The #wingletwars continue with Lamb up first, followed by Hall. Top three fastest pilots currently Muroya, Sonka, Goulian.
It's a victory for Matt Hall in this #wingletwar as he takes top spot with an unofficial time of 53.889, just 0.058 faster than Muroya. Lamb clocks in 54.330.
But we know Nigel and we know that he'll be analysing, evaluating and re-evaluating his performance to gain ground on Hall. It ain't over 'til it's over.
Bonhomme takes up the next slot as a slight technical problem with Dolderer's plane puts him last out on the track today.
Bonhomme's first run puts him into second behind Matt Hall, who is inching closer and closer to the top of the podium with every race this season. But a third run sees Bonhomme break into the 52s. He's not letting Hall inch too close to that top spot on the podium just yet.
... And Dolderer's result puts him in 9th place as he brings Training #2 for a close today. Official results coming soon.
Next up, the Challengers head out for their third Training session for the third stop of the season here in Rovinj.
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And we're back for Training 3 with the Masters!
Current conditions 18.8˚C, wind NW 5-6kts.
Le Vot, Velarde, Chambliss and Sonka have all flown their sessions and Sonka has again taken an early lead with 53.834. No one has come close to breaking into the 52s as we saw in the last Training session with Bonhomme.
But flying conditions can often change later in the day so it's just a waiting game...
Besenyei, Goulian and Muroya have all flown in their Training 3 session in the track. Goulian looked markedly different from last year, definitely one to watch this season. The new setup with his race plane is obviously suiting him.
Muroya has done it again and takes the top spot on the timesheets with 53.023 – getting close to Bonhomme's sub-53 time in T2. Arch up next, let's hope he's sorted any issues he had in the last Training session and can put in a competitive time out there over the water...
Palpable relief as Arch makes a clean sweep through the track and clocks in 53.488, positioning him in second. He's as cool as a cucumber but that will surely help to dampen any anxieties ahead of Qualifying tomorrow.
Quick word with Martin Sonka back at the race airport:
I’m feeling really good. I think I am able to take the raceplane faster. I’ve found the right trajectory but we’ll analyse the data and see how we can go quicker in the next round.
Hall just finishes 0.024s behind Muroya and again sits in second place. Top three are Muroya, Hall and Arch with Dolderer and Bonhomme still to fly.
Bonhomme's split times are in the green from the off but we're quickly seeing red as he loses time in the track and posts a time that sees him sitting in third in T3. But the Brit has a habit of going for gold in the last run of the day...
But it's not to be, today for Bonhomme. He won't be worried but all eyes are on Yoshi as Dolderer gets ready for his last Training runs today. He took a podium in Chiba and is no doubt hungry for more visits.
Dolderer slips in with a tidy but restrained performance out there. He'll need to find a good second or two by Sunday to get anywhere near the podium this weekend.
That's a wrap from today's Training. Bonhomme retains the track record with a blistering sub-53 run today, but in T3 it's Muroya who takes the lead in this afternoon's Training session, followed closely by Hall and Bonhomme in second and third respectively.
Tomorrow is another day and if we learned anything last year in Rovinj, it's that track conditions can change in the blink of an eye and it's all about being in the moment out there on the track. No doubt Muroya, Hall, Bonhomme as well as Arch will have their confidence bolstered by today's results ahead of Qualifying tomorrow.
Official results coming soon!
Good morning/Dobro jutro from the Red Bull Air Race in Rovinj. It's Qualifying Day!
It's a packed schedule today. Coming up...
Challengers Training at 10:45
Masters Training at 13:50
Challenger Qualifying at 15:20
Masters Qualifying at 16:00
(All times are local, UTC+2)
Here's the Start List for the Challengers' Training:
And the Start List for Masters Training:
The Challengers are currently completing their Training session out on the racetrack. It'll be a tricky one today as conditions have changed since the Training sessions yesterday, when the wind was around 5-6kts and coming from the North West.
Today the wind off the Adriatic has swung around to the South West and wind speeds are around 12kts this morning. It'll feel like a different track out there and the pilots will have to adjust quickly.
Brageot currently leading in Challenger Training 4. Ryfa has put in strong performance but perhaps the changeable conditions are throwing him off his lines.
Slovenia's Peter Podlunsek will also be a favourite with the crowds here in Rovinj, with the Croatian race closest to a race on home turf for the pilot.
Training 4 wraps up for the Challengers, and it's Brageot, Bolton an Ryfa in the top spots. Official results coming soon.
Brageot leads by a margin with 1:05.420 to Bolton's 1:05.918, and despite Brageot's +1second penalty for insufficient smoke.
Next up will be the Masters Training 4 session, the last Training before Qualifying later today.
Masters Training 4 kicks off at 13:50 local time (UTC+2)