The 6th KYOSHO WORLD CUP in FRANCE


Feel the earth shake in France to the roar of the KYOSHO PureTen.
Which team from what country will dominate the competition ???
■ 2006年6月30日〜7月2日 　 FRANCE RIS-ORANGIS TOWN 「MRTE CIRCUIT」

New race class added! Now two classes to compete!

A picturesque stage was set for the 6th KYOSHO World Cup in the region of France renowned for its art and culture. R/C car racing is well known and quite popular in France. Located about 40 minutes from the heart of Paris, the town of RIS ORANGIS was where the drama unfolded at the MRTW Circuit. A total of 22 countries were represented by 44 teams and 88 team members at this year's KYOSHO World Cup. As in the past the KWC class was restricted to the KYOSHO FW-05T or the FW-05S chassis with rubber tires and GXR15 engine. However a new exhibition class was added to the program for sponge tire specs and open engine selection which was contested by 47 entrants. Overall there were more teams competing than the last KYOSHO World Cup in Dubai two years ago. Japan was represented by the winners of the 2004 and 2005 KYOSHO CUP who made up the 'Japan A' and 'Japan B' teams. The top seven teams from the four qualifying heats book their places straight into the A-Final. The last three places in the A-Final are decided progressively through elimination rounds from the 1/64 to the semi-final. The top three teams from each round qualify for the next round until the last three teams are left to compete in the A-final. This gives teams who didn't qualify for the A-Final in the first four heats another chance to progress.

Racing conditions were perfect under a sky as blue as the French national color. The hot racing action was matched by the unexpectedly hot conditions that added an extra challenge for all competitors. It was almost like racing in a tropical country and with the long daylight hours, racing could continue until after 10:00pm.

The MRTE Circuit, formally known as MINI RACING TEAM ESSONNE, was established in 1978 and remains the pre-eminent R/C circuit in France. The original club started with just 30 members, which has now increased to more than 250. The well developed facilities included camping grounds and a clubhouse with ovens and bulk refrigeration for cooking and hospitality which was generously provided by the members of MRTE.

The weight of expectation was on the Japanese teams

The fierce battle on the race track started almost as soon as the opening ceremony was complete. But before battle scars appeared on the cars, a Concours d' Elegance was held and won by the Germany B team as decided by the female visitors and staff in attendance. How and who decides this honour should not be forgotten by teams for the next KYOSHO World Cup.

　Greetings（From the left）
　FDL　Mr. Gerard Caruana(president)
　RIS ORANGIS TOWN　Mr.BALZANO(Sports charge)
　KYOSHO　Mr.Masayuki Suzuki(president)		 The Concurd'Elegance's Car

With the first qualifying heat underway, the roar of the KYOSHO PureTen machines broke a wave of excitement over the circuit in the oppressive heat. After the four heats, both Japan teams qualified for the A-final in 1st and 5th positions. With this, expectations were raised even higher.

The most exciting KYOSHO World Cup ever!

After the qualifying heats were run, the traditional welcome party was held. With French wine flowing and Japanese KARAOKE booming, the party was a great one for all. The next morning was greeted with some sore heads and another blue sky. European teams who used to the conditions definitely had an advantage.

The question for teams from other regions was how they would adapt! During the party, news of the soccer world cup result of France 1, Brazil 0 brought on wild celebrations. Car horns were being blasted well into the night and it seemed that all France would boil over with excitement. Against this backdrop, this KYOSHO World Cup was building into the most exciting ever.

And the winner was ... ?

The A-Final - where highly rated teams failed to perform to expectations and under-rated teams found themselves finishing at the top. This was typical drama for the level playing field of the KYOSHO World Cup. Amongst the highly rated teams, Japan fought bravely but finished 7th and 10th. With such high expectations from the fast qualifying performance the result may seem disappointing. But just making the top 10 at this event is worthy of high praise. The fighting spirit of the Japanese teams was so impressive that the spectators gathered to collect autographs after the race. Eventually, the top podium position was taken by Germany-D followed by Switzerland-A and in 3rd place was Hong Kong-A.

In the exhibition class, the home team France took the honours and also added 3rd as well. Italy finished 2nd to close out the exhibition class for Europe.

The KYOSHO World Cup never fails to be a drama-packed event. Your team has as much chance as any other so why not mount a challenge for the next one. Your first step is the KYOSHO CUP.