BATHAMS BMW UNVEIL NEW LOOK FOR 2014 MCE BRITISH SUPERBIKE WITH RUTTER AND MUFF

Courtesy of BSB British Superbike

 

IWR Racing have revealed their all-new look for the 2014 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, switching to BMW power ahead of the forthcoming season with Michael Rutter retuning with the Bathams-backed team alongside Swiss contender Patric Muff.

Rutter remains one of the most experienced riders on the Superbike grid, celebrating his 400th race start at Oulton Park last May and has set himself the goal of achieving a position inside the top six in the Showdown. Muff returns to the MCE BSB grid after a season away from the Championship; the Swiss rider scored top ten finishes during his second campaign in 2012 and is aiming to build on his previous performances as he becomes the eighth different nationality to feature on the grid.

The Braunton-based team will once again be backed by the Bathams Brewery, maintaining a long standing relationship with Michael Rutter’s career. Rutter said: “I am really excited about this season and with new bikes it feels like a new start. I rode a BMW Superstock bike at the North West 200 back in 2010 and it was mega then so I am really looking forward to giving the Superbike a go.

“Over the past few seasons different teams have shown what a fantastic package the BMW is in BSB and the fact that it has featured in the Showdown for the past two seasons proves that. I think looking ahead to this season that is what we should be setting ourselves as a goal; the top six is always going to be difficult because of the level of competition but that has to be what we are aiming for this year,” continued Rutter.

Muff added: “I am over the moon to finally be back on the BSB grid this season – it feels like a birthday and Christmas all at once! I was working hard last year to come back and after a year without racing I will be concentrating on one race at a time, but of course my first goal is to have a solid start to the season at Brands Hatch. I believe that we have a very strong package; I know the team very well and they are working very hard to provide me with a competitive bike and then it’s in my turn to fight on the track for good results. I had some offers from teams in other championships, but for me there was always only one goal and that was to be back in BSB.”

Team owner Ian Woollacott concluded: “We are all really motivated for the new season and with the massive changes over the winter this really is a new era for the whole team. We have worked hard to make this all possible and we have big ambitions for this season. The BMW has proven its potential in the championship and we are excited about getting testing underway with the new bikes. The BSB grid wouldn’t be the same without Michael and I am happy to welcome Patric back into the team. This season should be one of our biggest yet and I am looking forward to getting started.”

For more information please visit www.britishsuperbike.com

Vampires Rock Racing – GT Cup Round 2

 

Vampires Rock Motul Second Round GT Cup Wilden Lane   It was a great weekend for the Vampires Rock Motul Racing Team at the second round of the GT Cup at Wilden Lane. The weather was perfect and the track in a great condition for the Championship event. Once again the gates were full and it produced some good racing on a very demanding track.   The 65 class was out first with youngsters Jack Grayshon and Ozzie Murray. Jack arrived at the second round lying second in the Championship standings. He was set back early this week when a training accident left him with a chipped bone in his foot so he knew the weekend at Wilden Lane would be challenging. Only fresh out of plaster on Friday he was strapped up and ready to go, he did not get the start he hoped for and pushed hard until the end securing a fourth place overall during the weekend. He is now in 3rd place overall in the Championship standings but still a long way to go in the season.   Ozzie also produced some good strong results after a bad opening round of the Championships where he was hindered by mechanical problems all weekend. Ozzie was keen to make amends and improve his results from round one. He put in some strong and consistent lap times and managed to claw back eight places putting him in 23rd position in the Championship from 31st. He is within reaching distance of the top twenty now and has twenty five races of the Championship left.   Jordan Hearn was racing in the Big Wheel 85 class and once again he had a great weekend. He rode strong and hard all weekend and gained some very creditable finishes in the top ten. Jordan is now lying in 13th place in the Championship standings with very few points between himself and fifth place.   Team Manager/Owner Steve Steinman –  “I couldn’t ask the boys for any more than they gave at Wilden Lane, the track was rough and very demanding with some natural steep hills and drop offs. I’m happy where we are at the moment in the standings and know we can improve every round. Ozzie has another year after this one on the 65s so there is no pressure it’s just a learning year for him, Jack looks set to move to the small wheels in 2015 but he also has an option to stay down if he chooses too. Jordan will also contend the BW85s next year again, so I’m very pleased with all them and how they are working and developing.”   The next Championships will be the first round of the British Youth Nationals at Fat Cat Moto Parc on 12th and 13th April, and the GT Cup will be on the 19th and 20th April at Warmington circuit. 2014 Dates 12th-13th April – Fatcat – BYMX RD1 19th-20th April – Warmingham – GT Cup RD3 3rd-4th May – Landrake – GT Cup RD4 10th-11th May – Milton Park – BYMX RD2 10th-11th May – TBA – Pro Nationals RD1 31st-1st June – Hilton Court – GT Cup RD5 7th-8th June – TBA – Pro Nationals RD2 14th-15th June – Culham – BYMX RD3 5th-6th July – TBA – Pro Nationals RD3 12th-13th July – Sherwood – GT Cup RD6 26th-27th July – Brockthorpe – BYMX RD4 26th-27th July – TBA – Pro Nationals RD4 2nd-3rd August – Culham – GT Cup RD7 16th-17th August – TBA – Pro Nationals RD5 30th-31st August – Leuchers – BYMX RD5

