Reigning FIM Women’s Trial World Champion, Britain’s Emma Bristow – Sherco heads to San Pietro Mussolino, Italy this weekend to contest the second round of the 2016 series, Emma having taken confident victories on both days of competition at the opening British round staged in Yorkshire back in July.
Emma is shooting for a hat trick of Women’s titles, but an impressive entry of forty-one girls is sure to keep her on her toes. Heading the list of rivals is Emma’s vastly experienced countrywoman Rebekah Cook – TRS. A veteran of forty-two Grand Prix events and vice champion five times Cook has been enthused by her switch to TRS in 2016 and is pushing hard for what would be a popular first World title.
Ranked third in 2015 Donna Fox – Sherco was disappointed with her performance at her home British round and is looking to bounce back in Italy in what Donna has said will be her final FIM Women’s Trial World Championship season. Donna has just returned from the Olympics in Brazil where she performed as an outrider in the MTB races on a Trial motorcycle.
This year’s surprise has been sixteen-year-old Barcelona girl Berta Abellan – Beta who made her podium debut with a third place on Sunday in Britain after threatening with fourth on the opening day. Berta currently holds third in the series on the same points as her more experienced fellow Spaniard, Sandra Gomez – Gas Gas from Madrid.
Eighteen year old European and German Champion Theresa Bauml – Beta is also locked in a battle with well-travelled British contender Katy Sunter – Gas Gas, the Yorkshire girl taking two sixth places at her home round.
Four riders headed by three times Italian Women’s Champion Sara Trentini – Beta, represent the home Italian nation. Twenty-five-year-old Sara is now in her seventh FIM Women’s Trial World Championship season having contested a total of twenty-eight events and has a current World ranking of eleventh.
Elisa Peretti – Beta, is actually the reigning Italian Champion and while the twenty-two-year-old from Gioveno has so far failed to shine on the World stage she must surely be confident of scoring good points at her home round.
Giulia Kaiserman – Sherco and Alex Brancati – Beta are both inexperienced on the International front and fifteen year-old Brancati actually made her FIM Women’s Trial World Championship debut in Yorkshire and claimed twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth places. Alex is certain to be more relaxed and confident on home soil and clearly represents the future of Italian Women’s Trial.
With ten nations represented across yet another strong entry, the second round of the 2016 FIM Women’s Trial World Championship has everything in place to be an epic encounter.