SHEPPARD HAS TO SETTLE FOR SECOND IN SPAIN

Round 1 - 2010 SPEA FIM Trial World Championship
Baiona - Spain - 18/04/10

Fresh from his European victory just twenty-four hours earlier Jack Sheppard had to settle for second place today at the opening round of the 2010 SPEA FIM Trial World Championship held in Baiona, Spain, after over coming an early mechanical problem. The sixteen year old from deepest Suffolk had hoped to repeat the success he had enjoyed over his arch rival Pol Tarres during Saturday's event, but in the end had no answer to the young Spanish rider who posted the two best lap scores of the trial.

The trial once again centred on a small rocky lined peninsula close to the seaside town, with the sections being a mixture of rounded boulders, steep faces and some muddy ruts that caused dirt to be dragged onto the harder surfaces. Whilst the sun did its best to shine throughout Sunday, heavy rain on Saturday night had left conditions wet on the ground.

With a tough week perhaps finally taking its toll on Britain's leading Youth rider, after his epic trip over land to even be at the event as a result of the ongoing air travel crisis, Jack battled hard over the first lap of fifteen sections to remain in contention with a very on form Tarres. The new rules meant that Sheppard was the second rider to start this morning, with the best riders in each class now put at the front of their respective pack, and with the daunting task of trail blazing ahead of his main rivals.

Despite this difficult task falling on such young shoulders, Jack did a great job to keep himself in the hunt, and within two marks of Tarres come the end of an interesting first lap. Although Sheppard parted with three marks in sections three, four and twelve on his first visit, he avoided any maximums unlike Tarres who came unstuck as early as the fourth hazard.

The second lap was a case of reverse tales, as this time around it was Jack who was to lose valuable ground to Tarres in the early part of the lap, with Sheppard failing at section three which proved to be his bogey hazard of the trial. The teenager instantly regained his composure to put together a string of three cleans in a row, and a further four faultless rides before the end of the trial.

A final five in section twelve for Jack, confirmed Pol as the winner, but the Beta rider kept his cool to complete the closing three hazards to ensure that second place and seventeen valuable championship points were his at the end of a tough two days of competition.

Jack explained. "Yesterday I was really pleased with my results, winning was really good especially after the hassle getting here. Today I have had some problems, but I managed to keep riding and finished second, so I am quite pleased with that. The sections were really good, however I think that maybe a minute and a half is better especially in the longer sections, but it’s the same for everyone."

Continuing, Sheppard said. "Second place is not perfect, but it’s good for the championship and the overall points. I’m going to aim to be one place higher next time. We’re going to stay here in Spain for some days because we can’t fly home and then we will drive to Portugal. "

"I’m quite happy with the bike, it took me a while to adjust, but now I’m really happy with it." Ended Jack.

Sheppard will remain in Europe this coming week with his minder James Williams and the rest of the Top Trial Team in order to be fully prepared for the second round of the 2010 SPEA FIM Trial World Championship in Portugal next weekend, which this time will be contested over two counting days.

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