Budapest-based gym owner Gyorgy Kasza led from start-to-finish to storm to an emphatic victory in the opening race for the Samosir Cup on the third day of the UIM-ABP Endurance World Championship on Indonesia’s spectacular Lake Toba.

The Hungarian reached the finish of the 20-lap race 24.665 seconds ahead of Kuwait’s Rashed Al-Dawas, but day two engine issues mean that the race’s fastest lap winner is not in contention for the World Championship in the afternoon’s second Moto for the Samosir Cup.

French veteran Jean-Bruno Pastorello’s dramatic retirement at the start of the race threw the outcome of the World Championship wide open, with Al-Dawas and third-placed Team Abu Dhabi driver Rashed Al-Tayer storming into contention for what promises to be a thrilling finale this afternoon.

Kasza said: “Not bad. It is easy on the fast water. I am really sad for Pastorello because I wanted it to be a good fight. But soon is coming Moto 2 so we go again..”

Alabama-based American racer Anthony Radetic also remains in contention for the world title and came home in fourth place, with Australia-based Kiwi Kylie Ellmers rounding off the top five. Unofficially, the top four are now separated by just five points heading into the final Moto and the second race for the Samosir Cup.

Sixth-placed Johan Johansson, Aitzol Beristain, Hilman Kurniawan, Alberto Santini and Kanina Ramadhina completed the top 10.

Friday’s third race day on Lake Toba saw competitors taking part in two more 35-minute races for the Samosir Cup on a 3.96km course close to the event’s base camp at Pangururan. Held under the ‘United Spirit of Lake Toba’ banner, race one attracted 16 racers from the 22 entrants for a Regatta-style start.

Former UIM World Champion François Medori slightly injured his back during the Dairi Cup on Thursday and decided to miss out on the day’s action to prepare for his Runabout GP1 challenge over the weekend. Cseke Zsolt, Cliff Ellmers, Michele Cadei, an under the weather Yousef Al-Abdulrazzaq and Makaio Wimylie were also non-starters.

Kasza made the start with a rebuilt engine, Thai racer Permphon Teerapatpanich returned to action after his own engine issues on Thursday and Indonesia’s Lucky Limanjawa managed to take a start for the first time after breaking down on the opening day’s lake transfer to Tongging.

Kasza made the best start and surged into the lead on the opening lap from Pastorello, Al-Tayer, Permphon and Al-Dawas, with Radetic and Spain’s Alejandro Molina Miranda trailing in their wake. Al-Dawas overtook Permphon shortly before championship leader Pastorello dramatically ground to a halt on the course with a broken propeller on lap two. The dejected Frenchman said: “Broken…propeller…broken…”

By lap four, Kasza had extended his lead to just under 10 seconds from Molina Miranda, with Chen Shan moving up to third place ahead of Al-Dawas and Al-Tayer. But it was all change again on lap five, with Al-Dawas moving ahead of Shan and into second place. Molina Miranda dropped back to fifth behind Al-Tayer.

Radetic began to make his move and the American overtook both Shan and Molina Miranda to snatch fourth place behind runaway leader Kasza, Al-Dawas and Al-Tayer heading into lap eight. Technical issues for Shan moved Kylie Ellmers up to sixth and Johan Johansson to seventh, as leader Kasza began lap 10 with an advantage of 24.444 seconds over 24-year-old student Al-Dawas with 15 minutes remaining on the clock. Permphon joined Shan on the list of retirements.

With less than 10 minutes on the clock, Molina Miranda hit trouble and dropped out of contention for the top five, as Kasza continued to lead from Al-Dawas, Al-Tayer, Radetic and Ellmers.

Kasza stayed clear of any late dramas to seal the win and the Middle Eastern duo of Al-Dawas and Al-Tayer shadowed the Hungarian to the finish to set up a thrilling finale to the three days of endurance racing on Lake Toba.

The venue forms part of the Toba Caldera UNESCO Global Geopark and is one of five UNESCO global geoparks in Indonesia. It is one of Indonesia’s Super Priority Tourism Destinations (DPSP).

The second of the day’s races starts at 13.30hrs (local time).