JUNIOR WTC – ROUND 8 & UEM CHAMPIONSHIP - ROUND 5 UDEVALLA
General news 04-09-2008 by Webmaster
Saturday 30 August saw the 5th round of the European Championship in Sweden. Following a very long journey, Ross and his dad arrived safely in readiness for practice sessions prior to the weekend events. The sections were set around the perimeter of the famous GP Motocross circuit on steep rock faces.
Day 1 - European Championship
Ross was competing for the first time this weekend on his new 2009 model PRO250 and was thrilled with it's performance. The sections were not easy at all; they were very steep and slippery and were waiting to take marks off you.
Lap 1was not the best for Ross making a few errors and not riding to his best. On lap 2 he managed to find rhythm, flowing and riding with more confidence putting in a better lap.
Ross finished in 10th place overall on a total of 59 marks. Said Ross “Today I did not ride as well as I would have liked but I have to tell myself that today has been a good practice session ready for the World round tomorrow which I am determined to improve on my score and position”.
Day 2 – FIM Junior World Cup
With light rain just before the start made the sections a wetter than the day before and making the rocks more slippery.
Ross on Lap 1 was riding more to form after yesterday. He ended on 27 marks putting him in 6th position going into Lap 2 and 1 mark off 5th.
Lap 2 the sections had dried out and this made for better grip. Again Ross rode them if not better but only finished 2 marks less than his first lap. He ended on a total of 52 marks finishing in 5th overall and only 9 marks off 3rd place.
Said Ross “Today I was pleased with my riding, however, the scoring is so close that once a mistake has been made it is hard to pull it back. I am still in 6th place overall with 115 points and only 1 point off 5th place held by Team Mate Sam Haslam, who unfortunately suffered an ankle injury during practice which meant he was unable to compete over the weekend – so my best wishes to Sam for a speedy recovery.
With 2 rounds remaining I will be pushing hard to get into the top 5 or higher!!. My thanks go to Marcus for keeping me focussed again this weekend and to my sponsors in their support for me during this year”.
Ross will be leaving for Portugal on Wednesday 10 September for the penultimate FIM and final European round and then travelling across to Spain for the final World Round – Good Luck Ross!!
Now back at home Ross will be competing in the penultimate British Championship round at Hook Woods hosted by Thames MCC this weekend where the battle continues between Team Mate – Sam Haslam and ex. Team mate Wiggy!
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BRITISH CHAMPIONSHIP THE MACKENZIE TROPHY TRIAL – ROUND 5
General news 07-08-2008 by Webmaster
Yeadon & Guiseley MCC hosted the 5th round of the British Trials Championship held at Brimham Rocks, Pateley Bridge, North Yorkshire on Sunday 3 August 2008.
There was no Sunday morning lie in again this week as this round commenced with signing on from 8.00 am and practice from 8.30 – 10.30 am, the main event starting at 11.00 am. Rain during the night and throughout the practice session made the sections very slippery.
Ross’s first lap did not go as well as he wanted. He found he could not get into a rhythm and had too many maximums. On his second lap Ross improved and ended on a good score of 19 marks. On his final lap Ross sustained a nasty crash on Section 6 which damaged his front brake system, a speedy change by Minder Marcus helped by Team Manager, ‘Shirty’ he was up and running again, however, he failed to continue his form from lap 2 and finished 8th overall behind team mate Sam Haslam.
After the 5th round Ross is sitting in 6th place on 50 points, 2 points off Sam for 5th.
Thanks to Marcus for his valued support and advice throughout the day from Team Manager ‘Shirty’.
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FIM JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP – ROUND 6 – TOLMEZZO - ITALY
General news 01-07-2008 by Webmaster
“A HOT AND FRUSTRATING DAY”
Team Danby (JST GG 250 PRO) arrived at the beautiful historic town of Tolmezzo in the province of Udine, North Eastern Italy. Sitting at 1,060ft above sea level, Tolmezzo is located at the base of the Strabut Mountain and its existence dates back to the first millennium.
