Bristow nails World Trials crown
By John Dickinson on 17th Sep 14
Emma Bristow is the 2014 FIM Ladies Trials Champion.
A superb victory in the final round of the series in Andorra last Friday – prior to the weekend's Trial des Nations – in Andorra saw the Sherco star nail the title to become Britain's first ever Ladies World Trials Champion – and only the third Ladies champ in history following 13 titles from Barcelona's Laia Sanz and German Iris Kramer, who bagged the crown in 2007.
And it was a sparkling one-two for Britain in the final reckoning with Becky Cook's third on the day earning her the title of vice-champion for Beta ahead of Madrid's Sandra Gomez, who finished second in Andorra on the Ossa.
Britain's Katy Sunter's, 11th on the day, netted the Yorkshire girl a fine eighth in the series, to give Britain three women in the top ten in the world.
With just three rounds to count from four days of riding, the scores were such that Bristow and Cook went into the last round knowing that if one of them won – whichever one it was – would be the champion, so the pressure was on both girls.
However, Bristow was in the perfect place, mentally, and her first lap on Friday, absolutely clean through the ten-sections, set up her day perfectly.
With Cook on four and Gomez seven, Emma then rode a beautifully controlled final two laps, dropping just two and three educated cautionary dabs, respectively, to take a convincing win and of course the title.
The Andorran round was based at St Julia de Loria, close to the border with Spain, and comprised ten-sections, lapped three times, with the hazards set on the steep mountainsides over a long, 10k lap and the going proved quite a challenge in itself to some of large entry of 45 contenders, all getting good practice for the following day's Ladies TdN.
The hardest hazard proved to be the the eighth and Emma's clean on the opening lap proved crucial. She went on to conquer the hazard with just a safe dab on each subsequent lap for a total of two compared to nine for Gomez and seven for Cook.
The day was all about the championship title but there was plenty of close action right behind the contenders as the Ladies series suddenly looks more competitive than ever before.
Consistent German Ina Wilde netted fourth on the day and fourth in the series while Spain's Alba Villegas claimed her first points in a surprise fifth on the day.
Promising 16-year-old German Theresa Bauml, after a superb third place in Spain the previous weekend slipped to her worst finish of the series, seventh, behind yet another Spanish girl, Elisabet Solera, but ahead of Mireia Conde.
Joanne Coles, warming up for her TdN ride on Saturday, finished just behind Katy, in 12th, and will be looking to cut out the couple of fives that spoiled her otherwise promising ride.
Jess Bown finished 22nd after improving each lap, Chloe Richardson did likewise in 27th, while Millie Ray claimed 40th on the day.
