Matt Hall wins Red Bull Air Race World Championship

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Matt Hall wins Red Bull Air Race World Championship

September 11, 2019 By Kreisha Ballantyne
Matt Hall has become the first Australian to win the Red Bull Air Race World Championship.
Realising a dream – eight seasons in the making in Chiba, Japan – Matt dashed the hopes of Japanese hero Yoshihide Muroya, who had been angling for his second title....

Realising a dream – eight seasons in the making in Chiba, Japan – Matt dashed the hopes of Japanese hero Yoshihide Muroya, who had been angling for his second title.

After previously finished championship runner-up on three other occasions, Hall needed only to finish third in today’s race, and he did just that in order to secure a maiden title. Winning the race was Muroya, who inevitably finished just one point behind Hall in the standings, with Czech pilot Martin Šonka third in the title chase after finishing 13th today.

Hall said it was a relief to finally be a champion, on a day he described to be emotionally challenging.

“It is absolutely huge relief, I was so worried that I would become the most famous bridesmaid in history, so to actually finally get it is a huge relief. It was becoming so frustrating. I feel we have earnt it,” Hall said as he came to terms with his achievement.

“There was pressure there today, I have been through this [a world championship deciding race] four times before. But there was more pressure this time because it was the last chance to do it with the race ending. I was trying to play it cool in front of the cameras and keep it on rails, but deep down it was a tough week. Today was a hard day emotionally.”

With his championship quest now over, Hall will finish his Red Bull Air Race career with one world championship, seven race wins and 30 podiums. The Newcastle native stopped short of saying he deserved to win this year’s championship but acknowledged that the result was an important career goal.

“I try not to say that I deserve stuff, but we have always been there, and we have always been pushing the championship leaders. To be on the podium five times for the championship and not get one would have been something you don’t get over for the rest of your life,” he said.

“I can finally say I am a world champion.”

Today concluded the Red Bull Air Race following 94 races since the inception of the sport in 2003. Today’s result makes Hall the 10th world champion since the air race attained world championship status in 2006. He will travel back to Australia later this week, with his first public event to be AirVenture Australia in Parkes, NSW on September 20-22.

CHIBA RACE RESULT

  1. Yoshihide Muroya (JPN)
  2. Kirby Chambliss (USA)
  3. Matt Hall (AUS)
  4. Pete McLeod (CAN)
  5. Nicolas Ivanoff (FRA)
  6. Mika Brageot (FRA)
  7. François Le Vot (FRA)
  8. Ben Murphy (GBR)
  9. Michael Goulian (USA)
  10. Juan Velarde (ESP)
  11. Cristian Bolton (CHI)
  12. Matthias Dolderer (GER)
  13. Martin Šonka (CZE)
  14. Petr Kopfstein (CZE)

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

  1. Matt Hall (AUS) – 81
  2. Yoshihide Muroya (JPN) – 80
  3. Martin Šonka (CZE) – 68
  4. Ben Murphy (GBR) – 48
  5. Kirby Chambliss (USA) – 48
  6. Pete McLeod (CAN) – 48
  7. Nicolas Ivanoff (FRA) – 47
  8. Mika Brageot (FRA) – 44
  9. Michael Goulian (USA) – 42
  10. Juan Velarde (ESP) – 39
  11. François Le Vot (FRA) – 34
  12. Cristian Bolton (CHI) – 27
  13. Petr Kopfstein (CZE) – 10
  14. Matthias Dolderer (GER) – 6

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Kreisha Ballantyne

Kreisha’s experience across various sectors of the aviation industry reflect her passion for general aviation. In previous editorial roles at AOPA Australian Pilot, Sport Pilot and AirSport, Kreisha has had the privilege of flying in – and writing about -a multitude of aircraft types, from a powered parachute to a PC12. Kreisha is currently a feature writer for Australian Flying magazine, as well as CASA’s Flight Safety Australia. As a private pilot, Kreisha has experienced an incredible array of aviation adventures, including flying solo across Australia in heels and lipstick to influence young female pilots; wing-walking on a vintage Stearman; flying in New Zealand, the UK, the USA and Austria; and interviewing a diverse and incredible cross-section of aviators. Now in her tenth year in the industry, she is delighted to continue her passion for writing about aviation as one of AOPA’s new digital editors.

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