Glorious sunshine was the order of the day in the morning and with plenty to get through on the busy schedule it was a good thing too, day three of the European Championships 2010 was starting to look very much like a UK national event. The track team had worked hard throughout yesterday in an attempt to make the track raceable, and were spotted yesterday evening and first thing this morning heat-treating the track to accelerate its drying out process.

With the track all prepared and ready to race, practice started on schedule at 08:00hrs in heat order. At the European championships it is essential that at least one round of timed practice can be completed as this determines the start order for drivers in qualifying.

Left: Austrian Ben deals some firey damage to the track early morning.

At 11am we got booted off our table and had to sit on the floor for 1 minute until someone kindly vacated their table for us to report from. Crazy situation that there are not enough tables for drivers - well, actually there are, but without any provision for mechanics / pit crew / WAGS or reporters.

I think they weren't impressed with the damage the punks wreaked upon the table that wasn't the clubs property also - oops!

Phil and Christine Booth deserve a special mention for their kind help with removing the caked-on dregs of superglue, ham (yes - meat glued to the table, crazy english piiigs), tyre, cardboard and other such madness from our poor abused table, which soon shone up as good as new - thank you!

Practice ran for the first two hours of the day and qualifying commenced promptly at 10:00hrs. The top drivers in practice were as follows:

	Practice
	position   name result 1 Jorn Neumann 12/ 321.64 2 Lee Martin 12/ 323.21 3 Hubert Honigl 12/ 323.55 4 Peter Pinisch 12/ 325.75 5 Martin Kreil 12/ 326.12 6 Ellis Stafford 12/ 326.53 7 Paul Bradby 11/ 296.72 8 Rene Trauner 11/ 302.30 9 Phillip Sleigh 11/ 302.68 10 Phillipp Stocker 11/ 309.63

Ole Steen Karlsen took this photo of the track-burning that went on the previous night! crazy!!!	Scotty Ernst from the USA was over once again for the Euros to add his personal touch to the proceedings.

(tastes of paprika)

Qualifying Round 1
The usual suspects appeared in the top 10 list of qualifiers in round one, including recent double UK-national winner Kevin Lee, who dominated the track in both 2wd and 4wd at Stotfold last weekend. Lee Martin - winner of the warmup event here in the 2WD class had saved his best for qualifying and put in a stormer 2 seconds ahead of local hero Hupo who was driving the new Team Durango DEX210 prototype in rear-motor configuration.

	Round 1 Qualifying
	position   name result 1 Lee Martin 12/ 315.97 2 Hubert Honigl 12/ 317.89 3 Jorn Neumann 12/ 318.91 4 Marc Rheinard 12/ 323.02 5 Kevin Lee 12/ 323.38 6 Peter Pinisch 12/ 324.65 7 Paul Bradby 12/ 325.17 8 Grant Williams 12/ 326.34 9 Phillipp Stocker 12/ 326.40 10 Neil Cragg 12/ 327.79

Adam Skelding with the top secret Team Durango 2WD buggy - DEX210

	Otto - Crazy dude from Sweden. Interview with Otto Ausfeldt Hello Otto, you're here to represent team Sweden – how far have you travelled to attend this event, and have you had chance to come here for any practice prior to this week? From Copenhagen in denmark I think it's about a 1 and a half hour flight, so it's ok, it's about an hours drive to Copenhagen. I came here for the warm up event but haven't visited since. At least I had chance to practice in the rain – it was me and Simon Moss running in the last heat, everyone else chickened out! Haha. Which track do you usually race at? I race at a permenant indoor clay track in Tomelilla, an hours drive from my house. How long have you been racing toy cars? I started when I was 12 years old, my first car was a traxxas from '91. I had a break from 2001-2007 and my first race when I returned was the Swedish championships, I qualified 3rd, had some really good races in the final, and by luck I won it (pure impressive driving). I was driving a schumacher cat 3000. What is your all time favourite car? Losi XX4 WE. What does your girlfriend do whilst you're travelling the world as a superstar toy car hero? Hopefully she's at home cleaning, I send her shopping (for clothes) so it's ok. What is your favourite feature of the Euros 2010 track here in Austria? The bar near the track. The tabletop is nice too. If I could describe the track – if you look at it, it looks really simple, but when you drive it it's really hard, especially over the jump section. What big car do you drive? BMW 5 series touring, diesel. Do you prefer white or yellow wheels? White, I can't stand yellow – the car looks so much cleaner with white wheels and is so much easier to spot on the track. The track markers are often yellow so you can't run yellow wheels. What is your favourite drink? Anything with at least 50/50 – redbull and jaegermeister is best. Which racing result are you the most proud of? Swedish championships in 2008 – qualified 3rd in 2wd, won 2wd, TQ'd 4wd and won it. First time on astroturf. What is your favourite Swedish meal? Iranskt morgon grus, (internal joke for the swedish racers here) – Iranian morning dirt - it comes from a comedy sketch on swedish radio. Thank you to you and jimmy, it's fun to be on oople. I don't think I would have returned to r/c if it wasn't for oOple, I read the 2007 Vaasa Euros report, it was the best thing ever. Daniel: This morning when DC (Dave Church) came to wake us up first thing. Otto was naked on his bed with a semi, passed out, refusing to get up because of alcohol poisoning, it was a dark morning and only his man-area was awake.

