CHIBA (Chiba Prefecture), June 6 — Yoshihide Muroya wrote a new page in Japan’s sporting history yesterday with his first race win — and the first ever for Asia — at the Red Bull Air Race World Championship stop in Chiba, Japan.

The home hero needed luck as well as supreme skill in a breathtakingly close battle, where Martin Šonka of the Czech Republic claimed second, while the USA’s Kirby Chambliss took third.

Muroya (left) prepares for his flight with his race analyst Benjamin Freelove.
Muroya (left) prepares for his flight with his race analyst Benjamin Freelove.

To the cheers — and even tears — of 50,000 home fans, Yoshihide “Yoshi” Muroya broke through the clouds over Tokyo Bay for a breakthrough of his own: his first race win in five seasons of competition for the Red Bull Air Race World Championship.

As the only Asian pilot of the ultimate motorsport series in the sky, Muroya showed why his countrymen call him “Eternal Pioneer”, logging a historic first for Japan and the entire continent as well.

The victory yesterday was a nail-biter right to the last fraction of a second. Muroya’s time of 1:04.992 barely edged out the 1:05.097 clocked by Šonka. Chambliss finished a fiercely competitive third.

Runner-up Šonka earned the DHL Fastest Lap award.
Runner-up Šonka earned the DHL Fastest Lap award.

Conditions changed from moment to moment in Chiba’s tight and technical racetrack, keeping pilots on the edge and in the penalties. Muroya’s win looked improbable as he began the race with a one-second penalty for insufficient smoke, but his strong flying pushed his opponents in the Round of 14 and the Round of 8 to exceed the G limit, advancing the Japanese hero to the final, where less than eight-tenths of a second separated the four pilots’ results.

Šonka, meanwhile, earned the DHL Fastest Lap award for his blistering time of 1:04.352 in the opening round.

Spectators train their sights, for the first sign of the outcome for their compatriot Muroya.
Spectators train their sights, for the first sign of the outcome for their compatriot Muroya.

The result in Chiba — which was the first podium of the season for all three top finishers — breaks the World Championship wide open with five races still to go.

At the top of the standings, Matthias Dolderer of Germany has seen his lead cut to a mere 10 points ahead of the second place position now held by Chambliss, while Nicolas Ivanoff of France, who did not compete due to illness, clings to the third spot by just one point over Muroya.

The middle of the field is clumped closely behind, and the title is still anyone’s to seize.

Kirby Chambliss streaming in for the final place on the podium.
Kirby Chambliss streaming in for the final place on the podium.

Results Master Class Chiba:

1. Yoshihide Muroya (JPN), 2. Martin Šonka (CZE), 3. Kirby Chambliss (USA), 4. Nigel Lamb (GBR), 5. Juan Velarde (ESP), 6. Hannes Arch (AUT), 7. Matt Hall (AUS), 8. Matthias Dolderer (GER), 9. Petr Kopfstein (CZE), 10. François Le Vot (FRA), 11. Peter Podlunšek (SLO), 12. Pete McLeod (CAN), 13. Michael Goulian (USA), 14. Nicolas Ivanoff (FRA) — Reuters