CR PR Freelance www.carlyrathmell.com Twitter – CR_PR_18 Facebook – www.facebook.com/CarlyRathmellPR

Presenting MXGP of State of Goiás

Courtesy of Youthstream Media

FUNGHAL (Portugal), 31 March 2014 – Following the MXGP of Brazil qualifying race Press Conference on Saturday March 29 in Beto Carrero, Brazil, Youthstream, the FIM and representatives of both the State of Goiás and the Motorcycling Federation of Goiás, took the opportunity to present the ideas and thought process behind Brazil’s second round of MXGP which is set to take place in Goiás on the weekend of September 07. MXGP of Brazil organizer, President of Romaganolli Promaçoes e Eventos Mr. Carlos Romagnolli opened the presentation by saying: “We are very happy to introduce one more round of the FIM Motocross World Championship in Brazil. This time it will be in the Brazilian State of Goiás and the reason of this choice is a result of the great relationship between the Goiás Motorcycling Federation and the State of Goiás Government. The city has great facilities and is one of the most populated states in Brazil with a population of more than 1,000,000 people in the state alone.” Youthstream CEO Daniele Rizzi shared his thanks: “First of all I would like to thank the authorities that are present here today. It is exciting to see that our championship is growing, and that governments are now beginning to get involved. This is the direction we are going, the direction we want to be going and with the increase in broadcasting and awareness year after year, we have some very good signs of our development. We look forward to having MXGP in Goiás and I would like to wish the organizers and supporters all the best with the preparation.” FIM/CMS Director Dr. Wolfgang Srb backed up the speech of Mr. Rizzi adding: “It takes a lot to make an MXGP event great, it requires professional partnerships that share the same vision as us at the FIM and Youthstream. Thankfully we, or more so Youthstream, have a great relationship with Carlos Romagnolli from Romaganolli Promaçoes e Eventos, and now we have the support of the State Goiás for the second round of MXGP in Brazil. Brazil is the biggest country in South America with a population of more than six million people, so having two rounds of MXGP in Brazil gives us a great opportunity to show the world what is possible, and I am sure we will. At the MXGP of State of Goiás we will see the best riders in the world racing on what will probably be one of the best circuits in the world and we are really looking forward to it.” Concluding the press conference, speeches were made by State of Goiás representative Danilo Gomes, the city of Trinidade representative Fabricio Reis and President of the Goiás Motorcyling Federation Roberto Boettcher. The state of Goiás is the most central as well as the most populated state in Brazil with approximately six million inhabitants. The state is one of Brazil’s largest agricultural industries most popular for its cattle farming and soybean, rice and sugarcane production. The state has a very tropical climate, which results in pleasant daytime temperatures, even in the winter months. Photo from left to right: Mr Boettcher, Mr Gomes, Dr Srb, Mr Romagnolli, Mr Rizzi, Mr Reis LINKS Youthstream FIM MXGP of State of Goiás

Kawasaki KX85 Up For Auction – Hope For Huck – Forever Friends

 

