Mondiale Supermoto Catalan Grand Prix at Salou spelling an end to hard fought SuperMoto Title chase

FUNCHAL (PORTUGAL), 11 November 2009 - The 2009 FIM SuperMoto World Championship will come to an end this weekend at Salou, a new venue to the World series being located inside the area of Port Aventura, the biggest amusement park in Spain.

Van Den Bosch leads the S1 series ahead of Lazzarini, with the duo being spread in just 19 points. Thomas Chareyre is in third, just two points behind Lazzarini.

In the S2 series instead reigning Champion Adrien Chareyre leads with a bigger advantage over runner up Delepine, being 46 points adrift. Gozzini completes the top three.

In the UEM series Karanyotov is about to wrap up the S3 Title while a packed Open series is currently led by Monticelli.

At the end of this last Grand Prix the FIM Off Road Awards dedicated to SuperMoto will get underway on the Sunday evening at Port Aventura.

S1

Winning his second Grand Prix of the season at Ottobiano, HM Honda Racing's Lazzarini took a giant leap in the points standings, storming from fourth to second. The Italian is now behind Championship leader Van Den Bosch, creating a similar situation to what happened already in 2008 when the two fought tooth and nail for the runner up spot in the S1 Championship - VDB eventually finished ahead of Lazzarini.

Lazzarini suffers a gap of 19 points but the last two heats of the season in Salou can pay up to 50 points, leaving the Title chase wide open.

Thomas Chareyre of Husqvarna CH Racing is third in the Championship, just two points behind Lazzarini. Lazzarini's home win interrupted the Frenchman's winning streak of three GP's but Chareyre salvaged the weekend in Italy by taking a runner up finish overall.

Other Husqvarna CH Racing representative Hermunen has dropped down to fourth in the Championship but with a gap of 31 points from VDB he completes the list of potential Title candidates.

The pressure is now on all Thierry Van Den Bosch with the 747 Motorsport - TM Racing Factory man going for his fourth World Title. The goal is an absolute record in the history of SuperMoto as current S2 series leader Adrien Chareyre may equal the actual tally of three World Titles should he become Champion at Salou.

Rigo Racing Suzuki's Seel rounds off the top five in the Championship after collecting his best season's result in Ottobiano with fourth overall.

VDB cornering

More photos available at www.supermotos1.com/galleryinfo.aspx

S2

Coming back to victory in Ottobiano Adrien Chareyre of Husqvarna CH Racing came dramatically close to winning the World Title. The reigning S2 World Champion came out of the Italian weekend with 46 points more than new runner up Gerald Delepine, which meant he lost the Title by just four points.

With 50 points still up for grabs in Catalunya this weekend it will be a tough job for Delepine and Gozzini to overtake Chareyre in the standings.

Husqvarna Cross 2R's Delepine has moved up to second in the Championship snatching the runner up spot from Gozzini.

The latter was disqualified in Ottobiano's first heat and missed the points for the first time this season. Now the 747 Motorsport - TM Racing Factory representative will have to give his very best to move back to second in the points standings.

Youngster Gaspardone is fourth in the Championship but he has been out of the battle for the 2009 Title. The Italian still aims at collecting his maiden podium after a close fourth overall in Greece.

Borella completes the top five while KTM fellow rider Burkhart will be chasing his second consecutive podium after his maiden appearance in the series ended with third overall.

Adrien Chareyre looks for his third World Crown

More photos available at www.supermotos1.com/galleryinfo.aspx

UEM

The final round of the UEM series S3 and Open will get underway at Salou this weekend as both Titles are still up for grabs.

In the S3 series Karanyotov has accumulated a massive advantage of 48 points over runner up Janina Wuerterle. Janina's brother Kevin instead has worked his way up to third in the points standings after having missed Andorra and Greece.

After a breathtaking penultimate round in Ottobiano Monticelli took back the red plate of the Open class while previous leader Porfiri struggled all weekend long. The duo are now head to head for what can be the maiden Title for both while Dall'Era, who crashed in Ottobiano after winning moto one, is third in the points standings. Sconfietti completes the top four which is packed in 31 points. Ottobiano's winner Animento is eighth in the series.

Karanyotov is about to secured the S3 Title

More photos available at www.supermotos1.com/galleryinfo.aspx

TIMETABLE

Saturday: EC Open & S3 Free Practice 1 8:55-09:15; EC Open & S3 Free Practice 2 10:30-10:50; S1 & S2 Free Practice 1 12:00-12:30; S1 & S2 Free Practice 2 14:00-14:30; EC Open & S3 Qualifying Practice 14:40-15:10; S1 & S2 Time Practice 16:50-17:30;

Sunday: EC Open & S3 Warm-up 9:00-09:30; S1 & S2 Warm-up 9:40-10:00 with Superpole immediately after; ECSM Open & S3 Race 1 11:15; ECSM Open & S3 Race 2 13:15; S1 & S2 Race 1 14:15; S1 & S2 Race 2 16:15 (FIM Off Road Awards will take place at 18.15 at "Sala Damasco")

LINKS

Youthstream

FIM

Grand Prix of Catalunya

Freecaster.tv is the prime source of LIVE and On-Demand coverage for action sports on the Internet. Watch the 2009 FIM MX1/MX2/MX3 and Women's World Championships, the 2009 SuperMoto World Championship and the 2009 FIM Snowcross World Championship races exclusively, LIVE and free on www.freecaster.tv.