The 2012 UEM Trials Championship is going to close down in the next weekend in the Dutch town of Zelhem, close to German borders, with two days rich of competitions. On a full artificial terrain, closed circuit, the organisers brought many rocks, even buying them abroad, from another famous venue in Germany. All the sections were fitted in a restricted area, easily reachable by the public.
On Saturday on the scene, the very young riders and the women. For them it is the third round. Spanish Jaime Busto (Beta) is a hair’s breadth away the title, having in his pocket two wins in the previous two rounds. More difficult to image the other podium positions. Equal chances go to Italian Gabriele Giarba (Beta), German Franz Xavier Kadlec, and British Iwan Roberts (Beta), all of them quite brilliant until now.
Among the Women, if the world queen, Spanish Laia Sanz, won’t have recovered from his lately injury, we will probably watch again the eternal British duel between Becky Cook (Beta) and Emma Bristow (Ossa)
In the day after the already champion Italian Matteo Grattarola (Gas Gas) will try to equal the record made only by Joan Pons in 1992, at the first UEM Trials Championship: six wins in six rounds. Behind him the fight for the runner-up position looks to be an Italian and Ossa affair: Daniele Maurino against Matteo Poli , the players.
To Italian Francesco Cabrini (Beta) is sufficient to finish in thirteenth place to become champion in the Junior class and knowing that in this season he has never arrived below the fourth place, we can reasonable bet on him for the Junior title. Uncertain the assignation of the second place : more chances to Norwegian Sverre Lundvold (Gas Gas) , 6 points clear of the other Italian, Pietro Petrangeli (Beta), twice winner this year.
In the Over 40 class the situation is quite complicated. Because only the 3 best results are taking count, the leader, Dutch Marc Reit (Beta), who entered all the five rounds, can not let win his rival, present only in other 3 events , Finnish Tommi Ahvala (Gas Gas) . In this case both would have 3 wins in their basket and the rule ratifies that it is the last result to take into consideration. Consequently Ahvala would be the champion.