HOPE FOR HUCK

www.facebook.com/HopeForHuck

Released by Kawasaki Motors UK Kawasaki KX85 Forever Friends auction at Good Friday Marshfield MX event www.facebook.com/HopeForHuck The annual Mike Brown memorial motocross event at the Marshfield track near Chippenham, Wilts will play host to a charity motorcycle auction on April 18 in aid of the RUH Forever Friends appeal. Donated by Kawasaki Motors UK to add to the fund raising activities in support of former Kawasaki rider, Mark Hucklebridge, the auction will be a core attraction at the event which, this year, also includes a “Dads and Lads” relay race partnering fathers and sons in the same competition. With bids possible via text in advance of the meeting and an anticipated crowd on the day in the thousands, Alan Brown of Kawasaki Team Green dealership, MotoXtreme, who is part of the organising committee, is predicting a great days racing and huge interest in the auction. “The Good Friday Mike Brown Memorial event is well established and always very popular. We already support the Royal United Hospital Forever Friends appeal so the auction for the brand new KX85 is another great reason to either come along on the day or make a text bid if you can’t make it for any reason. It’s the 25th anniversary event this year and a great way to remember Mike plus the perfect platform to highlight support for Mark from all those that wish him well in his fight against cancer.” General Manager of Kawasaki Motors UK, Howard Dale, added his support saying; “Mark Hucklebridge is always mentioned in the same breath as the name Kawasaki. We are delighted to support this charity auction with the donation of a KX85 and hope that the funds raised add to the good work done by the chosen charity, Forever Friends”. Auction details: To bid in advance of 18 April, text your Name and Bid amount to 07747 618461. Highest bid amounts will be featured on MarshfieldMXC Facebook page, Kawasaki-Team-Green Facebook page and the Hope For Huck Facebook page. The current bid stands at £1000. The live auction will take place at the Marshfield MX Track near Chippenham, Wilts on 18 April 2014. The live auction will start at 17.00 on April 18 and the winner announced on the day and then via the Marshfield MX Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/MarshfieldMXC, the Kawasaki-Team-Green Facebook page and Hope For Huck Facebook page. (Terms and Conditions – Text bids will be confirmed via a return text – Texts from withheld numbers will not be accepted – All accepted bids will be considered legally binding. Text bidding will conclude at the end of the auction on 18 April 2014 – Any bids after the conclusion of the live auction will be considered void.) Read the full story about Mark Hucklebridge here:- https://www.facebook.com/notes/hope-for-huck-appeal/hope-for-huck-appeal-the-story/1530322640527244 Carly Rathmell Freelance Sports PR Facebook – www.facebook.com/CarlyRathmellPR Twitter – CR_PR_18 www.carlyrathmell.com

MXGP of Brazil 2014 Highlights – Motocross

Courtesy of MXGP-TV

Watch the MXGP of Brazil 2014 Highlights – #Motocross #MX #MXGP #MX2

 

U.S. sweeps top podium spots at the 2014 N. American Continental BMX Championships

Courtesy of USA Cycling

Chula Vista, Calif. (March 30, 2014) — Supercross racing continued at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif., on Sunday with the 2014 UCI North American Continental BMX Championships. Americans Connor Fields (Henderson, Nev./Chase BMX), Alise Post (Saint Cloud, Minn./Redline Bicycles) and Shealen Reno (Plano, Texas/Hyper Bicycles) doubled up on the wins after their victories at the Elite BMX Nationals the day before. Sean Gaian (Santee, Calif./Factory GT Bicycles) topped the junior elite men’s event.

Junior Elite Men’s Race

Paired together in all three of their motos, Gaian finished second to yesterday’s junior elite men’s national champion Collin Hudson (Longmont, Colo./Redline Bicycles) each time. But in the main it was Gaian who won when it most counted. Coming from third position, he made his move on the inside of Hudson on the final turn. The 2013 junior supercross world champ accelerated to the line to take the win. Hudson followed, with Alden Volle (Penryn, Calif./Dan’s Comp) riding to third.

Women’s Races

The elite women’s motos saw Post, Felicia Stancil (Lake Villa, IL/Factory GT Bicycles) and Dani George (Palmdale, Calif./SupercrossBMX.com) each win two of their three heats. In the main, the first turn proved to be the decisive spot on the track. Post led the pack out of the gate, with Brooke Crain (Visalia, Calif./Haro Bicycles) battling Stancil for the second spot. Crain took the edge coming into the second straight, and followed Post to the line.

