Day 2: Race Day
This was the third leg of the 2016 Red Bull Air Race tour, and is the only one of the whole tour held over open water – and it suffered for it on Saturday, the first scheduled race day, when strong wind and waves led to the cancellation of the time trial qualifications.
After two practice sessions on Friday 3 June Muroya came first among 14 pilots, beating Matthias Dolderer (DE) into second by a fraction of a second. Muroya completed his run in 1:05:059. Dolderer flew the course in 1:05:074.
Muroya was very happy to get off to such a good start in front of his home crowd. “I was flying back and I didn’t even realize I was the top in Free Practice 2, it’s good to know!” he said after the race.
He added: “I think the track is a good setup and it felt like we were just cruising around, so tomorrow we need to do the same cruise… All the pilots are good and I hope the fans will come and watch!”
Earlier in the day Australian Matt Hall won the first practice session, setting the fastest time of the day at 1:04:072. Only Martin Sonka (CZ) showing any real competitive edge against Hall, in second place with 1:05.615.
Hall said he and his team were happy with how the day had gone. “We often fly well in the first session and we did that in Free Practice 1. We had the lines prepared and they worked out.”
“In Free Practice 2 I was slightly more conservative but only 0.5s off the pace. The best news is my back feels good. I was nervous coming here because I wasn’t sure how it would be, but I feel really confident after today.”
Because all the racing was done on Sunday instead, the pilots to use their experience and what little time on the course they could get under their belts in the two free practice sessions.
But on Sunday it was Muroya’s time of 1:04.992 that was a display of “precision and perfection even when flying under pressure” organizers said.
Muroya used the home field advantage to give him that extra spiritual boost and claimed that his fans’ support gave him an extra half a second of time in the racetrack. “The fans pushed us into the win,” he said afterwards. “It feels very special. We prepared well and the team has been working really hard.”
In the Challenger Cup – the smaller second tier (or B Class pilots) of racing where pilots learn the skill and art of air racing before graduating to the Master Class – Chile’s Cristian Bolton kept the USA’s Kevin Coleman at bay for a decisive win.
The Chilean military pilot held his nerve with a quick and clean error-free run, ultimately posting the fastest time of 1:15.747 on the coastal one-lap track.
The win scored him 10 points, which puts him fourth on the overall leaderboard after three competitions – Abu Dhabi, Austria and Japan. The USA’s Coleman is first, with a total of 24 points – he has consistently come second in all three races, scoring eight points each race.
For the Master Class, Nigel Lamb(GB) was first out of the start gate in the final four, who was looking for a 1:04 time on the track. However, Lamb ultimately couldn’t live up to his own expectations and posted a quick 1:05.734.
But Muroya was second to fly in the track, and his blistering pace put him in first place.
Two other pilots flew, but were unable to match Muroya’s 1:04.992, meaning he took the win.
“We were very close to Martin in the times, but the fans pushed us into the win,” Muroya said afterward. “I’ve been flying for 25 years and this is my first win, so it’s taken a long time, but it feels very special – it’s a big, big moment for me and the team.”
He added: “To celebrate, I might go to a noodle restaurant and have some beers!”
The podium saw Muroya, Martin Sonka (CZ) and Kirby Chambliss (US) in 1, 2, 3 spots.
The result means Muroya is now in fourth position in the series overall. Germany’s Mathias Dolderer is first, with Chambliss in second and France’s Nicolas Ivanoff in third.
Japan’s Yoshihide Muroya took his first career victory in front of 50,000 fans at his home race in Chiba, Japan at the third leg of the Red Bull Air Race 2016 on 5 June 2016.
Yoshi Muroya (JPN) Run in the Best 4
Link to photos & gallery: Red Bull Air Race 2016 (Chiba)
All Videos: Courtesy of Red Bull Content Pool
