World Indoor Trials Championship Granada, Spain
Round 1 Sunday 14/01/07
Dougie Lampkin just missed out on a podium finish at the
opening round of the 2007 World indoor series held in the
Southern Spanish city of Granada earlier today. Just one mark
separated Lampkin from a guaranteed top three place, as he
missed out on qualifying for the three rider final by the
narrowest of margins. Fajardo managed to sneak through just
ahead of Dougie to record an eventual third position, after
finishing behind shock winner Bou and runner up Raga.
A slightly smaller audience than expected saw the championship
finally get under way after the original first round, due
to be held last weekend, was cancelled with no real explanation.
The 2007 series will now comprise of only nine events, and
will visit Russia and South America before returning to Europe
for the final round in mid March.
Lampkin warmed up for this championship opener with a fourth
place at an invitation event held in Toulouse, France on Friday
evening, before making the journey further South for the first
counting trial of the new year. Dougie’s total today,
of twenty one marks included no less than four maximums, the
first of these coming in the initial section, this ‘soft’
error would ultimately prevent him progressing to the final.
Two of the other fives Lampkin incurred could almost be
justified, with everyone failing in the same hazard, and only
Bou and Raga being the two riders through the other section
where Dougie came unstuck.
Far from happy with his performance Lampkin gave his thoughts
immediately after the event: “ Bou has shown what the
bike is capable of and has set the bench mark for the rest
of us. There was no way anyone could have matched him today,
but with Cabestany having broken his swinging arm, I had a
real opportunity of making it through to the final. I rode
well in places and terrible in others, I really need to find
some consistency if I am to be in the running at the other
rounds.”
Attendance: 2,000
Results:
Final
1: Bou 5, 2: Raga 15, 3: Fajardo 28
Heat
Qualifiers:
1: Adam Raga (SPA-Gas Gas) 12,
2: Antonio Bou (SPA-Montesa-HRC) 12,
3: Jeroni Fajardo (SPA-Beta) 19,
Non Qualifiers:
4: Dougie Lampkin (GBR-Montesa-HRC) 20,
5: Takahisa Fujinami (JPN-Montesa-HRC) 21,
6: Albert Cabestany (SPA-Sherco) 30,
7: Tadeusz Blazusiak (POL-Beta) 36
Current championship standings :
1: Bou 10, 2: Raga 8, 3: Fajardo 6 4: Lampkin 5, 5: Fujinami
4, 6: Cabestany 3
Dougie Lampkin’s next event: 20/01/07 Saturday –-
St Petersburg, Russia - Rnd 2 World Indoor
|