Shealen Reno (Plano, Texas/Hyper Bicycles) finished fifth among the elite women, but topped Mexico’s Jhoanna Hernandez in the junior elite women’s competition.

Elite Men’s Race

Fields, the newly-minted elite men’s national champ, won all three of his motos to advance to the semifinals. Also looking tough to beat early on was Canadian Tory Nyhaug (Coquitlam, BC, Canada/Redline Bicycles), who won each of his motos, as well. The two riders then topped their respective semis to head to the finals.

Unlike in yesterday’s nationals main, Fields didn’t have to come from behind for his win. He took the lead down the first straight and held it through the finish line. Jared Garcia (Victorville, Calif./SupercrossBMX.com) slotted himself in the second spot behind Fields around the first turn and was able to hold off Nyhaug to secure the runner-up position, with Nyhaug taking third.

Supercross racing will pick up again in a few weeks, when riders will contest the first UCI Supercross World Cup of the season April 18-19 in Manchester, England.

For more news, photo galleries and results from this weekend’s racing, visit the 2014 USA Cycling Elite BMX National Championships page.

2014 UCI North American Continental BMX Championships
Sunday, March 30, 2014
Chula Vista, California

FULL RESULTS [PDF] │ PHOTO GALLERY

Elite Men
1. Connor Fields (Henderson, Nev./Chase BMX)
2. Jared Garcia (Victorville, Calif./SupercrossBMX.com)
3. Tory Nyhaug (Coquitlam, BC, Canada/Redline Bicycles)

Elite Women
1. Alise Post (Saint Cloud, Minn./Redline Bicycles)
2. Brooke Crain (Visalia, Calif./Haro Bicycles)
3. Felicia Stancil (Lake Villa, IL/Factory GT Bicycles)

Junior Elite Men
1. Sean Gaian (Santee, Calif./Factory GT Bicycles)
2. Collin Hudson (Longmont, Colo./Redline Bicycles)
3. Alden Volle (Penryn, Calif./Dan’s Comp)

Junior Elite Women
1. Shealen Reno (Plano, Texas/Hyper Bicycles)
2. Jhoanna Hernandez (Mexico)

About USA Cycling
Recognized by the United States Olympic Committee and the Union Cycliste Internationale, USA Cycling is the official governing body for all disciplines of competitive cycling in the United States, including road, track, mountain bike, BMX and cyclo-cross. As a membership-based organization, USA Cycling comprises 64,000 members; 2,700+ clubs and teams; and 34 local associations. The national governing body sanctions over 3,100 competitive and non-competitive events throughout the U.S. each year and is responsible for the identification, development, and support of American cyclists. To learn more about USA Cycling, visit usacycling.org.

