Report written by Trevor Chatters 

Ferenc Csako (AUT) VRP/ASV took his first UIM title with the European 0-700 at Znin. The race was postponed from Jedovnice, because of low water levels. All the boats racing were powered by VRP engines, but the Italians, 2007 World champion Tiziano Trombetta and Mauro Bacchi were missing. Attila Havas (AUT) VRP/ASV who has won the title in the two previous years qualified in pole from Glebas Sobciukas (LIT) VRP/ASV with the 500 engine, then Holger Kluge (GER) VRP/ASV.

Ferenc Csako from the outside of the grid powered straight into the lead chased by Havas. Local driver Tadeusz Hareza (POL) VRP/Betta was late away. Sobciukas was giving Kluge cause to look in his mirrors as he hustled him , but the Berlin driver held on to third position. Csako won with a time of 5.21.32 from Havas 5.25.16 with Kluge 5.53.67 and Sobciukas 5.54.16. Pavel Pospisil and Jiri Masek from the Czech Republic both failed to finish.

Csako had the initial edge in heat two, but Havas powered past on the back straight into the lead and a win by a time 6 seconds faster than heat 1 at 5.15.71. Kluge again took third from Sobciukas , Masek and Hareza.

A good start to heat 3 by Csako saw him power into a lead he was not to relinquish and win with the fastest race time 5.13.96 from Havas

Havas could retain his title only if he beat Csako with a faster race time having 1000 points compared to Csako’s 1100. When the lights went out it all seemed over for Havas’s motor failed to fire. Csako was round the first buoy before Havas was away. The defending champion was not giving up easily and chased after Csako, who also made a slight mistake at a buoy turn on lap 6. Havas close to just 3 seconds at the chequered flag but had to settle for the silver medal, with Holger Kluge taking the bronze. After over 20 years of racing the popular Budapest driver Ferenc Csako took his first European UIM title with maximum points.

EUROPEAN 0-700 CHAMPIONSHIP

1^st   21   Ferenc Csako        VRP/ASV       (Austria)       400     (300)            400     400    1200

2^nd  29   Attila Havas          VRP/ASV       (Austria)       300     400     300     (300)            1000

3^rd  9    Holger Kluge          VRP/ASV       (Germany)     225     225     225     (225)  675

4^th  78   Tadeusz Hareza     VRP/Betta     (Poland)        127     127     (95)    169     423

5^h  16   Glebas Sobciukas    VRP/ASV       (Lithuania)     169     0        169     0        338

6^th  13   Jiri Masek             VRP/Comp.    (Czech Rep)   0        169    127     0        296

7^th  65   Pavel Pospisil         Panteam/VRP (Czech Rep)   0        0                 0        0        0