British youngster Max Perry finished an impressive fifth in the FIM 125cc Gold Trophy at Plzen – but the 13-year-old was so close to an even better result.
Perry dropped just one point from his four qualifying races in the Czech Republic before agonisingly coming to grief in his semi-final.
That left him in the B-Final, which he won in a race which included two fellow GB riders, Ben Trigger and Ace Pijper, who were classified seventh and eighth respectively overall.
Youth boss Neil Vatcher said: “Max came off the inside gate, made a lightning start getting to the first corner ahead of the other three riders, but unfortunately he hit a bump which threw him into the air-fence, and his European dream was in tatters.
“Ben gave it every effort in the re-run but couldn't quite make up the ground to get one of the top two places, and Ace was chasing set-ups all day, and again didn't have the luck in his semi where he just did not have enough speed to make the Final.
“The youngest Brit, William Cairns (11), rode his heart out for four points, and will learn from the experience.”