Wilvo Forkrent KTM Race Report: World Championship Round 3, Brazil

Courtesy of Wilvo Forkrent KTM

FIRST TOP TEN OF THE SEASON FOR WILVO FORKRENT KTM AT  BRAZILIAN GP Beto Carrero, Brazil, 31 March 2014: After two weeks back in Europe, the team headed to Beto Carrero in Brazil for the third MXGP of the season. With the weather conditions not as extreme as Thailand, the team were relieved that the track looked in prime condition and as always, the tone was set for the weekend by the excited fans. Qualifying: With the sun shining after a wet morning, the riders accustomed quickly to the track and although both suffering badly with arm pump, Jake Nicholls and Matiss Karro improved on their timed practice positions, with Nicholls qualifying in 10th and Karro just two places behind in 12th. Race 1: Nicholls made a great start in the race and was riding well and looking comfortable as he progressed into the top ten. As soon as Strijbos and Paulin gave him the opportunity he moved up into eighth place. With the pack tightening up in the closing stages Nicholls lost a couple of places, leaving him just outside the top ten and finishing strong in 11th. Karro starting in 12th fought hard for the holeshot but unfortunately suffered a crash on the first turn. After dusting himself down he set off after the pack, gaining position back quickly, although as he attempted a pass on one of the Brazilian riders he crashed a second time. Leaving him with a massive amount of work to do to get back in the points, he fought hard and with his determination he stuck at it and was rewarded with a point for 20th place. Race 2: Karro proving his focused approach and putting his first race behind him, he went wheel-to-wheel with Paulin as they battled for the hole-shot in race 2. The Frenchman battled solidly and took the prize with Karro reaching turn one in second place. Nicholls didn’t fare quite so well at the start of the race and was forced down to 18th place. Pushing hard early on he managed to improve his position to 15th place. Having come in to the season missing some practice time due to his back injury, it was no surprise that he was feeling the pace in Brazil and struggled to find his rhythm. Sensibly he didn’t push too hard but just enough to hold his position for the rest of the race to take 15th at the finish. Karro had to give ground to Desalle and Cairoli but settled into 4th comfortably which he held for a few laps before an unfortunate landing on the finish jump where he lost his front wheel. After swiftly remounting in 6th Strijbos was on his back wheel and although he battled hard he eventually had to concede to the Belgian. Karro relaxed nicely into 7th which he held until the penultimate lap when he was pipped by Goncalves, but he managed to do enough to hold off Frossard on the final lap for a great 8th place finish. Commenting on the day, Matiss Karro said: “My first race was bad and I wasn’t happy with two crashes and finishing in 20th place. “In the second race I was pumped with nearly getting the holeshot, but I had a silly crash when I was running in 4th place. I still finished in 8th, which overall I am happy with. I feel like I am now getting closer to my goals and I want to thank the team for giving me such a good bike which is just simply awesome out of the gate.” Jake Nicholls added: “I am pleased with my weekend here in Brazil. Every timed session I was running in the top twelve, although I struggled a bit with my suspension on Saturday but having made some tweaks I was a lot more comfortable today. “First race I was in 9th position for a long time but tightened up just after half way through and lost my rhythm. Having used a lot of energy I held tough for 11th and was close to the top ten. In the second race I didn’t get a great start and didn’t find any rhythm until the last five minutes of the race really. My arms still felt tight and I felt I was missing that extra bit of energy that I needed. I did still manage 15th and felt like I learnt a lot from this weekend. It’s the first time I’ve ridden a grippy technical track like this on the 450 let alone raced it so I’m very pleased. My back is almost 100 per cent now so I can work hard to get some top tens. Big thanks to the team and my mechanic, they work so hard at these fly away races and my bike was faultless.” Team Owner and Manager, Steve Turner added: “I’m pretty happy with how the weekend went overall. Jake had two strong rides and took some good points, with Matiss having a great second race but was a bit unlucky in the first after crashing on the start. “Jake was tired in the second race which is not a surprise after missing three weeks coming into the season, but he rode strategically and didn’t risk too much. He knows it’s a long season and is realistic about where he is at the moment in terms of bike fitness and race pace. To be honest he’s not far off and he showed that in the first race. “Matiss beat himself up after race one but still gave it 100 per cent off the line in race two which is what gave him the platform for a great result. I know he is going to keep pushing to get those good starts and in time he will get used to running up front with the top six.” The team go into the MXGP of Trentino on 13th April with Jake Nicholls in 16th place and Matiss Karro in 19th in the Championship.

Strong performances from Husqvarna Motorcycles MXGP and MX2 factory riders at a challenging GP of Brazil