Round 2 Qualifying.
Two thirds of the way through qualifying and it was already confirmed that Lee Martin would be leading the A-finalists around. Bradby put in a super smooth run, sitting TQ in round after his heat, one second faster than Lee Martins round 1 time. In heat 14 Ellis Stafford was storming around on a projected pace to beat Bradders time by 2.5seconds, however a 30 second lap very close to the end saw him shunted down the order, finishing 6th in round. In heat 15 Lee smashed 6 seconds off his round 1 score, taking TQ in round and securing himself pole on the grid in the A final.

The fastest laps of the round were Lee Martin with 25.11, Bradby 25.35, Stafford 25.36, Neumann 25.44, Pinisch 25.60, Lee 25.71, Honigl 25.72 and Trauner with 25.76. Hupos fastest lap was half a second behind TQ-man Lee Martin, but a consistent run saw Hupo take 2nd in round.

	Round 2 Qualifying
	position   name result 1 Lee Martin 12/ 309.02 2 Hubert Honigl 12/ 313.67 3 Paul Bradby 12/ 314.93 4 Jorn Neumann 12/ 315.90 5 Peter Pinisch 12/ 317.37 6 Ellis Stafford 12/ 317.61 7 Neil Cragg 12/ 320.08 8 Viktor Wilck 12/ 320.13 9 Kevin Lee 12/ 322.51 10 Marc Rheinard 12/ 322.56

Schumachers Simon Moss	Pinisch gets chased by Ellis over the tabletop

Tom Cockerill	HUPO

Round 3 Qualifying.
As is customary at the European Championships, qualifying rounds are staggered throughout the day, so round 1 started with heat 1, round 2 started with heat 5, and round 3 saw the higher heats on the track first, starting with heat 10, meaning we'd have a fairly good idea of who would be racing in the A final long before the round was complete.

	Round 3 Qualifying
	position   name result 1 Lee Martin 12/ 307.73 2 Paul Bradby 12/ 311.95 3 Jorn Neumann 12/ 313.41 4 Marc Rheinard 12/ 315.42 5 Hubert Honigl 12/ 317.52 6 Ellis Stafford 12/ 317.66 7 Tom Cockerill 12/ 318.55 8 Martin Kreil 12/ 320.51 9 Peter Pinisch 12/ 320.69 10 Nathan Ralls 12/ 322.69

Everything in Austria is Paprika flavoured - even the ladys. - Jimmy

Lee Martin completed a close-out of qualifying - taking all three rounds to put fear into the hearts of the opposition. Lee looked unstoppable on the track and smoother than anyone else out there - clearly he's in the groove right now.

Part way through qualifying a lone sausage dog was spotted wandering through the canteen, Sausage dogs are the national emblem of Austria so it was essential that a photo could be obtained. The poor pup looked suprised to start with, but after a quick nibble (he tastes of paprika too) he soon settled down.

Overall Qualifying top 10

O Final

As the drivers lined up for the first leg of the A final, the photographers got a chance to get some grid photos before the action started. The grandstand seating was a stroke of genius as it was packed to bursting point by the expectant crowd of Austrian and British supporters - along with a few others of course.

