2009 FIM SPEA Trial World Championship Round 10 - Spain GP

Tona, Spain - 6/9/2009

Joyful Trial and 2nd Place

The Trial World Championship resumed in Spain as the penultimate round of the season took place after two months summer break. Struggling a lot at the last round in Andorra, Fujinami tried to refresh himself and the bike during the break for strong come back for the remaining rounds. His goal in Spain was to try to enjoy his trial.

Finishing fourth in Andorra, Fujinami started fourth followed by Fajardo, Raga and Bou. Cabestany was a rider starting directly ahead of Fujinami, but the pace of the Spaniard was very fast, so Fujinami could not stay with him. Soon he found himself competing next to Dabil and Lampkin. The score reports from the team would not help making any plan when all the rivals were riding behind. Together with usual practice, Fujinami did not ask the team for the report. His team knew Fujinami's intension so they left him alone concentrating on his riding too. When Fujinami made a five points error at the section nine, his first five of the day, in which the section eventually all the rider fived, Mr. Cirera cheered him up but did not tell him how the other were doing up to the point.

Even without the report, Fujinami felt his day was going OK. As long as his condition is good, the result will come. Making less mistake will boost his confidence and spur his riding, thus better result too. That is the thought Fujinami has lately in the championship.

There was a typical Spanish taste for the sections as most of the sections were dry except one water section at the river. Because of the starting order, Fujinami many times became the first rider to conquer the sections, that did not give him bad feeling at all either. Fujinami felt strong, and he thought he might have leading at one point. Bou kept coming and asking for advice, and that convinced him about his thought too.

"I thought Bou was struggling." Fujinami said after the event.

However the team-mate in fact was showing his usual strength. It was a misunderstanding by the rider, who felt so positive and being joyful about what he was doing. Fujinami dropped some points at the last half of Lap1 when he had to rush as his time was running out, but he was glad the way he rode at the lap and kept his composure.

Another reason why Fujinami felt so positive in Spain was because of the style of the sections; continuous climbing was one of his specialty. He is very good at choosing lines, selecting gear and finding suitable speed to go at it. That is one of Fujinami's strong assets that all the top riders agree his superiority.

Fujinami's body reacted better at Lap2, and he marked eight cleans at the beginning of the lap. There was wet surface in the middle by spring water at the section nine, where at the previous lap all failed. At Lap1, Fujinami made a mistake just after entering the section. But for the later lap he rode until the end of the section but failed to climb at the very end of the section when the rear tire slipped a little. Top guys followed Fujinami at the section all failed again at Lap2.

Fujinami was the first rider to complete at the section 12 at Lap1; a climb with a slippery staring point, but he failed for his second try. Bou managed to complete the section with a single point, so together with a pitiful mistake by Fujinami at the section nine, the error at this section might have made a difference for the day's results.

Fujinami asked the competition report for the first time for the day at the section 14 of Lap2, and he found that he was second with eight points gap behind the leader Bou. There was a huge gap against Fajardo who was third. Just when Fujinami found out the situation, Bou caught up the team-mate as he finished his ride at the section 13. On the way to the next section, Bou pumped his fist into the air believing his victory. Both Montesa riders marked cleans at the rest of the Lap, thus point gap stayed the same, thus victory went to Bou.

For Fujinami, the reward at the Spanish GP was not only finishing second, but also he was able to concentrated, and more importantly enjoyed his trial. His third in the championship was in danger after Fajardo took the victory in Andorra, where Fujinami struggled to finish fourth, but he came back strong in Spain to build nine points gap over the Spaniard. There is no doubt the team Montesa and Bou will secure the title for this year as Bou is now only a point away; 19 points ahead of Raga with one more round to go.

The next round will be in France for the final of 2009 champioship.

Quote from Fujigas:

I had a very tough trial in Andorra, so I really needed to enjoy my trial this time. Overall, I think it was a good day as I accomplished my goal, and I could concentrate on my riding too. The result might be different if I could avoid some of the mistakes, but still I am glad that I rode my trial as I hoped. I will try hard and try to enjoy my trial at the same time again in France.