The whole of north east Italy had been subject to a mini heat wave all week with temperatures in the mid 30’s. Sunday was no exception.
Ross struggled to find any rhythm the previous day in the UEM but today however, he went into the trial fully focussed and started well putting together a first lap that saw him finish in 4th with Ross, Sam & Alexz on 27,28,29 respectively.
Things didn’t start well on the 1st section. A problem with a damaged radiator was causing the bike to overheat, which saw Ross take a 3 on this relatively easy section. Further problems and some errors saw further dropped marks.
Section 9 was ridden for a clean and given rapturous applause from the knowledgeable crowd only to be marked as a 1. It simply wasn’t going to plan. A final clean on the man made tree log section 15 saw Ross finish on 28 points for a total of 55.
Picture courtesy of Andy Greig
With 6 riders finishing within 3 points of one another, Ross was understandably frustrated and disappointed to have slipped to ninth position from fourth.
Ross said,"Last night Marcus & I discussed the areas I needed to improve on from the previous day and today I did ride a lot better however, the second lap wasn’t what I was looking for. But saying that, I finished just 3 points off 4th and with not riding like I know I can, I shouldn’t be too unhappy. This is my first year and with the 100% support from my sponsors I know I have, this will drive me on to continually improve and challenge for the podium."
Ross went on to say,"My sincerest thanks as always to Marcus and my sponsors. Also, my best wishes go to George Morton after a nasty fall between sections saw him rushed to hospital with a broken collar bone. Get well soon!"
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JUNIOR WORLD TRIAL CHAMPIONSHIP – ROUND 5 - FRANCE
General news 01-07-2008 by Webmaster
Team Danby descended on the small town of Maisse just south of Paris thoroughly looking forward to the 5th round. The small town being completely swamped by the trials fraternity and a site to behold.
The day started overcast but the sun didn’t take long to come out and the temperatures started to soar. Ross, still trying to shake off a chesty cold, was having trouble breathing in the humid heat but was still up for it.
The day started very well as Ross was leading the field through the first 7 sections and then a 5 at 8 let Gubian through into first place. A heavy shower making the already difficult sections quite tough saw Ross take further 5’s on 11 & 12. By the end of the lap, Ross was in 4th on 42 marks lost.
Riding the second loop on section 10, Ross took a nasty crash falling back onto a rock with the bike coming down on him. After being shaken by the fall, he took a few moments then got back up and carried on with the last few sections.
Ross was unaware throughout the last lap if he had done enough to hold 4th position and managed to finish on 44 despite the problems, which secured 4th position overall.
With Gomez dropping down the leader board, this now moves Ross up a position to 4th and just 6 points behind Gas Gas team mate Sam Haslam.
Marcus’ wife Helen was on-hand to give Ross a back massage and get him prepped up for the next round in Tolmezzo Italy.
Special thanks to Steve Brown who helped us with a sharp pit stop visit when problems arose. Many thanks.
Thank you once again to all Ross' sponsors and supporters who are making 2008 another worthwhile year, so far, for him.
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British Championship - Round 4
General news 18-06-2008 by Webmaster
ANTHONY REW TRIAL – ROUND 4 OF THE COLIN APPLEYARD
Kelly Farm
This weekend saw the 4th round of the British Championship held at Kelly Farm, Lustleigh, Devon.
With the sections being tough and very demanding over the 3 laps of 12 sections, the conditions changed and became very slippery as the rocks were getting polished and the light showers did not help as well.
Ross’s 1st lap was brilliant as he was riding with confidence and was showing good performance. On his 2nd lap the conditions changed and he incurred a further 10 marks. Going into his final lap, time was once again going to be a problem to complete the hazards comfortably. There was no time to check many of the sections and he just had to ride them.
Ross’ total score was 116 putting him in 5th place just piping fellow team mate, Sam Haslam by 4 marks.
