Young RP karters win 3 titles in Asian tourney
Posted on November 29th, 2009 under Sporting Gold
The Philippine team bagged three of the 11 titles at stake to claim the overall runner-up finish in the 2009 Asian Karting Open Championship at the SC Motorsport Circuit in Saraburi, Thailand.
Talented young karter Estefano Rivera of PCR-Tough Gear Racing-FERN-C and Marino Sato achieved significant feats in the junior division, while Indy Villalon clinched the Yamaha Cup Seniors’ crown.
The 13-year-old Rivera, a Grade 7 pupil of JASMS-Manila, made the biggest splash in capturing the Yamaha Cup Junior plum in only on his maiden season in Asian karting. He accumulated a total of 56 points against older and more experienced rivals Archim Lagman and third placer John Castelar of AUTS Racing.
Prior to the final leg, he was nowhere in third or fourth place. But Rivera emerged the surprise overall champion following his impressive performance that saved the Philippines from a total shutout in Thailand.
Sato survived the grueling battle against fellow Filipino Christian Gaddi and Thailand’s Sasakorn Chaimongkol to claim the overall Asian Mini-ROK crown, while Villalon took the Yamaha Cup Seniors’ crown beating Alessandra Racing’s Oliver Aquino and AUTS Racing’s Joseph Castelar.
It was Thai ace karter Tin Sritrai who shone brightest after claiming his back-to-back overall Asian Karter of the Year award as top RP bet Juha Turalba of Ready2Race only wound up second, eight points behind the Thai champ.
RP’s Roby Benito, Franco Reyes and Joey Orduna ended third, fourth and fifth, respectively, in the Formula 125 Open Junior division.
John Zhang of Singapore won the overall ROK Senior crown while Malaysia’s Gary Mumford took the overall title in Rotax Max Veteran class.
Among others were Red and White Racing’s Yasuo Senna Iriawan shared overall runner-up in the Rotax Max Junior class, with Macau’s Andy Chang Wing Chung, while Perdana Putra Minang who ended fifth in the Mini-ROK division.
Related posts:
- Young RP triathlete wins bronze in HK tourney
- Llena lifts 3 Asian Youth Tilt bronzes in Uzbekistan
- Pinoy rules Singapore Rapid Chess Challenge Tourney
- Pinay golfers sweep amateur titles in Singapore
- Filipina teener rules San Diego Junior Golf Title