Courtesy of Husqvarna Motorcycles

Romain Febvre claims a hard fought third place result in the opening MX2 race for the Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing while Todd Waters places a strong seventh for Red Bull IceOne Husqvarna Factory Racing in the opening MXGP moto at Beto Carrero.   Securing Husqvarna Motorcycles’ highest overall MX2 class result in seventh Romain Febvre endured a mixed Brazilian GP. Sixth during the opening four laps in the first moto, he then slipped back to seventh before charging hard during the second half of the race. Powering his way to third at the flag, Febvre recorded a well-deserved top three result behind Arnaud Tonus and Dylan Ferrandis. Frustratingly in the second moto conditions worsened with Romain placing 11th.   Fast starting Aleksandr Tonkov rode hard to place sixth in the opening MX2 race, despite a fall that cost him three positions. Third for the first 12 laps of the race his mistake dropped him to sixth – a tough result having shown the speed to finish inside the top three. In the second race Tonkov blasted his way to a clear holeshot, and despite a fall during the closing stages of the moto placed seventh for eighth overall.   For Red Bull IceOne Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Todd Waters the GP of Brazil saw the Australian place seventh overall and in an impressive seventh in the first moto. Battling with the MXGP front-runners for the full duration of the race, Waters showed his best form of the championship so far. In giving the opening moto his all Todd was unable to push quite as hard in the second race. Nevertheless he finished 10th and having showed that despite his relative lack of GP experience he’s quickly getting to grips with the Motocross World Championship.   Pascal Rauchenencker competed in his second MXGP of 2014 in Brazil, as stand in rider for the injured Tyla Rattray. The Red Bull IceOne Husqvarna Factory Racing rider placed 17th in the first moto but withdrew from race two following several mistakes.   The FIM Motocross World Championship continues with round four in Italy (Arco di Trento) on April 13.   Todd Waters: “It’s been a tough GP, but I’m really happy with the fact that I was racing at the sharp end of things in the first moto. We’ve taken a good step forward and to be battling with the top guys for a full moto is great. I gave the first moto everything, and I guess I was a little drained in the second moto. I’m still getting used to the GP format. I feel I showed my true potential in the first moto, but the second race was hard for me. It’s been an amazing GP, more like a supercross with the crowds being so close to the track. After the first three GPs I feel like I’ve learned so much and we’ve made some great steps forward with the bike. I’m looking forward to racing in Europe now.”   Results – Motocross World Championship 2014, Round 3 Brazil   MX2 Overall 1. Arnaud Tonus (Kawasaki) 47 points; 2. Glenn Coldenhoff (Suzuki) 41; 3. Max Anstie (Yamaha) 36… 7. Romain Febvre (Husqvarna) 30; 8. Aleksandr Tonkov (Husqvarna) 29   MX2 Race 1 1. Arnaud Tonus (Kawasaki) 16 laps 35:30.500; 2. Dylan Ferrandis (Kawasaki) 35:44.121; 3. Romain Febvre (Husqvarna) 35:46.184; 4. Max Anstie (Yamaha) 35:47.172; 5. Glenn Coldenhoff (Suzuki) 35:57.401; 6. Aleksandr Tonkov (Husqvarna) 35:59.697…   MX2 Race 2 1. Glenn Coldenhoff (Suzuki) 16 laps 36:33.018; 2. Arnaud Tonus (Kawasaki) 36:40.965; 3. Tim Gajser (Honda) 36:47.972; 4. Max Anstie (Yamaha) 36:52.801; 5. Valentin Guillod (KTM) 36:54.887… 7. Aleksandr Tonkov (Husqvarna) 37:13.233; 11. Romain Febvre (Husqvarna) 37:30.591   MXGP Overall 1. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 50 points; 2. Clement Desalle (Suzuki) 40; 3. Jeremy Van Horebeek (Yamaha) 40… 7. Todd Waters (Husqvarna) 25; 20. Pascal Rauchenecker (Austria) 4   MXGP Race 1 1. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 16 laps 35:20.774; 2. Jeremy Van Horebeek (Yamaha) 35:36.643; 3. Clement Desalle (Suzuki) 35:40.979; 4. Max Nagl (Honda) 35:44.159; 5. Evgeny Bobryshev (Honda) 35:59.256… 7. Todd Waters (Husqvarna) 36:01.263; 17. Pascal Rauchenecker (Husqvarna) 37:06.559   MXGP Race 2 1. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 16 laps 35:51.801; 2. Gauthier Paulin (Kawasaki) 35:57.051; 3. Clement Desalle (Suzuki) 36:00.700; 4. Jeremy Van Horebeek (Yamaha) 36:03.887; 5. Max Nagl (Honda) 36:08.810… 10. Todd Waters (Husqvarna) 36:46.914   Standings – Motocross World Championship 2014   MX2 1. Arnaud Tonus (Kawasaki) 112 points; 2. Glenn Coldenhoff (Suzuki) 110; 3. Dylan Ferrandis (Kawasaki) 107… 5. Romain Febvre (Husqvarna) 96; 6. Aleksandr Tonkov (Husqvarna) 87   MXGP 1. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 142; 2. Gauthier Paulin (Kawasaki) 112; 3. Jeremy Van Horebeek (Yamaha)… 8. Todd Waters (Husqvarna) 68; 20. Pascal Rauchenecker (Husqvarna) 14