but just missed out on third position in a closely-fought battle through the final day's four stages - missing out by 6.8 seconds. Nevertheless he and co-driver Julien Ingrassia continue to the lead the standings with a 17-point advantage over their team-mates as they look to claim an eighth world title.In the manufacturers' championship, the points scored by Evans and Ogier - including those achieved by setting the third and fourth fastest times in a tricky rally-ending Power Stage - have added to the team's tally and brought it a step closer to sealing the title. TOYOTA GAZOO Racing leads by 47 points with a maximum of 52 available from the final round.All three of the team's cars finished inside the top five places, with Kalle Rovanpera and Jonne Halttunen securing fifth in the overall classification and in the Power Stage on their first time competing in Spain in the top category of the WRC.TGR WRC Challenge Program driver Takamoto Katsuta also continued his learning alongside co-driver Aaron Johnston as they reached the finish after restarting the event on Saturday morning.Quotes:Akio Toyoda (Team Founder)"Just before this rally, I received a message from Jari-Matti. He told me that regaining the manufacturers' championship as a team principal and celebrating together with me was one of his dreams. Three years ago, as a driver, he was having a very tough season. His first win that year was at the final event in Australia and his victory brought the team's manufacturers' title in 2018. I clearly remember how happy and excited I was. I, as a driver, was participating in a rally in Japan on that day. When I got the news, I shouted with joy and sent him a congratulatory message right away. I am sure that his dream will come true in Monza, and am looking forward to celebrating together with him.The drivers' and co-drivers' champions were not yet decided either. I simply hope that Seb & Julien and Elfyn & Scott will compete without regrets until the very end, and I'm sure the team will prepare the best cars for them to do that.The next rally will be the last event we compete in with the current Yaris WRC. Since we came back to WRC in 2017, we have been always saying "let's keep making the Yaris WRC stronger". I hope we can have a solid competition in Monza and that the crews and our fans will see the Yaris WRC is the strongest in the last event. I am confident that the team will make it happen!P.S. to Julien,I really hope Monza will be a great event for you as it will be your last rally. I wish I could witness your final event in Japan. I'm still disappointed it didn't happen... Good luck!"Jari-Matti Latvala (Team Principal)"In the end this weekend was not as strong for us as it could have been. It's important that we learn for the future about why we were struggling at times and how we can react better. But there are still positives: Firstly, that all three cars finished in the top five without any problems. Also, second place for Elfyn is another good result for him and it keeps the fight for the drivers' title alive until the final round, which is obviously exciting for the championship as a whole. The manufacturers' championship wasn't quite decided in our favour this weekend, but our target now is to secure both titles in style at Monza."Sebastien Ogier (Driver car 1)"Coming here I was targeting more than fourth position, but it is still good points towards the championship. It was a close fight today and we definitely tried in the first three stages; then the rain on the last one did not help with my strategy of not taking risks, and I was definitely on the safe side there. But overall, we have to remember that this weekend is another positive step for the championship and that's what matters the most. It's not over yet though, so we'll have to be good at Monza and try to repeat the success we had there last year."Elfyn Evans (Driver car 33)"Second place is a positive result but it's not so easy to be happy when we made such a good start to the weekend. Unfortunately it faded away a little bit and I didn't feel completely at one with everything. There was perhaps a little bit more to gain from this weekend. The good thing from the weekend is that we managed to close the points gap and that the championship is still open. Realistically it's a big gap to close in one round, but as we experienced last year, anything can still happen and we'll try our best once again at Monza."Kalle Rovanpera (Driver car 69)"Overall it has been quite a good weekend for us. There was a lot of learning, especially on Friday, but it got better with the setup and with my driving as the weekend went on. Today we were aiming for the Power Stage but the conditions were tricky and it was drying for the guys behind us on the road, so we didn't have the chance to fight for more. We didn't quite find the perfect feeling and not the pace that we wanted, but we tried our best and it was a solid weekend."For the latest results please visit www.wrc.com.What's next?Italy's famous Monza racing circuit will host the final round for the second year in a row on November 19-21. This year's event features a greater number of stages on mountainous asphalt roads near Bergamo. Copyright 2021 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

8 10 月, 2021

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Set for Spain with Eyes on the Prize

