UK World Trial Grand Prix
By G2F on 30th Jun 06
Round 8 FIM Trial World Championship 2006 Hawkstone Park 29/30 July 2006
There is now only four weeks to go until the T+MX Grand Prix Great Britain takes place at Hawkstone Park on 29 / 30 July 2006. Without doubt this will be the biggest trial in the UK calendar this year and is the only remaining World championship status off road event to take place on these shores in 2006.
Advanced ticket sales are well up on those sold during the same period last year, so a record crowd is expected to fill the famous sandy Shropshire venue by the time the series arrives during the last weekend in July. Discounted advance tickets / camping passes will remain on sale until 21st July, although standard price tickets will be available on the gate throughout the event.
Whilst the riders and the pubic applauded the sections last July, L+M Events have been hard at work to create a more compact course that will feature four new hazards to compliment the other extensive revisions that have been made. The main spectator ‘bowl' will now house six spectacular sections and will benefit from a newly installed PA system that will be used to keep everyone up to date with what is happening else where on the course.
Eurosport's very own Jack Burnicle will head up a commentary team that includes ex World championship rider Steve Colley and ex international trials minder Woody Hole. These guys will have access to live section by section scores thanks to a new electronic scoring system that will make its World debut at Hawkstone Park. The SWAN scoring system, developed in New Zealand, will be updated each time a rider exits a section, this information is automatically uploaded to a web page that can be accessed by anyone on site who has an internet enable mobile phone or PDA device.
Whilst the main trial will take place on Sunday, there is a whole weekend of action on offer. Saturday morning will begin with an autograph session with the top riders, this will then lead straight into the only official practice session of the weekend. The two hours of training is not to be missed as it is a great opportunity to see the riders up close and in a relaxed frame of mind compared to the pressure they will be under the day after. Steve ‘showtime' Colley has two mind blowing demonstrations planned, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, when the flamboyant Manx man will put on a display of extreme trials riding like no one else on the planet can match.
Saturday's jewel however will be the Mini Masters trial that includes no less than two ex World champions in its selected entry list. With seven World titles to his name, Jordi Tarres is a true trials legend, but his past achievements will be of little interest to his rivals with whom he will be reunited, in a trial that will take place over a reduced course using a conducted format. Fellow ex champ Marc Colomer and crowd favourite Amos Bilbao complete the Spanish trio that will take on the Italian maestro Donalto Miglio plus ten times British champion Steve Saunders, and hopefully ex vice champion Diego Bosis in this truly unique event.
Adding weight to an already packed weekend, Gas Gas will launch their 2007 trials range at Hawkstone Park and will be joined by Beta, Sherco, Montesa and Scorpa in the trade village along with the country's top trials dealers and distributors to make it the biggest trials exhibition of its kind in the UK.
For further information about the event, details of discounted advanced entrance tickets, camping bookings, and for trade space / sponsorship enquiries please call L+M Events on 0161 705 2075 or visit the official event website www.ukworldtrial.com
Issued by: G2F T: + 44 (0) 161 763 6660 F: + 44 (0) 161 763 6663 E: worldpress@g2f.co.uk