Aquabike Olbia: Johansson Runabout GP1 champion, Al Mulla 7th title
The newsroomUpdated on October 21, 20264 minAquabike World Championship in Olbia: Johansson wins the Runabout GP1 title after penalties for Kasza and Medori; Bossche, Chavanne and Al Mulla also crowned.
Key point
In Olbia, Samuel Johansson is Aquabike Runabout GP1 world champion with 125 points, after Kasza and Medori received two-lap penalties in the final moto.
The 2026 UIM-ABP Aquabike World Championship ended in Olbia, Sardinia, on 18 October. In the premier Runabout GP1 class, Samuel Johansson is world champion with 125 points, after a final moto settled by penalties. In the other major classes, Quinten Bossche, Jessica Chavanne and Rashed Al Mulla were also crowned.
Runabout GP1: a title decided by penalties
Going into the last moto, Gyorgy Kasza and defending champion François Medori were level on 111 points, with Johansson on 100. Kasza had won Moto 2, postponed to Sunday after a crash at the start, by 22.921 s over Medori. Johansson was third.
In Moto 3, Kasza led until Medori closed in, missed a buoy and took a penalty. Both riders ended up with two-lap penalties for cutting the course: Kasza, first across the line, was classified ninth and Medori eleventh. Johansson, third on the water, was declared winner of the moto.
- Johansson: champion, 125 points
- Kasza: 123 points, chasing a first world title
- Medori: 121 points
Bossche, Chavanne and Al Mulla crowned
- Ski GP1: Belgium's Quinten Bossche won every moto he entered this season, in both the World and European championships. After an engine change he started Moto 2 last, yet won it. With a 31-point lead before the last race, his title was secured. Mattias Reinnas and Raphael Maurin completed the Moto 3 podium.
- Ski Ladies GP1: Jessica Chavanne needed only a top-six finish and was fifth in Moto 3. According to Watercraft Journal it is her third world title, after 2020 and 2023. Benedicte Drange won the Grand Prix, one point ahead of Jasmiin Ypraus.
- Freestyle: Rashed Al Mulla scored 252 points in Moto 3 and took his seventh world title. Demi Morgan, in her first season, finished second in the championship and Roberto Mariani third (226 points in the last moto, against 190 for Morgan).
A finale full of incidents
Watercraft Journal counts 160 riders from 27 nations in Olbia and describes a finale full of twists: a crash at the start in Runabout GP1, mechanical failures for Perez and Kasza, and a red flag in Ski Ladies GP1 after falls for Chavanne and Naomi Benini. Results for the GP2, GP3 and GP4 classes are not detailed in our sources.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the 2026 Aquabike Runabout GP1 world champion?
Samuel Johansson, with 125 points, ahead of Gyorgy Kasza (123) and François Medori (121).
Why did Kasza and Medori lose the title?
In Moto 3 both riders received two-lap penalties for cutting the course. Kasza, first across the line, was classified ninth and Medori eleventh.
Who else became world champion at Olbia?
Quinten Bossche in Ski GP1, Jessica Chavanne in Ski Ladies GP1 and Rashed Al Mulla in Freestyle, his seventh world title in that class.
Sources
- Aquabike.net — Johansson world champion, Bossche, Chavanne and Al Mulla also crowned in Olbia
- Watercraft Journal — Aquabike World Championship finale in Olbia
- Aquabike.net — Bossche comes from the back in Olbia, penultimate day
Written by the Karrazmotorsport newsroom, proofread before publication. For settings, always refer to your vehicle's manual. Our charter.
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