Italian Championship
Round 7 – Foppolo
Twenty one year old James Dabill put the disappointment of
last week’s poor close to his 2007 World championship
campaign firmly behind him with a convincing win at the penultimate
round of the Italian domestic series. Dabill aboard his Future
TRW Montesa Cota 4RT produced two equally solid laps, to come
home the clear winner at the event held at Foppolo.
James’ day was made even better when his closest rival
in the title race, and team mate Fabio Lenzi finished down
in a lowly sixth position. Following his latest victory Dabill
now heads the International class overall standings by a comfortable
eight points with just one round remaining. The young British
rider will have to wait to early next month to see if he can
clinch his first ever Italian title.
After the Grand Prix of Andorra James aborted his journey
home for a few days rest, and instead returned to the team’s
head quarters in Bergamo, Italy to prepare for round seven
of a series that Dabill had led up until the last counting
trial. Knowing nothing less than a win would put his quest
for title back on track, James spent the whole week training
hard in readiness for the battle ahead.
Using a similar format to when the World championship visited
the same venue back in 2001, the trial consisted of two laps
of fifteen sections rather than the usual Italian system of
three laps of ten sections. The majority of the hazards were
located in the river that weaves its way down the beautiful
mountain from well above the town of Foppollo.
Dabill looked in control from the start, and lost a series
of single dabs, just one two and a slightly scrappy three
in the very last section of the day to take his tally to only
ten marks as the competition came to a close. This score was
eight marks better than runner up Orizio, who came home two
marks ahead of Brown.
Following his win Dabill was understandably upbeat. “It
was important to get back to winning ways straight away after
the disappointment of last weekend. I knew I had a job to
do today, and that’s exactly what I have done.”
“To have an eight point lead going into the final round
is great, but there is still work to be done if I am to take
the title.”
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