Korjus wins Junior World Finals

Prefinal
Takamoto Katsuta took the advantage from the beginning, while the Dutchman Van der Brand disappeared straight away at the head of the field. However the race was superb, with the first skirmish carrying on right to the podium. Claes, Zenkin and Hawkins were up there as well. Katsuta retained his position before being overtaken by by both Rochford and Korjus and the Russian Okunkov edged up to fifth place. Another Japanese, Takaboshi, was catching Williams for sixth and then fifth and with the fourth fastest time the Canadian Mikarel Grenier came back to seventh.

On the sixth lap, Okunkov was part of the top three and Korjus took Rochford, but the Dutchman Jack Swinkels also came too meddle in the top three. Okunkov lost ground on the eighth lap by tasting the dust of the desert, leaving Korjus and Rochford to take the flag in front of Swinkels who got a good deal by taking third place.

1. Kevin Korjus (EE)
2. Daniel Rochford (Australia)
3. Jack Swinkels (NL)
4. William Bamber (NZ)
5. Caleb Williams (ZA)
6. Mikael Grenier (CA)

Final
If Junior Max started their final reasonably well, the rest of the race was breathless. Already winner of the Pre-final Kevin Korjus immediately took command of the race but he was closely followed by Caleb Williams who found an opening on the fourth lap. As so often, the long fast left after the start-line provided an opportunity for many overtaking attempts. Swinkels and Rochford followed in the seventh and fourth position but Katsuta came back harder as Rochford lost touch.

Katsuta passed Korjus and was in second position on lap six, but Korjus revived and took back his place three laps later. He even got close to Williams and tried some attacks. On the 12th lap, the South African could no longer resist and was left in the wake of both Korjus and Katsuta, and then Fujie for good measure. Rochford reappeared again in the leading quartet a lap later. Katsuta was found lacking, then Korjus, giving the positions on lap 14 as 1) Fujie, 2) Korjus and 3) Rochford.

But it seems in this race the leaders do not last! Rochford and Korjus passed Fujie, then Korjus retook the lead from Rochford, and then Fujie regained the second place for a short time before again losing places. Katsuta returned only to go off straight away, via a push into the dust. The top three then changed again, with Korjus leading with Williams taking the second place and then Swinkels took a brief third until replaced by Fujie. Korjus then finally pulled away, but Fujie took the advantage away from Williams on the last lap.

1. Kevin Korjus (EE)
2. Ryuya Fujie (JP)
3. Caleb Williams (ZA)
4. Jack Swinkels (NL)
5. Kazuki Hiramine (GB)
6. Luke Varley (GB)

Full results and reports in English, French and Portuguese are available at Kartcom.

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