Sheffield Indoor World Trial 2009
By G2F on 29th Dec 08
The city of Sheffield was once famous for its massive steel industry, but with the decline of its main manufacturing business in more recent times, it is the staging of a round of the Indoor Trial World Championship that has once again put the South Yorkshire destination back on the international map.
Saturday 3rd January 2009 will mark the fourteenth edition of thisgreat event, with the majority of the previous competitions hosted inSheffield having also been part of the World series in its variousdisguises over the last ten years or so.
Sheffield arena has the honour of opening the 2009 SPEA FIM IndoorTrial World Championship, which will mark the start of a new era forthis specialised sport now under the full control of motorcycling'sWorld governing body, namely the FIM. Seven of the World's best trialsriders have been selected to do battle this time around, two of whomwill be flying the home flag.
Whilst Spanish sensation Toni Bou – Repsol Montesa HRC, who comfortablytook the 2008 Indoor World title, may start as the obvious favourite,it will be Yorkshire's own Dougie Lampkin – Beta who is sure to receivethe loudest greeting from the patriotic and potentially eight thousandstrong crowd.
Despite having not recorded a victory inside his favourite stadiumin more recent years, Lampkin remains the undisputed ‘King OfSheffield', having previously won this competition on no less thaneight separate occasions during his great reign of the sport.
Dougie finished as runner up to Bou at the last edition of this event,and will be hoping to go one better in what will probably be Lampkin'slast ever appearance both at Sheffield and in the World Indoor trialsseries as a whole.
Twenty-one year old Michael Brown - Sherco is the other Britishrider looking to make the most of his home advantage and to follow uphis fantastic Sheffield debut in late 2007. Add to this, the usualcandidates of Adam Raga – Gas Gas, Albert Cabestany – Sherco andTakahisa Fujinami – Repsol Montesa HRC and then you can understand whySheffield 2009, will be a opening battle to be remembered.
SPEA FIM INDOOR TRIAL WORLD CHAMPIONHIP 2009
Round 1 – Sheffield – England
03 January - Saturday
Round 2 – Marseille - France
24 January – Saturday
Round 3 – Barcelona – Spain
08 February – Sunday - TBC
Round 4 – Bolzano – Italy
26 February – Thursday
Round 5 – Milan – Italy
07 March – Saturday - TBC
Round 6 – Madrid – Spain
14 March – Saturday
2008 Final championship standings:
1: Bou 48, 2: Raga 35,
3: Cabestany 35, 4: Fujinami 27,
5: Fajardo 20, 6: Lampkin 14,
7: Dabill 9, 8: Oliveras 2, 9: Bethune 1
For more information please visit
www.fim.ch