Chambliss wins London Red Bull

London - August 4, 2008 — America’s Kirby Chambliss said it felt great. And it looked great, too. Chambliss took top honors at the Red Bull Air Race World Series in London on Sunday in front of a crowd of 40,000 spectators, defeating France’s Nicolas Ivanoff over the River Thames. Austrian Hannes Arch came in third. Favorite Paul Bonhomme of Britain hit a pylon and failed to make the finals, despite recording the top time during the qualifying races on Saturday. That slashed his lead to two points with just four races remaining in the World Series competition. Bonhomme has 38 points in the World Series standings, ahead of Chambliss and Arch, both with 36 points. Chambliss has won two of the last three races after beating Bonhomme in Detroit. “The conditions had smoothed out a bit so I was as aggressive as possible,” Chambliss said. Bonhomme was disappointed but said, “It was a classic case of trying too hard.” The blustery conditions caused upsets across the board, with American Mike Mangold also hitting an air gate and destroying his chances of winning a second consecutive time in London. The U.K. crowd expected great things from the British trio of Bonhomme, Steve Jones and Nigel Lamb after each performed well in the previous Red Bull Air Race in Rotterdam. Jones managed to snatch just a championship point in the Point One round in London. Lamb ended up in fifth place. Both Chambliss and Arch welcomed the increased competition in the upper echelons of the World Series standings. “It definitely makes the championships more interesting,” said Chambliss. “I am happy to see that. It’s too bad for the Brits though as nobody wants to fall out in their home country.” The next race takes place in Budapest, Hungary on Aug. 19-20.		American Kirby Chambliss took top honors in the Red Bull Air Race in London, and now is in second place in the World Series standings. Photo courtesy Red Bull Air Race Kirby Chambliss, left, chats with Britain’s Paul Bonhomme on Sunday. Bonhomme leads the World Series by two points, despite failing to make the finals on Sunday. Photo courtesy Red Bull Air Race

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