Said Ross “I was happy with laps 1 and 2. Lap 3 was more demanding and physical. Since returning from Japan I am struggling to get rid of a nasty cold which I found did affect my fitness. Cheers Marcus for your help and support today and for keeping up on foot - you will have your bike for the next 3 rounds!”
Ross now prepares for his European trip leaving on Thursday for France taking in Italy and the Czech. Republic rounds of the FIM/UEM championships.
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World Trials Championship - Japan
General news 01-06-2008 by Webmaster
Ross has completed the 2 days of competition in the indifferent conditions in Japan. Day one being extremely wet and slippy and day 2 in glorious sunshine.
Day 1 - Ross started well and finished the first lap in third position, but then the heavens opened and Ross struggled along with all the riders to make any headway on the extremely hard sections. A series of consecutive 5's saw Ross slip to 6th overall for the day. Some riders took the maximum 150 for this event so it shows how difficult it was.
Day 2 - Ross started the day eager to get at the sections and was trading positions back and forth all the way through the first loop finishing on 2nd for a narrow margin. With Loris Gubian and Sam Haslam close on his heals, Ross knew it would be a tough second loop.
Guided by the calm dulcet tones of Marcus the Minder and with his confidence growing all the time, Ross stuck in there and held off Sam & Loris to maintain second position overall.
Ross said," Yesterday was very frustrating and was wearing me down but today, I was keen to get at the sections and show what I can do. Beating Gubian today was a real treat as it is the first time I have beaten him in the World Championship and I have to say, it was awesome"
Ross went on to say.. " Today, with Alexz, myself and Sam, we had the podium all to ourselves. An all British podium and it felt great.
My sincerest thanks must go to my Minder Marcus for keeping me calm. I couldn't do it without you mate. Also, my thanks also go to my sponsors especially SoilMec who helped fund the trip to get me out here. Thank you"
Picture courtesy of Craig Gerhardt
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BRITISH CHAMPIONSHIP - ROUND 3
General news 01-06-2008 by Webmaster
MITCHELL MEMORIAL TRIAL – ROUND 3 OF THE COLIN APPLEYARD
Morlais Quarry - Merthyr Tydfil
Ross contested the above championship on Sunday 23 May and proved his best position so far by finishing 4th overall earning him some very valuable points.
The event was hosted by the East South Wales Centre who staged a superb trial in the famous ‘Morlais Quarry’, Merthyr Tydfil. The sections were a mix of big rocks on the quarry face and surrounding area and some very slippery, muddy grassy bankings.
Ross was determined than ever to beat his previous two round positions and fought hard until the end. According to Shirty (JST GasGas Team Manager) Ross was leading the first lap after section 9 which was causing a little bit of concern for certain riders!!
During practice the day before the weather was perfect for how the sections had been laid out; rain was forecasted for Sunday and true to form the Welsh weather had turned during the night and it rained throughout the day making it a very different trial. This did not deter the riders but made it more interesting for the spectators!!
Ross was unaware of his excellent performance throughout the trial and with the confidence instilled by his minder, Marcus, Ross was surprised to see his score on the leader board and waited patiently for the remaining riders to finish to realise that he had secured 4th position overall.
Reflecting after the trial Ross and Team Danby are finding the British Championship rounds are putting Ross in good stead for his World and European commitments.
Ross and Marcus have arrived safely in Japan fettled the bikes today and are eagerly waiting for practice tomorrow (Friday) ready for Round 1 on Saturday. Good Luck to you both!!
Thank you once again to all Ross' sponsors and supporters who are making 2008 another worthwhile year, so far, for him.
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Ross completes the Scottish 6 Day
General news 11-05-2008 by Webmaster
Ross completed the full 6 days astride the trusty JST GasGas 250 PRO and finished on 69 for a credible 20th from 249 riders.
Ross said "Its been a long week but the weather was superb which made it a lot more enjoyable.I am happy with my ride and the JST GasGas 250 PRO ran sweet all week.
Thanks go to everyone who helped from Shirty through to the spectators shouting me on."
