WDW2004, Day Five
Check out the photogallery!
The weekend has arrived at WDW2004, and the event is reaching a crescendo of excitement. Thousands of Ducatiste, but also owners of other brands, continue to arrive in a rainbow of color and passion.
The Santamonica track is still attracting hordes of fans eager to pin the throttle on the track. A number of international champions raced on the track, amongst them champion skier Kristian Ghedina. The Italian usually gets his thrills on a supermotard but today he had the time of his life riding a 999 for the first time.
It was a full day for Ducati Corse's official riders, who, last night, had dinner with the 100 lucky winners of the WDW Week-Pass Raffle. Today Troy Bayliss and Regis Laconi gave a briefing to hundreds of fans, explaining the secrets and mysteries of the Santamonica track, followed by autograph sessions with Loris Capirossi, Lorenzo Lanzi and James Toseland, who signed not only hats and shirts, but fairings, tanks and tail pieces as well.
Hundreds of would be mechanics mobbed the enormous Ducati Garage Challenge tent, organized by Ducati.com with Desmodromiclub of Rome, either to admire the splendid Specials or compete in mechanical timed trials. The Desmodromiclub arrived at the gates of WDW in a massive convoy of Ducatis from all over Italy, called "The Big Red Snake."
The afternoon also saw the factory contest, in which Ducati employees and managers tested their own skills in motorcycle assembly, the mind-boggling stunts of world famous stuntman Christian Pfeiffer and a suprising Ducati drag bike. The evening will close out with the musical stylings of the Ducati band followed by Kelly Joyce live in
concert, in an homage to the music of the Seventies.
Clickhereto see the Day Five Photogallery.
