Sanz Lands Thirteenth Title

Laia Sanz – Montesa had to suffer an agonising wait before she finally discovered that she had won today’s closing round of the 2013 FIM Women’s Trial World Championship and in doing so she claimed a record extending thirteenth individual title in this discipline. Sanz once again engaged in a day-long duel with her main rival Emma Bristow – Sherco, with only a few marks separating the two title contenders throughout the three laps of twelve sections. Bristow, who would eventually finish as runner up on the day and second in the series for a third year running, saw any last chance of taking the championship slip on her final lap, which was her worst of the Trial.

Back from the leading duo, the competition for the last remaining podium place was equally well contended with Joanne Coles – Gas Gas being the worthy winner of the battle for third place as she demoted Sandra Gomez – Ossa to fourth on the day. Cole’s rostrum finished marked a welcome return to the FIM Women’s Trial World Championship for the twenty-one year old after she had taken two years out of top level sport to pursue her working career. Fourth place proved enough for Gomez to take the corresponding spot in the final standings, as she was unable to overhaul her main contender Rebekah Cook – Beta despite Cook enduring a terrible day down in tenth spot.

The French were well represented on their home patch as Sandrine Juffet – JTG produced her best performance of the season to claim fifth position. She was one of only a handful of riders who managed to reduce their lap scores as the day progressed despite the continued threat of rain. Spain’s Mireia Conde – Beta secured seventh in the final rankings as she placed sixth today in La Chatre and came home just four marks behind Juffet. France’s Marilyne Journet – Beta rounded out her best ever campaign by taking seventh spot at her home GP to finish fifth in the closing points table.

Italy’s Sara Trentini – Beta also enjoyed a successful conclusion to the 2013 FIM Women’s Trial World Championship with her eighth spot in France putting her eighth overall, two places higher than last season and represents her best ever ranking at World level. Sarah Bauer – Sherco from Germany continued the theme of end of year achievements by claiming a career best ninth position, this being hugely improved over her previous best seventeenth place in Andorra earlier in the season. As previously mentioned it was day to forget for Cook as she disappointingly completed the top ten.

The predicted heavy rain never became more than a few infrequent short and sharp showers and had no impact on the dry and dusty sections that were spread far and wide in the wooded areas around the town of La Chatre. Sections four, seven and eight proved to be the toughest tests of the day and ultimately decided both the Trial and the championship as Sanz used these defining hazards to carve out a seven mark advantage come the end of lap three. Previously no more than three marks had split her and Bristow in yet another tense encounter between currently the two best female Trial riders in the World.

Bristow’s downfall was the seventh section where she dropped seven marks during her three visits, this compared to Sanz’s three cleans. Emma did manage to clean her bogey hazard on the final lap, but this was still not enough to overpower the mighty Sanz who is now on route through France to the final round the 2013 Maxxis FIM Women’s Enduro World Cup. If all continues to go to plan for Laia this weekend, she is on course to win two FIM World titles by the time Sunday afternoon arrives.

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