2013 Trial World Championship Round10-11

Carlisle, UK 27-28/7/2013

2nd and 4th, was not too Bad

photoTrial World Championship visited Carlisle for the second consecutive year for the Grand Prix of UK. Most of the sections were man-made, where the objects and stones were set up at the slope of dirt, similar to what we see at Motegi rounds. The severity was somewhat low, but at the same time challengeable to end with full mark error if not being careful. Overall, it was a stressful condition.

Saturday

It rained on Thursday and Friday. The weather forecast called rain on the weekend, too. That was one of the reasons the severity was set to low, but there was no sign of rain in the morning of Saturday.

Fujinami regretted his sixth finish in Czech Rep., because it did not allow him to compete together with Dabill. The UK rider performed well in the last year's event, and probably he had some practice around the area as well. He would have given some references if Fujinami could stay closely. You can't ask for the moon, Fujinami concentrated on finding his own riding line while being among the middle-ranked riders. He made some mistakes, but they were acceptable, so to speak, because he knew what was the cause. They did not break the rhythm of the Japanese rider. After the Grand Prix of Czech Rep., the team Montesa modified Fujinami's bike to meet the feel the Japanese rider required for the bike. Fujinami was thankful for the effort, as he could enjoyed his riding in UK.

Along the all the penalties, the full mark penalty at the section3 at Lap1 was hard to swallow for Fujinami. There were three steps at the end of the section, and he chose the different riding line from the other riders. He rode out the section marking clean, he thought, but five was what he received. The observer penalized him for stopping when he hopped.

photoAs always, Fujinami kept riding without knowing the competition report in UK. Practically speaking, he could find anything even he wanted, because all his rivals were riding behind him. It made him determined more to concentrate on his own riding.

At Lap2, he fived again at the section3, just like he did at Lap1. He chose the line as everybody else at his second try. He managed to ride without problem until the entrance of the tough part, but made a mistake at the three steps. It was disappointing, but that was the only five he dropped at Lap2 in fact.

Fujinami rode with 12 points at Lap1 with two fives and two single point failures at Lap1, and eight points with a single five with three single point mistakes at Lap2. He did not know the status at the time, but he moved up from fourth to second after a single digit penalty points riding at Lap2.

The weather became unpredictable when Fujinami was at the end of Lap2, then the light shower started to fall as he arrived at the section1 of Lap3. He was on a fast pace, so while the other hastily pick up the pace, he knew there was no more rain when he arrived at at the section4. Fujinami was in his top form at Lap3. He footed at the section2 to ride with a single point, but he marked cleans at the rest of 11 sections. He enjoyed his riding at the lap as he could ride his own trial and was fulfilled with a feeling of joy.

photoThen there was a happening at the section5. A big stone fell down from the upper part of the slope and blocked the section. The organizer halted the competition to discuss what to do.
It was fortunate for Fujinami that it happened shortly before Fujinami arrived at the section, but it was also unfortunate that while he was held up at the section, all the riders caught him up. He lost all the advantage he built. It took about 30 minutes until the decision was made, but they decided to carry on the competition without removing the stone. While Raga, Fajardo and Cabestany all made a full mark error at the section, both Montesa riders marked clean to built up the cushion to the followers.

Before the final section of the Lap, the team boss Cirera approached Fujinami and asked if Fujinami wanted to know the point situation. The Japanese rider found out for the first time that his second position was fixed even he would drop a full marks at the section12. A single point riding up to the time was decisive.

photoFujinami steadily marked clean at the section12 to completed the day's trial. He recalled that Bou's minder kept coming to ask how he was doing after the section5. The defending champion made a five point mistake at the section2 then another full mark error at the section8. Knowing the Japanese rider performing strongly at Lap3, probably the minder was a bit anxious if Bou's position was in danger. After all, the minder did not have to worry as Bou finished the day with 14 points, seven points better than Fujinami to take the victory. The Spanish team mate was happy that Fujinami finished second in between himself and Raga so he could extend the point gap to five points. Fujinami in turn moved up to second ahead of Cabestany with his strong results on Saturday.

It was very happy end of the day for Fujinami, Bou and the whole team, especially after a disappointing finish in Czech Rep.