TOKYO, Oct 8, 2021 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - The TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team takes on the penultimate round of the 2021 FIA World Rally Championship - the Rally de Espana on October 15-17 - with the opportunity for both the manufacturers' and drivers' titles to be clinched on fast and flowing asphalt roads.2021 Yaris WRCThe team leads the manufacturers' championship by 61 points, with a maximum of 52 points available after the Spanish event. For the third season in a row, a Toyota driver is guaranteed to win the drivers' title, with 24 points separating team-mates Sebastien Ogier and Elfyn Evans after the latter's victory on the previous round in Finland.For Ogier, a six-point swing in his favour on a rally he has won three times would secure him his eighth world title, while Evans is looking to maintain his chances of a maiden crown. Kalle Rovanpera is currently fourth in the standings and only one point away from a place in the top three, while TGR WRC Challenge Program driver Takamoto Katsuta will once more be in action in a fourth Yaris WRC.Based in Salou on the Costa Daurada to the south of Barcelona, the rally returns to the calendar after one year away and moves back to being an exclusively asphalt event for the first time since 2009, having been run as a mixed-surface challenge for the previous 10 editions.Friday has a loop of three stages repeated either side of mid-day service. It features a new stage, La Granadella, as well as Vilaplana (a reversal of 2019's La Mussara Power Stage) and Riba-roja, last seen in this configuration in 2012. Saturday follows an identical route to before, with a trio of repeated stages followed by a street stage in Salou. Sunday's finale consists of the returning Santa Marina stage and the well-known Riudecanyes test, both to be run twice.For more information, visit https://toyotagazooracing.com/wrc/release/2021/rd11-preview/. Copyright 2021 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

20 9 月, 2021

Honda: Toni Bou Wins 15th Consecutive FIM Trial World Championship Title

TOKYO, Sep 20, 2021 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - HRC (Honda Racing Corporation) contract rider and Honda factory team(1) (Repsol Honda Team) rider Toni Bou has won the 2021 FIM(2) Trial World Championship. He has clinched his 15th consecutive title by winning the final round in Portugal, held on September 18.Toni Bou (Portuguese GP)This year's Trial World Championship is contested over six rounds (nine trials). In the opening double-header round held in June, Bou finished 1st / 2nd. He then won the next round in France, marking his 120th career win in the competition. After the summer break, he was 1st / 3rd in Andorra, won the next round (again in France), and won both trials at the Spanish double-header. Going in to the final round at Portugal as championship favorite, Bou won the round giving him his 15th consecutive championship title.Since clinching his first world championship title in 2007 on HRC's Montesa COTA 4RT factory bike, Bou has increased his unparalleled consecutive championship titles to 15. He has also won his 14th consecutive X Trial World Championship, an indoor competition raced on artificially prepared sections, taking his total tally of championship titles to 29.Toni Bou | Repsol Honda Team"This year has been very special for me because at the beginning things were very complicated with the injury just a month before the start of the championship. In the end there will come a year when I will not be able to win - I've won for 15 consecutive years - but the fact that I got injured just before the start of the world championship made it special and I didn't want to lose a championship in this way. Once again we battled 100%, I tried to get into shape as the championship progressed and the fact that I had a very good work rate before I got injured also helped me to recover faster. I am very happy to be able to win another world championship. Once again, many thanks to the whole team.Today was also a very special day for everyone as it was Fujinami's last trial. It is very difficult to think of Team HRC without him. I wish him all the best for the future."Shinya Wakabayashi | Honda Racing Corporation President"I would like to congratulate Toni on winning his unprecedented 15th Trial World Championship title. The championship schedule has been severely affected in 2020 and 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. To win under such circumstances requires maintaining peak level skills along with physical and mental strength, which Toni has done with flying colors, earning him the highest of praise. I would also like to extend my deepest gratitude to the team who made his victory a reality, and our sponsors for their unwavering support of our motorsports activities. Last but not least by any means, I would like to thank Trial fans worldwide for their passionate support."(1) Factory team:Racing team managed by the bike manufacturer. For Honda, Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) manages its factory teams.(2) FIM: Federation Internationale de MotocyclismeFor more information, visit https://global.honda/newsroom/news/2021/2210919eng.html. Copyright 2021 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

