2015 World X-Trial kicks off in Sheffield
By John Dickinson on 7th Jan 15
FANS turned out in force on Saturday evening for the opening round of the 2015 World X-Trial Championship at the Motorpoint Arena, Sheffield, to marvel at Toni Bou as he stormed majestically to a 10th consecutive win at the venue.The eight-time X-Trial champ dropped just a single mark to lead Qualifying and then just one mark in the final to finish well clear of his pursuers.
The Repsol Montesa star remains undefeated indoors since 2008!
As the Sheffield event celebrated its 20th anniversary Bou led home a Spanish 1-2-3-4 as the usual suspects battled for the podium placings.
And it was 34-year-old veteran Albert Cabestany who nailed a deserved runner-up verdict, staying steady as ever on the factory Sherco to beat a disappointed Adam Raga (Gas Gas) who in turn kept a determined Jeroni Fajardo (Beta) off the podium.
Britain's James Dabill made his eagerly-awaited debut on the all-new Vertigo and while James didn't make it through qualifying he was making some excellent efforts in the hazards on the white-framed ‘Ice Hell' model and the machine showed excellent potential.
The Dibsta eventually finished sixth, comfortably ahead of British wildcard Michael Brown and 20-year-old Swede Eddie Karlsson who has got the nod to contest the series as a replacement for Takahisa Fujinami who is out of action while recovering from surgery.
WORLD X-TRIAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Rd 1 – Motorpoint Arena, Broughton Lane, Sheffield, BRITAIN
FINAL (4 sects + lane races): 1 Toni Bou (E - Montesa) 1 mark lost, 2 Albert Cabestany (E - Sherco) 10, 3 Adam Raga (E - Gas Gas) 11, 4 Jeroni Fajardo (E - Beta) 12.
QUALIFICATION (6 sects – top 4 to final): 1 Toni Bou (E - Montesa) 1, 2 Albert Cabestany (E - Sherco) 5, 3 Adam Raga (E - Gas Gas) 9, 4 Jeroni Fajardo (E - Beta) 10, 5 Alexandre Ferrer (F - Sherco) 18, 6 James DABILL (GB - Vertigo) 20, 7 Eddie Karlsson (S - Montesa) 26, 8 Michael BROWN (GB - Gas Gas) 30.
SERIES STANDINGS after 1 (of 6) rounds: 1 Bou 20 points, 2 Cabestany 15, 3 Raga 12,
4 Fajardo 9, 5 Ferrer 6, 6 DABILL 4, 7 BROWN 2, 8 Karlsson 1.
NEXT ROUND: January 31 – Palais des Sports, Marseilles, FRANCE.
FOR FULL REPORT AND PICTURES SEE TMX NEWS JANUARY 8 (ISSUE1953)
WORLD X-TRIAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Rd 1 – Motorpoint Arena, Broughton Lane, Sheffield, BRITAIN
FINAL (4 sects + lane races): 1 Toni Bou (E - Montesa) 1 mark lost, 2 Albert Cabestany (E - Sherco) 10, 3 Adam Raga (E - Gas Gas) 11, 4 Jeroni Fajardo (E - Beta) 12.
QUALIFICATION (6 sects – top 4 to final): 1 Toni Bou (E - Montesa) 1, 2 Albert Cabestany (E - Sherco) 5, 3 Adam Raga (E - Gas Gas) 9, 4 Jeroni Fajardo (E - Beta) 10, 5 Alexandre Ferrer (F - Sherco) 18, 6 James DABILL (GB - Vertigo) 20, 7 Eddie Karlsson (S - Montesa) 26, 8 Michael BROWN (GB - Gas Gas) 30.
SERIES STANDINGS after 1 (of 6) rounds: 1 Bou 20 points, 2 Cabestany 15, 3 Raga 12,
4 Fajardo 9, 5 Ferrer 6, 6 DABILL 4, 7 BROWN 2, 8 Karlsson 1.
NEXT ROUND: January 31 – Palais des Sports, Marseilles, FRANCE.
