James Dabill
By G2F on 4th Dec 06
Reigning European and 2005 World Junior trials champion James Dabill is delighted to announce that he has recently agreed terms to ride for the Italian based Future TRW trial racing team during 2007. Ranked ninth in the World in his first full season at the highest level of the sport, the twenty year old from Leeds, West Yorkshire will campaign a specially prepared Montesa Cota 4RT for the official HM supported squad, with the World championship and the Italian domestic series being at the top of James' priority list in 2007.
Outside of the official Montesa HRC factory squad, the Future TRW trial racing team is the most important and professional set up on the international circuit, with a competition budget approaching half a million euros. No less than thirty one riders across all levels are supported by a staff that includes four race managers, two office managers, seven mechanics, nine assistants and four team trucks, including a new semi trailer that incorporates both workshop and hospitality facilities. TRW Automotive achieved global sales in excess of twelve billion US dollars in 2005 and is amongst the top ten largest automotive suppliers in the World through its distribution of safety related products and systems.
The highly regarded satellite Montesa team will continue to benefit from their widely respected development rider and ex vice World champion Diego Bosis who has been key to the evolution of the team's latest machine on which Dabill will be mounted throughout next year. The young British rider will join Tsuyoshi Ogawa, the Japanese pilot having been the team's sole regular World championship contender during this season. The large squad already includes 2006 Italian champion Fabio Lenzi and will support two riders in the World Junior category during 2007.
Dabill will join the rest of the team at their Bergamo head quarters for an intense Winter training programme that will include a specifically created physical exercise schedule, which will be overseen by the squad's dedicated trainer. Both the riders and the team's technicians, to ensure the new model bike is tested on several different terrain types, will visit various European locations during the pre season period.
In addition to competing in both the World and Italian championships, James will also ride under the James Sandiford banner back in the UK. Dabill will compete in selected rounds of the British series when other commitments allow, plus the Scottish six-day trial, the Scott time and observation event and other national competitions.
Continuing with the Italian theme James has also agreed terms to use Alpinestars footwear for both the 2007 and 2008 seasons, Dabill joins multi World champion Dougie Lampkin as part of the global brand's trials team and will use their no stop boot for all competitions.
James would also like to use this opportunity to express his most sincere thanks to the Top Trial Team, Beta and John Lampkin with whom he has enjoyed a very special relationship and with whom he achieved both the World Junior and European titles over the last two years. Dabill will make his last competitive appearance on a Beta at the Sheffield indoor trial on 29th December 2006 before immediately moving to the Montesa in the New Year.
Commenting on the pending move Dabill commented. "This is a massive opportunity for me. The Future TRW Montesa team has all the resources available to help take me to the next level. Their commitment is second to none, so I really want to repay the faith they have shown in me by giving them the results I know we can achieve together. I am really looking forward to making the trip out to Italy early in the New Year and riding the bike. From what I have seen to date, their 2007 spec bike is an awesome bit of kit and has plenty of power for the World championship type sections. I know it is going to take a bit of time to adjust to the four stroke, but I am really excited by the challenge. 2007 can't come quick enough.”
Quirino Tironi, the President of the Future TRW Montesa team, confirmed the importance of signing Dabill. "This is a great moment for the team, and one that I am sure will see us grow in terms of the World championship. We have already had great success with the four stroke Montesa Cota 4RT in the Italian championship and now we want to repeat that at World level. We have a great blend of experience and young potential in the team, Diego Bosis has worked hard to develop our new bike and has created a good base setting for the young riders to now make their own refinements. We have good belief in James and are sure that he will perform both well in the Italian and World championship plus all the other races in which he competes. As a team we are especially looking forward to competing in the Scottish six day trial thanks to the kind co-operation of Sandifords in the UK.”
Representing Montesa UK, Caroline Sandiford said. " We are delighted to have James on board, we know both him and his family well and are confident that he will be a great asset to the brand. With his ability and the proven reliability of the Montesa four stroke James is a real contender to win the 2007 SSDT, which will be the real icing on the cake in a year when James Sandiford Motorcycles is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary.”
For further information please read T+MX News - out on Friday 8th December or visit www.futuretrial.com / www.jamesdabill.com
Issued by: G2F: worldpress@g2f.co.uk
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