With tens of thousands of passionate fans already signed-up to attend the sixth edition of World Ducati Week, titled “The Red Planet Returns”, final details for the massive event at the Misano World Circuit in Italy are now being put into place. Celebrating the soul and community spirit of Ducati motorcycles, World Ducati Week 2010 is sure to be one of the biggest motorcycling parties ever along the riviera of Italy’s Emilia Romagna region. Attracting a record number of entrants, the Ducati Garage Contest is set to pitch bike-builders against each other in a customised shoot-out of Trellis frames, dry clutches and special swingarms on show for mass admiration. The 10 best specials, selected by a panel of judges, will remain on display for everyone to see throughout the WDW event.

A Test Ride area for the entire 2010 Ducati range is also likely to be a huge hit, as riders will be able to test any one of the bikes in the current line-up, including the brand new ‘4-bikes-in-1’ Multistrada 1200. In fact, lucky holders of a 4-Day Pass will be entered into a fantastic prize draw with the magnificent Multistrada 1200 going to the first name pulled out of the hat. A Travel Experience holiday will be up for grabs for the second name and a thrilling AMG-Mercedes Driving Academy safe driving course at the Imola race track for the third. The Ducati Vintage Contest will remember the prestigious history of the Ducati factory and provide a moment of pure glory for the beautiful classic bikes that always attract huge crowds at WDW.

Any visitor can present their own vintage Ducati at the event, with eligible categories being single-cylinder models produced between 1946 and 1978, and twin-cylinder models from 1971 to 1990. A special team of judges, including Livio Lodi, Curator of the Ducati Museum, and Gianluigi Mengoli, Chairman of the Ducati Foundation, will choose the best restored and maintained machines and the winning owner will be crowned King or Queen of the Red Planet. A special round of the exciting Ducati Desmo Challenge championship will also take place at Misano and offer all Elite license-holder enthusiasts the excitement of a single-brand race series in front of a huge crowd. Following the great success of this event in 2007, both the British and Dutch Ducati series will join the Italian Ducati championship for the WDW2010 event.

The Dutch Ducati Dealer Cup championship consists of eight races held on legendary circuits across Europe and is open to all Ducati models including 1098, 848, 998 and 749 as well as special models like the Pierobon or the NCR Millona. The British-based 848 Challenge, organised by Ducati UK and the New Era Motorcycle Club, will be divided into two races in which entrants will compete with Ducati 848 and 848 Dark models in standard form apart from race fairings, tyres and exhausts. From Friday to Sunday the track will form the perfect venue for the hotly contested races in these major national trophies. “The Red Planet Returns” event will even present some big screen action with a genuine cinematic spaceship ready to transport everyone to an incredible selection of movie thrills in pure Ducati style.

Showing non-stop screenings of all the Desmo scenes from memorable films, visitors will also get a chance to view the trailers from all upcoming releases. On Sunday, 13 June, in a challenge that combines entertainment, travel, discovery and experience, Paolo Pirozzi, President of the Ducati Dreams Club of Naples, will blast-off from the Red Planet of Misano aboard a new Multistrada 1200 S for an amazing year-long, round-the-world trip. Stopping off at 80 Official Ducati Clubs across five continents, his trip will not only represent a great biking adventure, but also a genuine celebration of the passion shared by Ducatisti all around the world.

In what is lining-up to be the biggest World Ducati Week party ever and a celebration of everything Ducati, motorcyclists from all over the world are sure to enjoy breathing an atmosphere of pure motorcycle enthusiasm, where even the Bike Wash is a popular relaxation spot and unexpected source of entertainment with busy Playboy bunnies! Ticket purchase and a constantly updated programme are available online on a dedicated WDW website at wdw2010.ducati.it