RECORD-BREAKING WORLD DUCATI WEEK COMES TO AN END!

Misano Adriatico (Italy), More than 81,000 people in attendance from all 5 continents and 66 different countries, 90,000 square metres of surface area utilised within the "Marco Simoncelli" Misano World Circuit, 310 accredited journalists: these are just a few of the record numbers of the ninth edition of World Ducati Week, the international get-together that every two years is attended by the Ducati community. The Misano circuit was invaded by a sea of red from 1 Friday to 3 Sunday July to share the Ducati passion and celebrate the 90th anniversary year of the Borgo Panigale company.

The massive number of participants from abroad (40% of the total) confirms the Ducati brand's appeal throughout the world. Everyone was enthusiastic and united by "Red", the common denominator of Desmo passion that, in an event like this, finds its maximum expression.



World Ducati Week 2016 also confirmed the revolutionary changes enacted by Ducati in recent years. "More than Red" is the title chosen for the event, and not by chance: Ducati has got strong roots in the world of sports bikes, but has also got new models for new market segments, such as the XDiavel, the new Ducati cruiser, and the Multistrada 1200 Enduro, but also the new Ducati Scrambler Sixty2 400 and the Ducati Scrambler Flat Track Pro. All these bikes are recent innovations of the Ducati range that allow the participants of WDW2016 to live new and unique experiences.

In addition to the incredible amount of activities planned for the event's programme throughout this desmodromic weekend, there were also two highly-anticipated, entertaining and exciting races with Ducati MotoGP and SBK riders, past and present: the "Scrambler Flat Track race by TIM", won by Andrea Dovizioso, and the "Diavel Drag Race by Shell Advance" won by Scott Redding. Battling it out on the track were riders of the calibre of Casey Stoner, Andrea Dovizioso, Andrea Iannone, Loris Capirossi, Chaz Davies and Troy Bayliss.

Saturday evening on Santamonica Stadium's stage in Misano Adriatico, Claudio Domenicali and the Ducati riders greeted all the Ducatisti and unveiled the 1299 Panigale S Anniversario, a special version of the Bologna-built Superbike created to celebrate Ducati's 90th anniversary, which falls exactly on 4 July, and proposed in a limited-edition and numbered series. Piero Pelù then took over the stage with his rock music to light up the World Ducati Week participants, after which the Germany-Italy football match of the 2016 European Championship was shown on maxi-screens, while Ducati management took part in the classic ‘Rustida’, a large BBQ organised by the lifeguards of the Adriatic Riviera of Romagna, where Ducati staff cook and serve piadina (typical bread) and grilled meat to the thousands of participants at the event.

Among the many activities offered during WDW2016, some highlights are the DRE Enduro that offered participants some "snippets" of the Ducati off-road riding school aboard the new Multistrada 1200 Enduro, or the Ducati Scrambler Flat Track School, real riding lessons to learn how to slide on oval dirt tracks. There were also plenty of events in celebration of Ducati's 90th Anniversary, with a large space inside the paddock dedicated to the event, retracing the company's history through motorcycles, objects and souvenirs in an emotional tour.

As was to be expected, the "Closed Room" that guarded the 2017 preview, the new Ducati Supersport, was a great success. Enthusiasts and Ducatisti waited as long as was necessary, even a few hours, just to be able to come and enjoy this special and exclusive preview.

Phenomenal fun, then, but also careful attention to correct event management. Ducati's commitment to making its mega-event an eco-friendly one has led to it being awarded an ISO 20121 (Event Sustainability Management System) certification. That makes WDW2016 the world's first ISO 20121-certified eco-friendly motorcycling event.

Overall, the ninth edition of World Ducati Week was a peaceful and colourful invasion, both for the "Marco Simoncelli" Misano World Circuit and the entire Adriatic Riviera of Romagna, where the desmodromic roar of Ducati bikes was the soundtrack to this exceptional weekend.

Motorrad News von route66