The young ones
By TMX Archives on 1st Oct 09
CONGRATULATIONS to James Dabill (pictured) on wrapping-up his first full British Trials Championship. Dibs' win heralds the start of a whole new era of trials domination by a new generation of riders led by himself, Michael Brown, Alexz Wigg, Jack Challoner, Ben Morphett, Jonathan Richardson, Jonny Walker and a host of younger challengers all bursting through the ranks.
I'm not such a fool as to write-off Dougie Lampkin - should he contest the British series next year - or even the possibility of a trials comeback from last year's champ Graham Jarvis but the total domination of trials over the past decade and a half by this talented duo is surely over. And let's be totally fair to James here, Doug contested the opening two rounds of the series and James rose to the challenge - and pipped his hero both times.
It has been a really hard-fought series with a good spread of events and with venues from the Scottish Highlands right down through Yorkshire, into Wales and then the South West and South East it has been a real British Championship.
You have to feel for Browny finishing runner-up once again after missing out on the title right at the death to Graham Jarvis last year but Michael is young and resilient and will bounce back to challenge again next year. His battles with his pal James are reminiscent of the Martin Lampkin/ Malcolm Rathmell duels back in the 1970s.
For full report see T+MX News, Friday, October 2, 2009