Jake Whitaker

Well this week i have had the week off the bike and just doing some fitnees which has been good. We were able to take the team van for the week to,as the workshop is closed because its a holiday so we went driving around cheeking out some sites. On Thursday we drove up this mountain close to were we are living, parts of the road were a bit scary with some massive dropes off the side of them. Once we got to the top there was a good view of the town so we spent awhile trying to figger out where the workshop was and the Karl and Debbies appartment.

Last night we went to a fireworks display down at the local church so that was pritty impresive to see. The weather over here is still hot as but we had a storm the other night and there was heaps of fork lighting and thunder about but then the next morning it was hot as again.

Back into it on Monday still with a few weeks to go to the next event but will be able to get some good time on the bike before then.

Catch ya later

Jake

Hi Guys

Well a bit a of a break in the trials over here at the moment with the next world championship not till the 31st of August in Sweden. Over the last few weeks I have been training hard.  The weather has been great, nice, sunny and hot.  We have another three weekends off without any events and next week the factory is closed as most factory businesses are shut for holidays.

Last Saturday night we went and did a show for Airoh Helmets which is one of the team sponsors, it was outdoors under lights.  It was sort of an arena trial but more of a show. The top riders were me, Laia Sainz and Deigo Bosis, they were keeping scores but was for more fun but I bet Deigo and got second to Laia by one point.  Was a good night and I really enjoyed myself.

I am looking forward to Sweden at the end of this month.  It’s hard to believe now that the year is almost over and that we have been here for eight months already.  Only seven weeks to go then we are back home.

Cheers

Jake

This weekend just been I rode in another Italian championship. Everything was pretty much the same, we arrived at the paddock on Friday after an 8 hour drive. Had practice and walked all the sections on Saturday, Then Sunday morning I was the last rider away in the morning as I won the last round which was good as I could see the different lines people were taking. After my first lap I was on 17 points which wasn’t that great, second lap was much the same with a couple of silly fives and ended up with 22. My third lap started off with another five, but after that I started to feel a little more comfortable and relaxed on the bike which was good as my first and second lap I was very shakey and fighting to find balance.

I finished the day off in tenth place so a bit of a steep back from the last round but will be looking for another podium at my last italian round on the 7th of September.

Thanks to Karl for doing another great job minding and mum and dad back home.

Thanks Guys

Jake

Team Mate Andrea Vaccaretti

Man Made Section

We arrived at the paddock on Friday and got everything set up and had a bit of a practise. Saturday morning we had sign on and practise and had a good look at all the sections. Most of them were really long and tecnical and with there being the minute and a half time limet there wasnt anywhere you could afford to muck around.

Sunday morning i started off good with a clean on section one but then followed by a five on section two on a steep rock face. The rest of the lap went alright not making to many silly mistakes and only lost one five but had a few threes to help get through the long sections quicker. My second lap started off much the same but half way through was given a stupid five for taken the back wheel across a rock but the observer had a differnt idea and said i went backwards. After this, things went fearly steady untill the last two sections where i fived them both, one for sliping off a dusty rock over the tape and another for the bike cutting out and not being abit to get it started before i lost ballance. Was a frustrating time and put me down to 11th overall from 9th.

I have now droped one place in the championship from 9th to 10th but still close to 9th and will be pushing hard at the next round in sweden to get 9th back.

Thanks to Karl and Debbie Clark, the team and off course Mum and Dad for working them self into the ground to keep me over here, cant thank you enough.

Cheers

Jakey

Me showing Fuji where to go

Me in practice

We arrived at the paddock Thursday afternoon after a four hour drive from Bergamo.  The weather was looking good but a bit on the hot side which I guess is still better than rain like almost every other trial this year.  We had practice and walked the sections on Friday because there was a European Championship held on the Saturday which I also rode in. 

The sections looked good with a good variety of hard sections and a few not so hard.  I started Saturday off pretty good but then as I got into some of the more harder sections I was starting to have a messy score card.  I finished in 14th out of 33 riders but knew I was capable of a better result.

Sunday was the more important day and as the sections stayed the same, everyone was going to improve so that made it even harder.  I started the day off the worse way you can start a trial with a 5 for the bike clicking into nutral going up a loose banking.  After that I had a fearly decent first lap sitting around 9th and just behind 8th.  I improved on my second lap again with only two fives and one of the for sliding back an inch.  I didnt improve as much as the other riders and finished the day in 11th.

The start of the second lap we came across the top riders and I was lining up for section one amongest Fuji, Raga and Bou so that was awesome but at the same time put the nerves up a little.  I enjoyed the trial and it was a great experience.

A big thanks to the team, the Clark Family, Karl for doing a great job minding, everyone at home for their support and of course Mum and Dad

Cheers
Jakey

Waiting for our start time

Me on the back wheel

We left for France early Friday morning and arrived at the site around 2pm that day.  I was feeling pretty good on the bike in practice on Saturday and really liking the grippy rocks.

