Bou takes opening round
By G2F on 1st Apr 07
Having dominated the 2007 World Indoor championship, young Spaniard Antonio Bou Repsol Montesa HRC today demonstrated his intention to do likewise in the 2007 outdoor series with a win at the opening round of the FIM SPEA Trial World Championship in Mancha Real, Spain.
Second place went to reigning outdoor trials champion, Adam Raga – Gas Gas with Dougie Lampkin – Repsol Montesa HRC taking the remaining podium position.
In typical Spanish fashion, this was a tough event that was exacerbated by the torrential rain that fell overnight resulting in every section having to be modified prior to today's competition. Despite these modifications the terrain was still extremely difficult and slippery – something that is reflected in the high scores.
Both Bou and Raga were evenly matched throughout the first lap with the lead changing hands back and fore between them several times. Bou finished the lap with the lowest score on observation, but two time penalties gave Raga a single mark advantage moving into the second half of the competition.
Raga maintained his lead on the second lap up until the fifth section where it all went disastrously wrong for him after he dropped five marks. A clean on the same section from Bou returned the lead to him and, despite the best efforts of Raga, it was a lead he was to retain until the end of the event.
Third place was finally decided after a tough battle between Lampkin and Takahisa Fujinami - Repsol Montesa HRC. Lampkin ended the first lap with a seven mark lead over his Montesa team mate, but fives on the fourth and fifth sections for the Brit where Fujinami dropped a total of one saw the gap closed and a fight that was to go to the wire. Both riders finished the trial on seventy-seven marks apiece forcing a most-cleans tie break. It was Lampkin who was to prevail in this with eight cleans compared to Fujinami's six.
In the World Junior championship scores were also high due to the severity of the sections. Third place rider in the 2006 Junior championship, Michael Brown – Beta opened his account with a convincing win over his rivals. Second place was to go to French rider, Nicolas Gontard – Gas Gas with third place being occupied by Alexz Wigg – Gas Gas. The 2006 World Youth champion who has chosen to move up to the Junior championship despite being restricted by his age to a 125cc bike.
Over in the Youth championship, Spaniard Alfredo Gomez – Gas Gas took a narrow victory over French rider Alexis Cervantes – Sherco with Brit, Ross Danby – Gas Gas finishing third.
The championship now takes a three week break before travelling to South America for the second round which will be held in La Antigua, Guatemala on the 21st and 22nd of April.
Day 1 Results: (1 Day event)
World
1: Bou 60
2: Raga 65
3: Lampkin 67
Junior
1: Brown 67
2: Gontard 94
3: Wigg 99
125cc
1:Gomez 52
2: Cervantes 54
3: Danby 59
2007 Riders
Championship
Current Standings:
World
1: Bou 20
2: Raga 17
3: Lampkin 15
Junior
1: Brown 20
2: Gontard 17
3: Wigg 15
125cc
1: Gomez 20
2: Cervantes 17
3: Danby 15
This round: 1stApril Mancha Real, Spain
Next round: 21st / 22nd April La Antigua, Guatemala