16/09/11 - FIM Women's World Champ.: Tolmezzo, ITA

LAIA SANZ HONORED HER 11th WORLD TITLE, WITH AN OTHER WIN!

Having already clinched the 2011 FIM Women's Trial World Championship at the previous round, Laia Sanz - Repsol Montesa signed off her season in style as she won the third and final Grand Prix of the series in Tolmezzo, Italy to maintain her 100% win rate for the campaign. Sanz was the easy victor over Rebekah Cook - Sherco, who despite being runner up on the day was unable to claim second spot in the final standings. France's Sandrine Juffet - Gas Gas completed the podium as she recorded her best result of 2011. Despite placing fourth today Emma Bristow - Ossa was declared the 2011 FIM Women's Trial Vice World Champion, when the best two counting scores were evaluated.
Held in brilliant sunshine and in extremely high temperatures, today's event was contested by thirty-one female riders from ten different countries. Sitting close to the Austrian border the mountain shrouded town of Tomezzo utilised the surrounding lower hills to accommodate the fourteen sections, which were ridden twice by the female competitors. The majority of the hazards benefited from the shade of the scattered wooded areas that housed the mixture of mainly rocky tests.
Sanz stamped her superiority on the event throughout the first lap losing only a single dab in section six, to complete her initial tour with a total of one mark. As was the case for the whole Trial Cook was her closest challenger at this point, although seven marks back from Laia. Bristow dropped nine marks through the first fifteen sections to trail Cook by one mark and to narrowly head Juffet at the mid point. A mixed opening lap for Sandra Gomez - Gas Gas, who held fourth position in the series ahead of today, saw her down in fifth spot at the halfway stage, a situation that she would not improve on come the finish.
Riding with no relative pressure Sanz made an uncharacteristic mistake in section six on her second lap and took a further dab in the following hazard to record a tally on six for her closing tour. Despite this small error Laia's total of seven marks for the Trial was still lower than any single lap score of her rivals. Cook produced a consistent second lap to finish as runner up with a three mark advantage over Juffet in third, who in turn was three marks clear of fourth placed and off form Bristow. Gomez rounded out the top five, but some way off the pace of the leading quartet.
Speaking after the Trial Sanz stated. "Apart from the five in section six on lap two I was happy with my riding. Maybe I was riding too relaxed, but anyway sometimes this can happen. Overall I can be satisfied, and it was always important for me to win today to keep my unbeaten record this season. Now I hope I can ride well tomorrow, and help Spain win the team prize too."
The FIM Trial des Nations for the Women's teams will take place over the same course tomorrow, ahead of the men's team event on Sunday.


Many thanks to FIM for report and photos
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LAIA SANZ ONORA IL SUO 11-ESIMO TITOLO MONDIALE CON UN'ALTRA VITTORIA!

Nessuna sorpresa per le posizioni alle sue spalle, con le inglesi Emma Bristow (oggi quarta) e Rebekah Cook (alla piazza d'onore). Bene la francese Sandrine Juffet che e' salita sul podio.
Due azzurre a punti: Martina Balducchi ha confermato il suo ottimo stato di forma concludendo all'11-esimo posto. Quindi Sara Trentini, 15-esima. In gara anche Sara Rivera (25) e la giovanissima Elisa Peretti (28). Trentuno le partecipanti.