That afternoon we had a look at all the sections and all 15 of them didn’t look easy with almost every section having a big step or jump in it.  I started Sunday off feeling confident and fairly relaxed on the bike cleaning the first section and a one on the second on top of a big step to help pull me up.

I had quite a few fives through out the first lap and found a lot of the sections either a five or a clean.  Second lap was slightly better getting through a few more sections but still struggling on the bigger steps.

I finished the day of in 11th place which out of 31 riders wasn’t to bad of an effort and still in 9th place overall in the Championship.

Now I’m back in Italy preparing for the next World round here in Italy this weekend.

A big thanks to Mum and Dad for their help and support and also the Clark family, Karl for minding for me and also the team at Future.

Catch ya later
Jake

Karl and I before we started

Paddock set up

Hi Guys

Well I rode in the 5th round of the Italian Championship on Sunday in the senior grade against guys on bigger cc bikes.

My first lap was really good and after section 15 I was leading the trial by four points. My second lap started off much the same but half way through I had a really stupid five that on the first lap I got through for a two. This was very frustrating but made me fight even harder on the last few sections. I was able to clean most of them and after the last section I knew I was on the podium but didn’t know what position until my biggest competition for the day came in. After we had seen his score we found out that I would be standing on the top step of the podium for the first time. Second spot went to Fisto an ex top Italian rider who rode for Italy Trials De-Nation a few years back, felt good to bet someone with this experience and more bike cc.

This has been a big confidence boost for me and I’m good about things going into this weekends World Round in France.

A big thanks to everyones support back home, Mum and Dad and the rest of the family. All the team at Future Trial and of course Karl and Debbie Clark for being over here and doing an amazing job.

Cheers
Jakey

Rock Step on Section 12, going for the clean

Me on the podium #1

Hi all

Just a quick note to say that this week I have been training on the bike and doing fitness this week.  We have our next Italian round on Sunday so we are off on Friday afternoon.  After this weekend we will be heading off to France on Friday morning for the next World Championship which I am really looking forward to so that I can carry on my performance from Japan.

Will let you all know how I got on this weekend early in the week.

Cheers
Jake

Me in action in Japan

We arrived in Tokyo on Wednesday morning and had around a two hour drive to the TWIN Ring Motegi Race Track where the trial was going to be held.

When we got there we had a good look around the place and that took the rest of the day up because the place was massive.  There was a museum there that had former World Champion bikes on display so it was a awesome experience to get up and close with them.

Then on Thursday morning we headed down to the paddock and got all the bikes out of the boxes and made sure everything was ok for the following day.

Friday morning we signed in and got the techincal inspection done on the bike then we headed out for a practice in the afternoon.  The practice area was really muddy and difficult ro ride so I new it wasnt going to be an easy weekend. Later that afternoon we took a look at all the sections and they looked really tuff and what made it worse was there was rain expected over night

Saturday norming I looked out the window to find a heavy rain storm so that was a kick in b*ulls.  But was still very keen to get out there and do my best.  After the first lap I was pretty disapointed looking at my card seeing that I had only got through three or four sections.  But it was the same for everyone else which was the good thing.  So I went into the last lap trying to get through as many sections for a three as possible and taking the odd five on the impossinle ones to save on time.  I was able to get through a couple more sections on the second lap and had two cleans which made all the difference to the final result.  I ended up in fourth place so I was stoked to be in the top five and so was the rest of the team so my confidence was alot better for the second day.

The next day a few of the sections had been changed to make them a little bit more possible.  I still didnt get through them all and scored were pretty simalair to the day before but I had improved a little bit but just not as much as some of the other riders and dispite my best effort I wasnt able to get any better than seventh place but again I wasnt dissapointed with that and neither were the team.

That night I went to bed really tired as it would have to be one of the most physical trials I have ridden.  I have never had to push my bike through sections as much as this weekend and also for a good ride being a three and a clean ride just being incrediable.

A BIG thanks to Karl Clark for minding over the weekend, another awesome job done as always.  Also not forgetting the rest of the Clark family that is over here, Deb and the two boys Braxton and Jake, thanks for all the support.

Also thanks to the team, Future Trial, for the backing and support at the events and everyone back home for the incourgagment and the Japanese fan club I now have that followed me around all weekend, thanks to all the boys at Non-Stop.

Last of all thanks Mum and Dad for working so hard to make it possible for me to compete over here this year.

Cheers
Jakey

Fuji 2004 winning bike

“The pits”

Hi there everyone

Just a quick note to say that I have received the results for Japan and Jake has had great results.  4th placing on day one and 7th on day two!!!!  Apparently it was very muddy and very challenging.  Jake will be back home here on Monday evening and no doubt he will up date you all in depth then.

Thanks
Debbie