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The European Trial Championship is ready to kick off

After three years in which the FIM Europe Trial Championship started from in Italy, next weekend Zelhem in The Netherlands will open the doors at its 26th edition. A closed area will allow public to follow well the whole competition walking from one section to another. This is the same venue that hosted the series in 2012.
The European series knows no crisis with a number of participants increasing year after year.  A success due to a very familiar environment: licensing costs not expensive, dates chosen in school holidays to encourage young people’s participation, less rigid regulations. For example, the closed traffic circuit that allows the sixteen year old riders to ride higher-capacity motorcycles than what they should by law.
There also is a singular system of attribution of the championship points, ranging from 100 to the first, 85 to the second, 70 to the third, and so on. All the participants, regardless of their position, get some points. This raises challenges in the lower parts of the standings, which is not possible in the other championships, because all riders out of the top 15 positions do not score points.

lastYearWinnerMichelGelabertLast year Trial European Champion, Miquel Gelabert. Photo @Phototrial
Another point of favor is the fact of opening to riders of every skill thanks to the categories called “Internationals”. And more, a kind of respect to older riders, still competing in a category invented for them: the Over 40 class. Thanks to all these goodies in recent years the participants have always increased reaching more than 200 units spread over the various categories.
Also this year, the traditional two championships start together: on Saturday the 22nd there will be on the scene Women’s and Youth’s. On Sunday the 23rd all the others, that means: Europe, Junior and Over 40.
After this Dutch week-end, just one week later, the second and third round of the main championship will be held in Bilstain, Belgium. The fourth and last round is scheduled for the 6th of August in Lazzate, Italy. Youth and Women, instead, are expected for the first time in Liepaja, Latvia: two rounds on May 27th and 28th, to finish their series on August 5th in Lazzate, Italy too.

Tags : Trial