Everything according to forecasts in the first day in Bilstain (Belgium), during the fifth and final round of the European Women’s and Youths’ Championships.
Titles were assigned to two Spanish riders: Berta Abellan (Vertigo, photo 1) and Martin Riobo (Gas Gas).
More than seventy riders honoured these series taking part in this last round, even if not directly interested to place themselves in the high positions. The old and famous private area of Bilstain continues to reserve a particular appeal to all the Trial World, because also new generations know through tales and documents how many pages of history have been written on these rocks.
Berta Abellan closed her championship with a victory, but she had hard time to get it. Only in the second part of the competition she recovered from a provisional third place, having scored 8 points. Better than her Norwegian Ingveig Hakonsen (TRS), whose score was 4 and still challenger for the title German Theresa Bauml (Montesa) with 7 marks.
Abellan needed only the third position to win the title, but she attacked the sections angrily and got the best performance in the second loop – with 4 penalties she passed from third to first position. Too bad the second part for Hakonsen (11) and Bauml (9) – they finished on the podium in that order.
Riobo is champion in Youth class, but today he was beaten by his main rival, his country mate Pol Medinya (Beta, photo 2) whose hopes to overturn the odds were tied to a very poor place for Riobo. On the contrary the leader kept a precious second position, few points more than today’s winner. Two marks separated the two riders. In third position, Austrian Marco Mempor (Beta).
In the Women International one more convincing success for French Lenna Volpe (Sherco, photo 3) able to score almost half points in comparison to her direct contender.
Victory for young English Harry Hemingway (Beta, photo4) in the Youth International Ckass. He won with a smooth advantage on Czech David Fabian (Beta) and British Harry Turner (Gas Gas).
Tomorrow three more European titles will be assigned.
Photos: ©Phototrial