Lee Martin lined up for the start up front and from the buzzer lead away the field of european talent through the chicane and around the sweeping dirt corner at the far right of the track. Lee, Hupo and Bradby made it through the corner but it looked like Jorn Neumann clipped and got snarled up on the corner but on closer inspection it looks like Rheinard got too excited and hit him from behind. Either way, the collision spun Jorn around and collected the rest of the drivers causing a HUGE pile up and allowing the leading three to pull a large gap.

Jeroen got the action better......	The pile up - top three already gone!

Lee, Hupo, Bradby - with Kev Lee in the background	Bradby chases Hupo - Lee just out of shot in front

Kev Lee from 8th on the grid came out of the mess first and lead the charge on the leaders. Lee Martin out front was extending his lead slightly and the real battle was between Hupo in 2nd and Paul Bradby in 3rd. The two came over the series of 5 jumps together but Bradby took the inside line on the next corner, bullying his way past Hupo into 2nd and huge cheers from the Brits on the grandstand.

Bradby goes alongside - forces the pass	Lee makes an error

The supple bodied Pavel stretches it out - showing his prowess in the fields of both Yoga and NINJAism.

All eyes on Bradby but as he lined up to tackle the tabletop jump Lee Martin was already landing it badly which saw him tumbling down the other side and into the waiting arms of Pavel who was marshalling like a hero. Bradby drew alongside just as Lee got put on his wheels - the lack of traction meant Lee had to tuck in behind Bradby for second as Hupo snuck his Durango between the outstretched legs of the marshal and remained third.

Hupo sneaks it through Pavels legs without him knowing	Lee chases Bradby

Lee crosses it up whilst chasing Bradby - STYLE!	Lee made the same error as before - hupo bears down on him to take 2nd and chase Bradby.

Bradby had a bad landing from the tabletop which allowed Hupo to close up. Hupo made an error through the series of five which needed marshalling - allowing Lee Martin back up to second. Bradby made the same mistake as Hupo - didn't need marshalling but it was enough for Lee to regain the lead.

Bradby has a bad landing - Hupo closes right up	Hupo gets stuck in the series of five

Bradby, Lee Martin, Hupo.	Mistake from Badby in the series of 5 - Lee jumps over the top back into the lead.

Lee back in the lead.

Bradby chased Lee hard for several laps but eventually an error saw him drop back and Lee push out front. Another error from Bradby through the series of five jumps allowed Hupo the chance he needed - a perfect run through the section allowed him to smoothly put it past for second but coming up to the penultimate corner before the straight, Bradby manned his way on the inside, pushing Hupo out wide and takingback the position. A last ditch effort to over-jump Bradby before the main straight on the final lap didn't pay off for Hupo much to his fans disappointment. Bradby clung on for second, Hupo third and Lee dancing off way in front somewhere.

Bradby got out of shape and Hupo comes dancing through	Bradby took the position back

THE move that Bradby put on Hupo was a good un.

A Final - Leg 1

Dave Belsten from the UK was down in the lowly heights (!) of the M final and went at it like only BIG AIR Belsten can - taking the table top jump with a huge backflip every lap!. The only down side was when he hit a marshal in the face over the set of 5-jumps! Still - Dave got the biggest cheer of the whole event for his efforts over the table top.

A Final Leg Two
The drivers came through the first couple of corners in order but through the series of five jumps, Bradby landed in the face of a jump and the same happened to Jorn Neumann in an unconnected error which allowed Rheinard through for third - by the end of lap one, Bradby had dropped to 9th and Jorn 10th.

The drivers all make it through the first couple of corners	But Jorn and Bradby fall foul of the chaotic series-of-five jump in the middle of the track.

Lee Martin out front built up a small gap to Hupo in second - then there was a bigger gap back to Rheinard, Ellis Stafford & Pinisch. Over the course of the next few laps positions at the front didn't change but Lee Martin slowly pulled away with super-clean laps and as Hupo lost touch with him, Rheinard was closing the gap on Hupo for 2nd.

Rheinard made an error just when the race was getting exciting and needed marshalling - which allowed Ellis Stafford through for third whilst Rheinard dropped to fourth. The front pair of Lee Martin and Hupo Honigl were driving their own races and the battle was now for third with Rheinard pushing hard against Ellis's rear end.

