Dougie Lampkin achieved his first podium finish
By G2F on 27th Jan 07
World Indoor Trials Championship Marseille, France. Round 3 Friday 26/01/07. Dougie Lampkin achieved his first podium finish of the 2007 World Indoor series, with a fighting third place at the third round held in the French city of Marseille. Lampkin held his nerve fantastically to beat his team mate Fujinami in the head to head race to take his spot in his first final of the year. Dougie had no answer to eventual winner Raga or runner up Cabestany on the second lap, but although he slipped out of the battle for the lead he fought right through to the end to gain six valuable series points.
As was the case in Russia just six days earlier, the heat was a nervous affair with everyone knowing that it was going to be a low scoring qualifying round. Raga was by far the best on the initial lap, his single mark total setting him apart from the others. Behind him it was a three way scrap for the remaining two places.
Lampkin adopted a cautious approach on his first lap his total of seven marks all being made up of dabs without a single failure in the seven observed sections. This was in contrast to his two nearest challengers, namely Cabestany and Fujinami who both suffered maximums with one or other of the ultra technical hazards catching them out.
With Lampkin's new team mate Bou having ruled himself out of the final, after his loss of concentration following a pit stop to change his front brake system, it was left to Dougie and Takahisa to fight it out to be the sole Repsol Montesa HRC in the main event. Fujinami took the initial advantage in the dual lane section, but Lampkin found some late rhythm to over take his Japanese counterpart just when it mattered.
Fresh from the podium Lampkin commented. "Tonight I have achieved my goal, I wish I could have ridden better in the final, but to be fair both Adam and Cabestany were on another level. With the standard of riding, it is really difficult to qualify for the final, so I am happy to have made it onto the rostrum. With what has happened to Bou this evening, it just shows no one is guaranteed to qualify.”
Attendance: 3,500
Results: Final 1: Raga 3, 2: Cabestany 6, 3: Lampkin 21
Heat Qualifiers:
1: Adam Raga (SPA-Gas Gas) 1,
2: Albert Cabestany (SPA-Sherco) 6,
3: Dougie Lampkin (GBR-Montesa-HRC) 7,
Non Qualifiers:
4: Takahisa Fujinami (JPN-Montesa-HRC) 8,
5: Jeroni Fajardo (SPA-Beta) 11,
6: Antonio Bou (SPA-Montesa-HRC) 12,
7: Jerome Bethune (FRA-Beta) 27,
8: Loris Gubian (FRA-Sherco) 29
Current championship standings :
1: Raga 24, 2: Bou 23, 3: Cabestany 19, 4: Lampkin 15, 5: Fujinami 14, 6: Fajardo 13
Dougie Lampkin's next event:
04/02/07 Sunday – Barcelona, Spain Rnd 4 World Indoor Chp