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OBSERVED TRIALS AMAH/ATC NATIONAL OBSERVED TRIALS SERIES By Mark Kariya MCCAIN VALLEY, CA, APR. 19 hen those who attended round three of this year's AMA/NATC National Observed Trials Series at the McCain Valley OHV Recreation Area bench-race about it in the future, they're going to remember who got second as clearly as who won. For the record, three-time and defending AMA/NATC National Observed Trials Champion Geoff Aaron won his second National in a row on his Beta, carding a sweet 16 (with 24 cleans) for the day. Don't think it was a walk, though, because one other rider collected just 16 (falling just short of Aaron with 23 ·cleans). To look at him, you'd think he might be old enough to ride the High School class (which he is, having turned 15 the week before). But weighing less than 100 pounds in full gear, Adam Rega appeared to be more than a foot beneath Aaron's 6-foot-3-inch frame, a David-and-Goliath sort of match some might say.-Rega a Championship-class contender? No way, Jose. As Rega proved, however, size isn't everything. He is, after all, from Spain, where he can train daily with many of the world's best trials riders. Brought to California for a bit of international experience by Gas Gas international marketing director Andreu Codina of Spain, a former world-class trials rider himself, Rega quickly established himself a crowd favorite. At first spectators cheered him because of his youth and s\ze, but his talent quickly came through and won them over. Of course, it was all academic because he rode strictly for exhibition, not for any series points or even a trophy. Officially, runner-up honors went to round-one winner Raymond Peters, also on a Gas Gas, with 18, while Belgian expatriate Olivier Clamgirand earned third with a contested 19 on his Gas Gas. The American Trials Association laid out a dozen sections in the rocks and scrub brush of McCain Valley, in the mountains near the southern end of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park; 55 competitors took part. The warm, spring day was a welcome change from the subfreezing temperatures everyone faced in the Texas rounds last weekend. All riders would bypass two sections. Most of the Championship entrants termed the degree of difficulty as easy to moderate, making for a low-scoring, tight event, with only section 12 providing a real test. As Aaron p~t it, "The last section today was probably the best section, even though I didn't do that well in t.... it. It was probably the most spectacular 0\ and the best one to watch. It was the ~ best one to ride if you could do it right. "- ' • "1 don't care for the sections too L.... much when they're easy - you make ~ silly mistakes, and everyone makes silly "':::' mistakes (now and then) so anybody ,.,:::; could win. When the sections are more difficult, it tends to separate the men from the boys." 32 one and 10bp two. That left Rega still the unofficial leader and Peters the official leader, with 12 and 14 points, respectively. "l started things off really well," Peters said, "and it was looking good." Aaron's eight points kept him a close third.with 16, and C1amagirand stayed in the hunt with another nine for 18 total. All of the front-runners improved on the last loop. Rega brought in a card showing four points and seven cleans, Peters nearly matching that at four and six. Gas Gas teamster Jess Kempkes finally got his loop score in the single digits with his four and eight. "l wasn't expecting (today} to be so easy," the Nebraskan said. "l made a few minor mistakes, and it just killed me in the overall run." Clamagirand scorched the last loop, dabbing just once. What makes a champion is the ability to thrive under pressure, and that's precisely what Aaron did, cleaning all 10 sections that last loop. That rally leapfrogged him from an unofficial third to C1amagirand seemed to agree, saying: "1 just wish the sections could've been harder here. I had a great time, though." Anyone who doubted Rega's abilities couldn't ignore the fact that he led the field after the first loop with six points, followed by Aaron and Peters with eight each, and seven and five cleans, respectively. C1amagirand at nine was the only other competi tor in single digits, though he filed a protest for his score in section nine. "1 got a five for going over a (boundary) ribbon that was under a rock," he reported. "It cost me first place. It was a very easy section." Officials disallowed his protest, however, leaving the former Belgian National champ still looking for his first U.s. National win. Peters bumped it up on loop two, with his six points and eight cleans identical to Regas score on both loop (Top) Young Adam Rega from Spain was a serious contender at the National Observed Trials round in California. The 1S-year-old finished second. (Above) Geoff Aaron nipped Rega by one clean for the National win. (Right) Section 12 gave . the Championship riders the National's biggest challenge. Here, Raymond Peters was up to It en route to second overall for the day. which goes well with his win at the opening round In Texas.