Lee Martin quickly had a lead over Hupo	Ellis chases Rheinard with Pinisch just behind

Rheinard aims his Tamiya machine at Hupo as they 'do the five' jump	....But a mistake from Rheinard gave Hupo breathing room.

Ellis Stafford was now in third but Rheinard wanted the position back - an unforced error from stafford with half a lap to go saw Rheinard sail past and in all the madness Peter Pinisch had also closed up on the pair and made his move.

Stafford was down to 5th! Rheinard made the small jump before the straight and had a roll - Pinisch came through and then Ellis - Rheinard was back on his wheels and collided with Ellis which sent the pair tubling and crashing down the main straight for the end of the race. Ellis got marshalled first and went through for the end.

Lee Martin never got worried in this race and cruised to a well deserved victory - and with his win in leg one took the overall title, his first European Championship in 10th off road.

A Final - Leg 2

Lee Martin has a well deserved beer

Lee's winning TRF201X

A Final Leg Three
After another stunning performance to take the win, Lee Martin chose to sit out the final leg of the A Main so he could soak up the win, and some beer. This is his best and most desired title he says, the 2WD European Championship. In the home town of Pinisch and Hupo Honigl, two of the greats in European electric off road - it's surely quite an achievement.

The drivers prepare for the final showdown. Lee Martin stood far right without his transmitter.

Hupo lead the boys off on a clean start through the first corners, it was Bradders though who botched up the multi-gym-jump and landed badly on the third hump. The rest of the drivers made it through the complicated jumping system uneventfully, and Hupo pulled away with Joern Neumann and Marc Rheinard in tow, leaving the Brits behind in the dust.

Bradby bounces badly and ends up upside down	Hupo leading with the Durango prototype

Pinisch and Stafford in 4th and 5th place started to home in on the top three. Neumann was hot on Hupos tail coming through the chicanes towards the multijump and looked ready to make a pass, but he landed badly on the third hump, smacking his undercarriage and landing on his lid. Rheinard landed out of line at the same time, seeing Pinisch fly past into 2nd place. The order after the mess in the jumps was Hupo, Pinisch, Rheinard, Stafford, followed by Neumann, Bradby and Cragg.

Jorn throws it sideways chasing Hupo	Jorn got too excited and lost it in the 5oople section

On the following lap a pileup occurred coming off the tabletop (it’s difficult to determine whether any backflips were involved) Bradby and Cragg were the lucky ones and came through into 3rd and 4th place, whilst Hupo and Pinisch danced off into the distance in 1st and 2nd place.

Hupo confidently lead the next two laps, and appeared to be pulling a lead on 2nd place Pinisch, however a bad landing coming through the jumps saw Hupo lose some momentum and Pinisch moved right up his rear. Bradby was hammering down hard and closing in on the top two.
Bradders was soon right on Pinsichs tail, hassling for a way through, some extra throttle coming through the jumps looked as through Bradders would make his pass, but he didn’t land smoothly and Pinisch continued on in 2nd place. Bradders wasn’t giving up the fight just yet though, and with just 45 seconds left to race he once again homed in on his Austrian buddy. Bradders went for a sneaky inside pass coming through the chicanes, but came a bit too close to Pinisch and clipped wheels, resulting in a sideways roll whilst Pinisch remained in 2nd place and Joern made it through into 3rd. Bradders was back on the line but lost in the moment and binned it on the multi jump.
The battle had enabled Hupo to pull a safe lead, and he drove the final lap nice and easy to the finish line to take the win in the third leg of the 2wd a final and 2nd overall at his home track.

Rheinard crashed - Ellis crashed into him, Jorn into Ellis	Lee Martin - 2010 2WD European Champion

A Final - Leg 3

Whilst the racing was over - there was a delay before the proper trophy ceremony could take place since 2nd and 3rd place needed to have their motors viciously ripped apart to check their legality.

So to fill in the time there was an unofficial trophy ceremony up on the drivers stand - which didn't really work too well as it was too high for anyone to get photos and with the sun well on its way to setting, too dark!

The Mayor of Traiskirchen threw himself into the fray once more - pumping his fist in the air much to the delight of the British animals who'd already necked a large containment of alcoholic juices. The celebrations and fun continued as the mass of people stood around waiting for the proper prize giving ceremony.

This is what happens when people are bored waiting for the trophies to 'happen'

Overall A Final positions after 3 legs