RACES

• 20th-21st May - Hengelo, NEDERLANDS
• 
  In spite of the bad weather and a town circuit very difficult for the riders of the European Women’s Cup, more skilled in raod racing than in Tourist Trophy, and in spite of the complaint for a windscreen not completely conform to the rules, Nina Prinz and Iris Ten Katen won.
• 
  They won for having run an almost perfect race, Prinz for the ‘Over’ class and Ten Katen for the ‘600’ class and for the great show they gave in these two days to the 7000 spectators in Hengelo as well as for their superb competitive sports behaviour matching with their terrific performance.
• 
  The Dutch rider Iris Ten Katen in front of her own public and the German Nina Prinz handling a new bike (Honda Cbr 1000), after having broken up with the MV Agusta team, showed how to win the pressure that weighs down on the favourites. Unfortunately a complaint for a slight inadequacy of the bike in regards to the regulations (the profile of the windscreen was not conform). A modification which certainly could not have effected the 38 seconds that Prinz inflicted to the second arrived, Cazzola, and the 15 seconds that Ten Katen gave to her follower Valentini, but that had forced the judges to disqualify the two riders after the complaint presented by the team manager Ducati.
• Thanks to this episode the two Ducati riders, Paola Cazzola and Chiara Valentini, get first place awarded by arbitration (class ‘Over’ and class ‘600’) and respectively go to 50 points in the ranking (after their victories in Vallelunga) staking claim on the Cup and providing 0 points to their most formidable opponents. But in the paddock it was clear for everybody: this is not the way to win. The complaint was formally unequivocal and if every bike had been perfectly conform to the regulations, we have to say that the sports verdict on the track does not have doubts: Nina Prinz is the fastest rider in Europe. In the Ten Katen/Valentini case, the complaint unfortunately denies, not only of a deserved victory for Iris, but also the pleasure to assist a tight duel between two good riders on the same level who could have given a terrific show in the next races with the ranking still open.

  Back to the race, leaving behind for a moment what happened afterwards in the closed park.
  Prinz starts off well and maintains her first position beginning from the pole given at the qualifying; Cazzola stays behind without giving an idea of being able to make a comeback. Follows a super duel between the Italians Alessia Polita (Gsxr 1000) and Samuela De Nardi (Aprilia RSV 1000) with several over takings which in the end will award the Suzuki rider. Out of the race almost immediately the excellent French Fabienne Migout who, touched by another pilot goes down in the first lap and with the broken footpegs can’t get back into the race.

• Among the ‘600 class Ten Katen starts off well followed by the two Roman Simona Zaccardi and Chiara Valentini. Chiara comes back up immediately and passes Simona in the second lap and gets closer to the Dutch passing her halfway through the race. But after a few laps in front during a braking she loses control of her 749R and finishes on the ground. The French Migout, who was standing nearby after her fall, helps Chiara quickly back onto her bike and into the race allowing her to maintain the second place. Zaccardi places third and fourth place goes to the French Lydia Jean.

  Above and beyond the official and/or the real classification, a special prize goes to all the riders at the starting grid here in Hengelo during this very rainy weekend and on a tricky circuit, for having shown great courage, passion and determination.
  Wonderful hospitality on part of the Hengelo Motoclub organisation (who organises national races since ’67 with prestigious pilots like Barry Sheen and Jarno Saarinen), although the circuit has not the same standards usually required for European races.

  Appointment for the third race in Rijeka (Croatia) next June 18th.