World Outdoor Trials Championship, Sequatchie, USA
Round 3 – 26/04/08
James Dabill failed to improve on his placing on the first
two rounds of the 2008 FIM SPEA Trial World Championship campaign
this weekend, on the first of two days of competition in the
US Grand Prix. Taking place at the Trial Training Centre at
Sequatchie, Tennessee, Dabill once again finished in eight
place on the first of the two days, a result he described
as ‘very disappointing’.
The sections for the returning American event, last included
in the championship in 2006, took place under tree cover around
a pair of riverbeds, both flowing lightly. The weather was
hot and humid but thankfully, the thunderstorms that had been
forecast stayed away for the first day, much to the relief
of the riders and the passionate American trials fans.
Dabill’s first lap started well, cleaning the first
three sections. He was the first rider to clean section two,
to the obvious delight of the crowds. He also took a dab on
section four, again one of few riders to take low marks on
that hazard. However, it was on the following section where
things began to go wrong for the Yorkshireman.
He slipped back on a rock climb to gain a quick five and
picked up another before heading to the trial’s highest
sections, climbing towards a waterfall at the top of the second
riverbed. He went on to pick up five more maximums before
the end of the first lap, recording a score of thirty-nine
at the mid-point of the day.
His second lap also began well, but he soon began to repeat
a trait from the first lap; with very few exceptions, he would
either clean a section or gain a five. There were only two
sections in each lap where he scored anything other than a
clean or a five. He took six maximum scores on his second
lap, to record a notch up thirty-two, producing a total of
seventy-three marks for the event and netting him eighth place
overall.
Commenting on the day, James said; “Both laps seemed
to start well, but as soon as we moved out of the sections
which actually ran through the water, it all seemed to start
to go wrong. I picked up some fives in early sections that
I simply shouldn’t have and that threw me.”
“I just didn’t feel comfortable on the bike today.
It wasn’t the fact that the weather was hot and humid
– physically I felt good. I just didn’t seem to
be able to get two consistent laps together. That’s
what I feel I need to get my season back on track and that’s
what I’ll be looking for on the second day. I think
tomorrow will see lower scores and hopefully, a better result.”
Results –
Total (L1 + L2 + Time)
1: Fujinami 9 – (1 + 8 + 0)
2: Bou 16 – (4 + 12 + 0)
3: Cabestany 28 - (14 + 14 + 0)
4: Raga 30 – (22 + 8 + 0)
5: Freixa 37 – (23 + 13 + 1)
6: Fajardo 38 (26 + 12 + 0)
7: Lampkin 45 – (26 + 19 + 0)
8: Dabill 73 – (39 + 32 + 2)
9: Oliveras 95 – (58 + 36 + 1)
10: Brown 111 – (48 + 61 + 2)
Current championship standings:
1: Bou 54
2: Raga 50
3: Fujinami 50
4: Cabestany 39
5: Lampkin 32
6: Fajardo 31
7: Freixa 29
8: Dabill 24
9: Brown 20
10: Oliveras 19
|
