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Aeeen. Holland - Mel'""Ch 11-1 a. 2000 World Individual Championship Final By IAN CHARLES R ussi<:n Kyril Drogalin is the new World Ice Racing Champion, repeating his 1997 success when the World Final was last staged as a two-day event. But his 26-point win in Holland was a hard-fought success, with both Austria's Franz Zorn and fellow Russian Vladimir Fadeev challenging him for the title. Droga I in scored 13 points on Saturday night, dropping points to Yuri Polikarpov and Zorn. His race with Zorn was the high point of Saturday's meeting as the two battled for the lead for the full four laps, with Zorn taking three points on the final lap. Fadeev dominated Saturday night, however, with 14 points, dropping his only point to Drogalin in his final ride. Zorn came to Assen as pre-meeting favorite. His form this year has marked him out as the best ice racer outside Russia, and when he led from the start in his first race, the Austrian's massive contingent of fans drowned out the noise of the bikes with their support. But their jubilation was short lived when Russian Maxim Barabouskin fell while in last place on lap two to force a restart. On the restart, Polikarpov made a blatant rolling start, and allowed Fadeev to lead the race. Zorn struggled to pass Polikarpov, and his postrace protest to referee Jan Alkebring fell on deaf ears. Zorn then went on to win his next four races in fine style, out gating all the other riders with a confident racing style. Sunday's racing got off to a fine start when Zom and Drogalin met in the first race. .. Russian ice racer Kyril Drogalin gets down to business in winning the World Individual Ice Racing Championship in Holland. It was arguably the best race of the day, as Zorn led from the start, only to be passed on the inside by Drogalin. Zorn then chased him for the remaining two laps, almost passing in every corner. Just as Drogalin looked like winning, Zorn, with almost superhuman effort, passed him within five yards of the finish line - taking the victory by a spike's width. Fadeev's challenge for the title went south in his first race. As he shot from the start, he led the others to the back straight when his bike sputtered to a halt, allowing the others to pass him. Fadeev did dent Zorn's chances when he beat him in their clash, passing him with apparent ease and then holding the Austrian at bay. Drogalin won his next three races and the meeting began the last four Franz Zom leads Per-Olof Serenius (left) and Igor Jakolev lright). Zom ended up second overall after the two days of racing. 38 MARCH 29. 2000' eye I e n e vv s heats, with Zorn and Drogalin tied with 24 points each. Zom came out in Heat 37, against Russians Alexander Balashov, Vladimir Loumpov and Finland's Aki Ali-Riihimaki. Zorn made a bad, start, but managed to gain the lead until he hit a rut in the ice, and lost control, allowing Balashov and Loumpov to streak through. He managed to regain control, but was relegated to third in the heat, and second place overall. Drogalin went out in Heat 40 knowing that second place would give him the title, and he allowed Alexandre Moskova to lead as he worked himself into a comfortable second place and the title. This meeting was one of the best finals in years, but it was marred by some bizarre refereeing. When Maxim Baraboushkin collided with fellow Russian, Moskova, on the home straight, the referee excluded the race leader Vladimir Loumpov, as being the cause of the stoppage. Despite protests at the time, and after the meeting, and the video clearly showing Loumpov was clearly ahead, and not responsible, referee Alkebring would not alter his decision. Yet when veteran Swede Per Olof Serenius was brought down by Loumpov in a later race, he ordered all four back for the re-run, which questioned his introduction to the Drogalin celebrates his title. rulebook of third lap bunching. Viatcheslan Nikulin made a mockery of the fact he was a reserve when he scored 14 points after the injury of Maxim Baraboushkin on day one. Winning his only race'on Saturday, he went on to score a further 11 as a reserve the next day to finish tied for ninth. While he was unavailable for comment, a German spokesman said, "Slava (Nikulin) felt he had to prove a point today." Drogalin was jubilant after the meeting and said: "I must be the only rider who wants the one-off final to continue, as I seem to win them. Providing it's at Assen, of course." eN World Ice Speedway Final Assen, Holland Results: March 11-12, 2000 FINAL: 1. Kyril Drogalin (26); 2. Franz Zorn (25); 3. Vladimir Fadeev (24 )j 4. Alexander Balashov (18): 5. Alexandre Moskova (17); 6. Yuri PoJikarpov (17): 7. Vladimir Loumpov (16); 8. Valery Pertsev (15); 9. Aki AIi-Riihimaki (14); 10. Per-Olaf Sereniu5 (14).