15 9 月, 2021

Honda: Takahisa Fujinami to End 26-Year Trial World Championship Career

TOKYO, Sep 15, 2021 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Honda announced that Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) contract rider Takahisa Fujinami (Repsol Honda Team), the first Japanese rider to win the FIM* Trial World Championship in 2004, will be retiring from the championship at the end of this season. Honda is truly grateful for all of the support given to the Japanese rider throughout his career.Born 1980 in Mie, Japan, 41-year-old Takahisa Fujinami began riding motocross at age 3, and after experiencing bicycle trials, started competing in the All Japan Trial Championship at age 13 in 1993, in which he became the youngest champion at age 15 in 1995.The following year, he began his career on the world championship stage, winning his first trial in the 1997 German round, becoming the youngest world championship trial winner at 17 years and 237 days old. In 1998 he was ranked fifth overall, and from the next year to 2003, was ranked second for five consecutive years. In 2004 he became the first Japanese champion in the series. From there on to 2017, he has been in the top five for 21 consecutive years, an astounding record. In the 2021 season-opener in Italy, he won Day 2, not only his fist victory in five years, but a record for the oldest rider to win at 41 years and 151 days old. TrialGP Portugal this weekend will mark Fujinami's 355th and final trial.* FIM: Federation Internationale de MotocyclismeTakahisa Fujinami | Repsol Honda Team"I firmly believe that the time has come to close the curtain on my career as a world trial championship rider after 26 years in the competition. Thanks to everyone's support, over this period, I have been able to make trial my profession and perform at a more than satisfactory level for over a quarter of a century. Thank you very much.They have been 26 great years. And I have to also thank my family, who supported me from the first moment, my team-mates, the brand, the sponsors and also the fans who have cheered me on throughout. I would like to greet each of my fans one by one, and I hope to do it someday, to thank them for the enormous support they have given throughout this time.Honda Racing and Montesa-Honda gave me a bike to participate in the world championship when I was 16 years old and, since then, I am proud to have battled with this team right through to the very end.I still remember the shouts and applause of support at my debut in Japan and also in Spain: 'Fujigas' was born there! The first victory in Germany, the tough, complicated years, but also the joy of the world title in 2004. It's a long time ago, but it's my particular treasure...I would also like to particularly remember the Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi, which started in 2000 and has always had such an enthusiastic crowd. Thank you again.As for what I will do from now on... I don't really know yet. I haven't made up my mind yet what I will do after retiring from competition, but I hope to stay involved in trials in some way. I'm confident that everything will go well in my new life."Shinya Wakabayashi | Honda Racing Corporation President"I would like to thank Takahisa [Fujinami] for the 26 years of his life he devoted to Trial World Championship competition. He has competed in the premier class of trial competition not only always representing Honda, but Japan, and his illustrious career deserves nothing but the greatest of praise. I believe it must have been a Herculean challenge for him to focus on his inner self, and to continue to compete at the pinnacle of motorsport for such a long time. He has suffered on many occasions from injuries which prevented him from performing at his peak. However, his unequalled love for trials has enabled him to overcome difficulties and keep on competing over the years. I would like to thank the team, who have supported him throughout his racing career, our sponsors, and all of his fans everywhere."Takahisa Fujinami ProfileBirthdate: January 13, 1980 (41 years old)Birthplace: Mie, JapanFujinami's Trial RecordsTrials: 354 (Trials record)Wins: 34 (5th)Total championship points: 4,722 (Trials record)Youngest winner: 17 years and 237 days oldOldest winner: 41 years and 151 days old (as of September 15, 2021) Copyright 2021 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

13 9 月, 2021

Golf: Horschel becomes second American to win PGA Championship

LONDON (AFP) - Billy Horschel won the PGA Championship after a superb final round at Wentworth on Sunday (Sept 12), becoming only the second American after Arnold Palmer to lift the trophy. Horschel hit seven birdies to finish 19 under par, putting him one shot ahead of England's Laurie Canter, Welshman Jamie Donaldson and Thailand's Kiradech Aphibarnrat on the final leaderboard. The 34-year-old follows the legendary Palmer as an American winner of the European Tour's flagship event, with his compatriot claiming the silverware at Royal St George's in 1975. Aphibarnrat had been the first to set the clubhouse target after covering his first 16 holes in nine under par, only to bogey the 17th after almost hitting his second shot out of bounds. Donaldson birdied the 17th and 18th to complete a 66 and join Aphibarnrat in top spot before Horschel birdied the last to edge in front. Canter was unable to find a birdie on the 17th or 18th to force a play-off, the 31-year-old thinning a chip from just short of the green on the 17th and narrowly missing from 15 feet on the last. "Man, I'm speechless, which is very, very rare. The crowds are absolutely unbelievable here and they supported me when I came over in 2019 and they supported me this year. To win this event means a lot," Horschel told Sky Sports. "In my mind, it's equivalent to The Players Championship. We have a great event on the PGA Tour and I live there and would love to lift that one, but I have this one under my belt and I'm very happy." Horschel won the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play in March but was overlooked for a United States Ryder Cup wild card on Wednesday. He did not even receive a call from US captain Steve Stricker, a snub that still lingered and provided motivation for Horschel at the PGA Championship. "It sucks not making the team. I didn't play consistent enough and well enough after I won the Match Play to warrant a pick or to get enough points to be an automatic selection," Horschel said. "I was a little gutted I didn't get a call this week. I didn't think the call was going to say I made the team, but I was a little gutted that I didn't get a call to say, you didn't make the team. "In my mind I thought I would at least get that. There was a little more added motivation this week for that." More on this topic Related Story Golf: Laporta in the lead as Aphibarnrat loses ground at Wentworth Related Story Golf: Thailand's Kiradech Aphibarnrat leads BMW PGA Championship