Sunday

Rain started to fall in the evening of Saturday, and it continued to fall all night it seemed like. Everybody expected the Sunday would be competed in the wet condition, and the organizer responded to have a thought of modifying the sections to bring the severity lower. However, the competitors advised it was not necessary. The severity was not very high on Saturday from the first place, so they thought the wet condition would make the severity fall in to adequate level. The organizer listened to their words, and no modification took place except blocking the detour lines to bring the severity higher at some of the sections.

photoEven in wet, the surface of the stone would not become very slippery, Fujinami figured during the section inspection. Thus he did not change the bike setting for Sunday's competition. Likewise on Saturday, he could not set up a good rhythm at the beginning of the lap. He had a full mark error at the section2, probably he slid his tire, then he fived at the section2 as well. Still, he had his spirit high to continue, because he could figured out the reasons behind the mistakes.

Probably the biggest difference from the previous day was that whether he liked or not, he could see the other's riding before his own. He was second from the last to start, so everybody except Bou was competing before his eyes.

The series of mistakes of Fujinami started from the section10 at Lap1. He finished the lap with three fives, then two more fives at the beginning of Lap2. Mr.Cirera came up to Fujinami for an advice to take a short break, resetting the mind. Fujinami though, did not think he was hooked on the chain of bad mood. He believed he was still doing his own riding. Instead of listening to the boss's advice, he continued to ride and picked up his pace after the section2. It somehow worked well to him, as while the other were making some big mistakes, he did make some, too, but they were rather minor mistakes.

photoFujinami arrived at the final section of Lap3, and asked Mr. Cirera the point situation. The boss told the rider he was fighting for the second place, being one point behind Fajardo and being in a tie with Raga. "Ride steadily at the section". was the advice from the team boss.

It was not possible to ride out the section better than a single mark. After stepping onto the stone of just a bike length, they needed to climb up to the next stone. It would have been very easy if they could stop to adjust. Not being able to do so, the text book riding at the section was to foot once to push the bike up. Fujinami did not succeed at his two previous tries. At his first attempt, he gave a little pause-not a stopping-to bring the bike up at Lap1. He was confident to ride out with a single mark, but the observer fived him for stopping. The judgements were generally tough in Carlisle, but the observer at the section seemed to have the toughest standard. At Lap2, Fujinami rode carefully only to be fived again. For the final time, he did not make a pause but then he could not bring the front tire up enough. Bou, Raga and Dabill were the only three riders, who managed to ride with a single point at Lap3.

photoThe battle of the second place among Fajardo, Fujinami and Raga was won by Raga with his single point riding, then the order became Raga, Fajardo then Fujinami. Fujinami finished the day with 69 points. If he succeeded the final challenge, it would be four points less to become tie with Raga, and the Japanese would have finished second by the number of cleans. Still, considering he struggled at Lap1 to the beginning of Lap2, the fourth was not a very bad position to take.

Fujinami finished ahead of Cabestany for both days to build seven points cushion to the Spaniard in the point standing. Fajardo meanwhile finished fourth and third to move up to be only a point behind Cabestany. Fujinami needs to watch out in his fight for the third place not only Cabestany but Fajardo as well at the final rounds of the season in France.

Quote from Fujigas:

It was disappointing results on Sunday to be fourth, but considering how bad my scores at the beginning, I should be happy with the results. Generally I had the good two days of trial at Carlisle. The second place on Saturday was the great result for me. Bou was very happy, too. There will be two more rounds before the end of the season. I have a bit of advantage at third, so I will compete steadily to keep the position in the championship. I enjoyed my riding for both two days. I had a good trial today.

2013 Trial World Championship
Round10-11 Carlisle, UK
Saturday
1 Toni Bou Repsol Montesa Honda 14
2 Takahisa Fujinami Repsol Montesa Honda 21
3 Adam Raga Gas Gas 45
4 Jeroni Fajardo Beta 46
5 Albert Cabestany Sherco 49
6 James Dabill Beta 55
7 Alexandre Ferrer Sherco 66
8 Loris Gubian Gas Gas 80
Sunday
1 Toni Bou Repsol Montesa Honda 39
2 Adam Raga Gas Gas 65
3 Jeroni Fajardo Beta 68
4 Takahisa Fujinami Repsol Montesa Honda 69
5 Albert Cabestany Sherco 79
6 Loris Gubian Gas Gas 96
7 James Dabill Beta 99
8 Jack Challoner Beta 108
PointStandings
1 Toni Bou Repsol Montesa Honda 203
2 Adam Raga Gas Gas 193
3 Takahisa Fujinami Repsol Montesa Honda 149
4 Albert Cabestany Sherco 142
5 Jeroni Fajardo Beta 141
6 James Dabill Beta 111
7 Matteo Grattarola Gas Gas 75
8 Loris Gubian Gas Gas 69