On Saturday I started the day off really focused and ready for another good day. The sections were again a bit on the easy side so I really had to fight for every little point. I had a clean score card all the way up to section eight one of the harder sections of the day where I lost most of my points throughout the day. It was a really steep loose hill with a bank out the top of it and the little 125 just wasn’t cutting the mustard on it. I was able to get it for one point on the last lap. This section cost me second place to Warren as he was able to get it for a clean on the 2nd,3rd and 4th lap.
On day three the pressure was on for both me and Warren as we had both won a day each now and it was down to the last day to decide who the winner was going to be. I wasn’t feeling the best on Monday morning as I think I got a bit of food poisoning the night before which didn’t help me at all, and was coursing me to make some unwanted mistakes on the first and second lap.
The sections were bigger than most days which was good and even though I made some mistakes I was still able to come back from them. It wasn’t until the third lap that I was riding at my best and when I got into a good rhythm I was away.
I knew I couldn’t make any big mistakes because it was close between me and Warren so I was making sure of everything. I went into the last lap with a few nerves but got on a good roll only losing one point right up to the very last section where I dropped three points.
The awesome thing was though before going into that last section Warren came up to me and said “Even if you five this section you have still beaten me” then he shook my hand to congratulate me.
It was the best feeling in the world riding out the end of that last section knowing that I was NEW ZEALANDS number one.
I would like to thank
Karl Clark for minding for me over the three days you did an awesome job and there isn’t any one else I would rather have as a minder.
Brendon Wadsworth at Nelson Marlborough Trials Centre for the bike it was running great and also for all the encouragement over the three days.
Steven Oliver at Nonstop Trials Academy for the use of the park over the year.
Warren Laugesen for the training over the last couple of years and for taking me over and getting me started up in Europe earlier on in the year. If it wasn’t for Warren I wouldn’t be heading over to Italy to join one of the biggest trials teams in the world in January. Thanks also to Luke and Libby for your support in Europe.
Matthew and Anita Thompson for making this site for me. Your encouragement and support mean alot. Without you guys I couldn’t keep everyone up to date so well.
My Mum and Dad for all there support and encouragement throughout the year I wouldn’t get anywhere without them.
Today we got out to the trials site nice and early to get a good practise in before the event started. I was feeling really good on the bike today and after a very nervous first section I was soon into a good rhythm ending the first lap on three. This put me in top spot by four points so I went into the second lap very determined and focused to get another good lap, this soon was interrupted by a five on a big double step. It was the only really big mistake on that lap apart from a silly one.
My third lap was the best only dropping one point which was a really good effort. We were running a little behind time so we needed to pick the pace up a bit so it was a quick fuel stop and then a race back down to section one. Some of the sections were getting really slippery at this point but I really dug deep and was able to finish on another fairly good result on five points. Half way through my fourth lap the bike wasn’t running the best as it had sucked some water into the carby but as we were running short on time we didn’t have time to get it cleaned out so i was forced to ride the last few sections with the bike running pretty poorly.
After today I am leading, The pressure is on for the next couple of days.
I was feeling a lot more confident on the bike with a good warm up in the morning and finally starting to get to grips with the 280 gas gas.
I started the day of with a clean on the first section which actually proved to be one of the hardest sections of the day. I was able to keep a point free card right up to section six when I clipped the gear lever on a rock and knocked it out of gear causing me to put a foot down. I then got back into my rhythm of cleaning the sections but it all went wrong when the observer said I clipped a peg with the back wheel on section 13 and was given a 5. We disagreed with his decision but took it on the chin and moved on to the next section where again I was given a 5 for being on the tape but I didnt cross over it.
The two fives I was given on the first lap really made me mad but I used that as an advantage going into all the sections 100% committed and with lots of agression. I was able to keep a clean card all the way up to section 8 where I put a foot down right at the top of a big rock step. That was the only point I lost right up to the last section when I slipped sideways off a rock because I set off when i wasn’t on line properly.
This weekend has been a huge experience for me and I really enjoyed it. I would of liked the sections to be harder because one little mistake you lost a placing or two which was very frustrating. I ended up 8th over all for the weekend and considering I was on a strange bike it wasn’t to bad of an effort. I was hoping for a lot better than 8th but I will be back bigger and better next year.
I would like to thank Brendon Wadsworth for minding for me over the weekend and Mum and Dad for making sure I got over here.
I am now looking forward to our NZ champs this weekend.
Today the weather was very cold and windy. The sections were too easy, I started the day off with five cleans then we struck our first hard section number six, which I failed. On section seven I made a big mistake which cost me another failure.
Lap two was very much the same, we had a lot of cleans but again section six caught me out. I was penalised for sliding backwards for a small amount and because the sections were so easy this mistake positioned me in seventh over all for the two laps.
There is room for improvement tomorrow and we will be looking to finish in the top five.