Ross also went on to say, "The scenery around Fort William with the sun shining is simply stunning and to ride across the moors and take it all in is breathtaking"
Time now for a quick rest and then the BTC this week and then Japan.
Picture courtesy of Donald Young
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FIM JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP – ROUND 3 – TENNESSEE
General news 01-05-2008 by Webmaster
Team Danby turned up at trials heaven namely the Trials Training Centre in Sequatchie TN. The weather was superb at around 82 degrees. Certainly the warmest trial this year for Ross!
Ross was riding a standard Gas Gas 250cc Pro from the US Importer for the 2-day event; adding his own personal parts such as the carburettor, Ohlin rear shock, different reed block and Renthal handlebars. During the practice session, the bike was a little tight from the newness as you would expect, but was performing well.
Day 1
Today saw Ross riding with confidence and coping well with the tough sections. On lap 1 Ross’ score was a total of 24 marks which put him in 4th place going into his 2nd lap. As the conditions changed and became better the sections in the river were grippier. On Section 5 where the 1st big rock was, stopping the whole entry (with the exception of Gubian) saw Ross make it up there on a ‘clean’ but then 3’d the rest of it as it was slippy due to the fact than no one else had ridden the line. At the end of lap 2 Ross ended on 21 marks. A total of 45 marks put Ross into 2nd place and 10 marks off the win. This is a fantastic result for Ross and it’s only his 3rd WTC in the Junior Cup!!
Day 2
With overnight rain this made the course ride completely different from Saturday, where there was grip there was nothing at all!! Lap 1 did not go too good for Ross as he had 5 maximums and 3 of those were one after the other. Ross was not happy with this but took a few minutes to regroup and rebuild and rode well to the end of lap 1 finishing on a total of 42 marks. This put him in 5th position going into lap 2. All we could hope for now was that Ross could at least improve on his final lap and move into 4th. No sooner said than done Ross was finding the grip and we were to witness this improvement finishing on 35 marks. This had put Ross into 4th place overall.
Said Ross “This weekend has been brilliant I’m so happy with my results, coming 2nd on Saturday was fantastic and a credible 4th on Sunday – it’s really boosted my confidence and I hope to get more results like this throughout the Championship. I’m sure the previous two tough rounds of the British Championship have helped!!”
“I would like to express my gratitude to all my sponsors and especially to Soilmec for making this trip happen. Special thanks to Ian and Julie for supporting me before, during and after the trial – I’m glad that I have made it a memorable occasion for you!!”
“Thanks must also go to Dale (GasGas Importer) and all his staff who made us very welcome and for providing the bikes and facilities over the weekend”.
“Now to Marcus (my Minder) – who was absolutely brilliant I could not have achieved these results without you, thanks for being there and boosting my confidence when needed – it is nice to see us reaping the rewards of all our hard work! Thanks again mate”.
“I sincerely thank you all!!”
Ross is now preparing himself for this weekend’s toughest event of his calendar year the infamous “Scottish 6 Day Trial” watch this space for his report.
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JUNIOR WTC – ROUND 1 - LUXEMBOURG
General news 02-04-2008 by Webmaster
The first round of the WTC was held in a small town of Ettelbruck, Luxembourg where we saw Ross make an excellent start finishing in a very creditable 7th place in his first Junior cup ride.
The course was very demanding with many man made sections with heavy rain the night before made the conditions even more slippery from practice on Saturday. After walking the course and seeing the conditions which were going to be technical and demanding Ross was rearing to go!
The first lap saw Ross have a score of 30 which was not too far off the mark then on the final lap Ross improved his score with 22 marks with 1 maximum on the second lap meant that Ross could not improve his overall position of 7th from lap one.
Said Ross “Today I was very happy with my ride to come 7th and not a million miles away from the top three. I found the sections a lot more physical than the 125cc course last year and this resulted in me suffering from bad bouts of cramp in my legs, I was not the only rider to suffer cramp!!. However, I am looking forward to competing in Ireland where I hope to improve my position”.
Picture courtesy of Andy Greig
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