Sheppard's World Championship lead slashed!
By John Dickinson on 21st Jul 11
Jack Sheppard, Britain's factory Beta rider, goes into the British round of the 2011 SPEA FIM World Trials Championship at Fort William next weekend (July 31) with a reduced World Youth Trials Championship lead following a successful appeal by his French rival, Cedric Tempier, over a five-mark penalty incurred on the first day of the two-day French round on May 21, won by Sheppard.
Tempier protested after his Sherco's wheel was adjudged to have touched a section marker flag, and was given the five-mark penalty as per the 2011 rules.
Tempier subsequently protested this, as T+MX understands it, because the flag he touched was not a Youth section marker but a Championship class section marker.
The rules appear to be unclear as to whether this constituted a five but Tempier's protest was upheld and with the five-marks removed, he is now deemed to have won the round with Sheppard demoted to second.
The revised Championship points as they now stand are -- Sheppard 109, Tempier 107. With his Championship lead now reduced from eight marks to just two, Jack has added incentive to post a winning ride in Fort William on Sunday, July 31, when the trial takes place at the awesome Nevis Range venue.
Tempier's championship challenge was given a further boost recently when the cancelled single day final round in Poland was replaced by a two-day round the same weekend, September 3/4 at Isola 2000 -- in France!
