The Australian men’s team of Kyle Middleton, Chris Bayles and Connor Hogan finished an impressive fifth place in the hotly-contested International Trophy.
The women’s team of Kristie McKinnon, Lillie Yiatrou and Jenna Lupo scored 101-points to finish a place higher than 2018 in 7th with Spain taking the win ahead of Britain.
America started last in the men’s International Trophy category thanks to Pat Smage (Sherco) who put in an amazing Qualification run but even with Josh Roper (Sherco) and Daniel Blanc Gonnet (Gas Gas) providing back-up they were no match for Germany who ended the day with just a single penalty to easily win from the Swedish team of Daniel Andreasson (Gas Gas), Eddie Karlsson (Sherco) and Linus Almthen who recorded a total of seven.
Unbeaten in the FIM Trial des Nations since 2004, the Spanish men’s team of Toni Bou (Repsol Honda), Adam Raga (TRRS) and Jeroni Fajardo (Gas Gas) kept their country’s incredible win-streak going with victory on home turf today on the Mediterranean island of Ibiza.
And, just to underline their position as the major players of World Trial, Spain also doubled up in the Women’s category with Sandra Gomez (TRRS), Berta Abellan (Vertigo) and Neus Murcia (Gas Gas) wrestling the coveted title away from Great Britain.
Trial des Nations 2019 Ibiza Spain 27-28-29 September International class
In the keenly-contested second-tier men’s International Trophy the German trio of Hendrik Binder (Beta), Franz Kadlec (TRRS) and Paul Reumschuessel (TRRS) claimed a commanding victory.
The Spanish men’s team started the competition as firm favourites following 13-time World Champion Bou’s comprehensive win in yesterday’s Qualification session and all three riders brought their A game to the Balearic island. With the best two scores to count through each section, they were in dominant form on a course predominantly plotted on the rocky coastline.
Comfortably leading at the halfway stage on a score of just two compared to second-placed Japan – represented by Takahisa Fujinami (Repsol Honda), Kenichi Kuroyama (Yamaha) and Tomoyuki Ogawa (Montesa) – who trailed on 12, they then parted with just another two marks on lap two.
Japan upped their game on the second lap to incur only a further seven marks but the damage was already done and Spain claimed the crown yet again.
“We started well yesterday with a great Qualification,” said Raga. “We continued today – the Trial wasn’t too hard but we didn’t make any mistakes. We have a great team and we are very happy with this victory.”