Trials Action

FITWC Sheffield - Repsol-Montesa HRC Race Report

Sunday the 8th of January 2006 by Trials Action

Neither of the Repsol-Montesa HRC riders makes it to the final.

Dougie Lampkin and Takahisa Fujinami were not in the final at Saturday’s trials in the Hallam FM Sheffield Arena which kicked off a new edition of the World Indoor Trial Championship. Two consecutive failures (zones 3 and 4) have relegated Fujinami to fifth position in the qualification round whilst Lampkin, with seven consecutive victories in this arena, also failed in zones 2 and 4 and fell in the sixth, forcing him to change bike in order to complete the next two and the parallel run.

Takahisa Fujinami: “This year we’ve seen the racing standards rise above those of last season. Under these conditions it is essential we optimise the tuning and avoid mistakes if we hope to reach the final and be standing on the podium. The Spanish have shown themselves to be very strong, undoubtedly a consequence of participating in their own indoor championship. We’ll have to maximize our efforts to counteract their advantage”.

Dougie Lampkin: “I was fully motivated going out onto the track before my public and after the first five zones I was within reach of being in the final, despite knowing that the two failures I had committed until then could cost me dearly, as has been the case. I agree with what Fujinami said. We’re going to carry on working and increasing our efforts because with these sorts of mistakes we won’t get anywhere when the level of the competition is so high”.

The second trials of the World Indoor Trial Championship will be held next Friday, the 13th, in the French city of Marseille.