Lux good – British ladies pack world round opener
By TMX Archives on 2nd Apr 08
BRITAIN'S Ladies Trials squad are of course reigning World Champions, with the three-girl team of Becky Cook, Maria Conway and Donna Fox having routed the rest of the World in the Isle of Man last September.And that strength in depth was every bit as obvious at the opening round of the 2008 World Ladies Trials Championship staged in Luxemburg last Saturday the first of the three event series. Seven times World Ladies champ and factory Repsol Montesa teamster, Laia Sanz, won the tricky opening event at Warken but only reigning British champ Becky Cook could get anywhere near to challenging the girl from Barcelona, with the Isle of Wight's Becky finishing in a fine runner-up position.
Becky alone kept Laia on her toes in the event, especially on the second and final lap when Sanz dropped just a single mark with Becky on six. Next best for the circuit was reigning champ Iris Kramer, on 15 – the Scorpa rider admittedly riding at less than full fitness following an arm operation.
But with Iris in third place it was a solid pack of Brits following up with Maria Conway, Donna Fox and the rapidly improving Emma Bristow in fourth, fifth and sixth places.
Ulster's Sasha Turkington then weighed-in with eighth place and with Yorkshire's National trial specialist Katy Sunter coming home 14th, from the healthy entry of 24 starters, that made it all six Brits in the top 15 and in the points – an awesome effort.
The bad news for the girls, who would probably like to crack-on with the series following such a promising start, is that the final two rounds are not until September when they take place in Spain (Castelloli) and Andorra (St Julia) on consecutive weekends.
The squad will then immediately set-out to defend their World Championship status when the Trial des Nations takes place just a day after the World Championship round in Andorra. Competition for a place in the team will be hot and this keen competition has just got to be good for Britain's Ladies squad.
And proving just how dedicated and up-for-it the girls are, Katy and Maria made overnight drives from Luxemburg in order to ride in the Hillsborough club's tough Jack Wood National Trial on Sunday...