UK World Trial Grand Prix – Round 8 FIM Trial World
Championship 2006
• Hawkstone Park 29/30 July 2006
• Over eight thousand fans packed into the famous Shropshire
venue that is Hawkstone Park, to witness the second successive
staging of a round of the FIM Trial World championship on
the UK mainland. The 2006 TMX Grand Prix of Great Britain
had a hard act to follow with the inaugural event in July
2005 being considered by many as the best round of last year’s
series. However despite the anticipation and high expectations
this year’s event delivered on a new and an increased
level, with riders from as far a field as Australia and Japan
taking part in the competition.
• The newly introduced Mini Masters trial on Saturday
afternoon proved to be highly popular with over three thousand
enthusiastic fans packing the wooded hillside to watch riders
of yester year in action. The small, but select invitation
only entry showed that they had lost none of their old magic
as the field of Donato Miglio, Steve Saunders, Joan Pons,
Marc Colomer and Amos Bilbao all passed through the first
section with relative ease.
• Ten times British champion Saunders relished the
opportunity of riding again in front of his home fans and
even found time to take a swig from a beer bottle that was
handed to him midway through one of the hazards. Whilst it
was 1996 World champion Colomer who eventually collected the
winner’s champagne, it was Bilbao who brought the largest
roar from the crowd with his familiar extrovert antics.
• Rewarded with a fighting fourth place for his efforts,
Britain’s multi World champion Dougie Lampkin was unable
to repeat the victory he enjoyed twelve months earlier and
missed out on the opportunity of clinching his 100th Grand
Prix win on home soil. However there was plenty for the British
crowd to cheer about, with home winners in the other two classes.
Michael Brown moved within two points of the Junior championship
leader thanks to his latest victory, whilst teenage sensation
Alexz Wigg moved to the head of the Youth standings after
his victory at Hawkstone.
• Eurosport commentator Jack Burnicle kept the crowd
informed from the main stage in the factory paddock in his
own controversial style. Whilst out in the woods Steve Colley
and Woody Hole provided the large crowd with up to the minute
information thanks to the SWAN live electronic scoring system
that plotted the rider’s progress section by section.
This new facility helped build a fantastic atmosphere as Japanese
Takahisa Fujinami snatched a single mark victory from championship
leader Adam Raga, who in turned demoted Albert Cabestany by
the same slim margin to create one of the closest finishes
of the season.
• L+M Events would once again like to thank the British
public for turning out in their thousands and playing their
role in what will go down as part of Hawkstone Park’s
rich history. Also they would like to extend their most sincere
appreciation to all their loyal sponsors and traders whose
contribution is priceless. With over one hundred staff on
site, it is impossible to thank each and everyone individually,
however everyone involved can be proud in having done their
bit to deliver this highly successful event.
• Special mentions go to Ron Eddings and his Bradford
and District Motor Club crew, without whom it simply would
not happen; to Dave Willoughby for his kind assistance and
expertise; to John Collins from the ACU for smoothing the
way; to Salop Motor Club for the loan of their famous land
and especially to Maggie Challinor for her endless work. Following
difficulties with local residents and certain departments
of the local authority, L+M Events will be conducting a full
review over the coming weeks before making an announcement
regarding the staging of the 2007 Grand Prix Great Britain.
|
