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EVENTS EDITED BY CAMERON COATNEY By John Dickinson HAWKSTONE PARK, ENGLAND, APR. 18-19 fter winning both days of the opening round of the 1998 World Championship Trials series in Spain, reigning World Champion Doug Lampkin was looking forward to the second round, to be run in front of his home fans in Britain. As well he should have been: The young Brit was alone at the top of the charts, mastering the course and positively blitzing the field. Thus far this season it appears that there is no one to challenge the Beta-mounted star. Hawkstone is, of course, one of the most famous motocross venues of all time, having hosted GPs since they begain in the 1950s. Its sandy confines and that once-awesome hill - is still an i,ncredibly challenging track. And the teep hillsides make for a chaUenging trials course, especially when they are planned by former world number two and 10-time British cha'mpion Steve Saunders. Saunders always reckoned that the sections would not need too many alterations to make them suitable for the non-stop rule implemented this year, and he was right. Frankly, many felt that several were on the tight side, but at least Lampkin got what he was hoping for. UI don't want the trials too easy," Lampkin said before the event. "The A World Championship Observed Trials Series, Round 2: England f-----------------------------.--J harder they are, the better it suits me. Make them easy and too many riders can get involved." In the end, of course, Lampkin was basically the only rider to get involved his domination was complete. AU the hazards at Hawkstone are pretty much knocked out of the same mold: steep, sandy climbs twisting over and up and down large sandstone rocks - very difficult to do while maintaining forward motion, as the turns were acute and the rocks slippery. Saturday was a standard Lampkin riding lesson - he went straight into top gear and was in control all the way. And while this was very impressive, Sunday's ride was no Sunday ride, and showed what makes Lampkin champion. But we'll get to that later. Held in gorgeous weather, the opening day's action was everything the organizers wanted. Saunders had counted on good weather and used the hardest routes in his sections. Had there been rain on Friday, easier routes were an option. Lampkin's opening lap of 15 containe~ only one bad errror, when the uphill left-hano turn on the climbing second sections cost him a maximum. It also stopped Marc Colomer and Kenichi Kuroyama, while cleans were achieved by I talian veteran Diego Basis and Spanish youngster Jose Alcaraz. Podium challengers Graham Jarvis and David Cobos eased through for safe ones. Lampkin really got a grip by taking the only clean on the very tricky eighth sub, which started with a massive step and then twisted and turned its way through awkward, slippery rocks. He rna tered it the second time through as well, the only person to clean it all day. Section 12 was the toughest of the day and no one did better than a three, although it was comparatively easy to make it through with those dabs. The penultimate section took plenty ot marks as weU, running alongside the famous Hawkstone hill. Lampkin made it through for a safe pair of dabs while cleans were clocked by Colomer, Jarvis, Kuroyama and Frenchman Bruno Camozzi. Lampkin completed the lap for 18, then cruised around for three less after conquering the second hazard to finish the da y on top of the podium by a comfortable 13 marks. Colomer was a comfortable second, whil a very much on-form Jarvis was third. (Above) Doug Lampkin continues to dominate the World Championship Trials scene. He Is unbeaten after two rounds. (Left) Graham Jarvis put on a good ride In front of his home crowd. He finished third on Saturday and second on Sunday, the only other rider besides lampkin to make the podium on both days. Sunday dawned overcast and a heavy overnight dew had the sections in a much more slippery mood. The lampkin jinx on the second section struck again, a.t>d. he left it with a five. Lampkin was right back in the groove like nothing had happened as he knocked off three cleans and a dab, but then on the seventh sub he fouled a section-marker tape and the five-mark penalty rattled the favorite. He rallied to clean the eighth sub for the third time joined by his Beta teammate Kuroyama on this occasion - but yet another maximum on the 13th section and a scrappy three on the 14th saw Lampkin end the lap on 23. Colomer looked supersmooth on 19, Kuroyama was threatening on the same score and Jarvis was pressuring brilliantly on 21. As the aces started their second circuit, it started raining heavily and the sections instantly became treacherous. And a minor miracle got under way. From the bundle of nerves that was Lampkin on the opening lap emerged a supremely confident World Champion. The 400o-plus fans who had turned oul to watch Lampkin destroy his rivals could barely believe what they were seeing. Without going through the whole routine section by section, the easiest way to understand what Lampkin was doing is to compare the lap scores. Colomer went from a first-lap 19 to a second-lap 48, Kuroyama from 19 to 33, and Jarvis from 21 to 30. Jarvis eventually had the second-best score from the loop, and it was completely representative of the change in conditions. Lampkin went around with a four! Just four marks dropped on 15 sections, sections that were for aU intents and purposes virtually unridable. To watch him cleaning sections such as the eighth - cleaned only five times all weekend, four of those Lampkin's oWnwas to see something very special. He never looked as though he was losing traction at any time. And he was really angry with himself that one of his marks was a "real slack one!" '1 knew it was going to be a good lap as soon as I left the start. I just felt like I was really on it," said a delighted lampkin, "I wouldn't like to bet I could do that again, though!" Jarvis and the lone Scorpa claimed a brilliant second place, ahead of Kuroyarna, and Steve Colley made it three Brits in the top four. Fujinami came back from a surprise nonscoring ride on Saturday to take 13 points for fifth on Sunday, while a totally devastated and psyched-out Colomer limped hOrRe in sixth, a full 40 points behind his archrival, Lampkin. 0 British World Trial Hawkslone Park, England Results: April 18-19, 1998 (Round 2 of 10) Sa.turday 1. Doug Lampkin (Bet) 28; 2. Marc Colomer (Mon) 41; 3. Graham Jarvis (Sco) 50; 4. Kemchi Kuroyama (Bet) 52; S. David CoIx>6 (G-G) 54; 6. Steve Colley (G-G) 56; 7. Bruno Camozzi (G-G) 67; 8. Diego Bosis (Mon) 73; 9. Amos Bilbao (C-G) 70; 10. Jose-Manuel Alcaraz (Mon) 80; 11. Marcel Justribo (e.G) 81; 12. Jord1 Pascuet (Mon) 85; 13. Joachim Hindrcn (C..c) 86; 14. Marc CatIJa (C-G) 87; 15. Albert Cabest,ny (Bet) 90. Sund<1ly 1. Doug Lampkin (Bet) 27; 2. Grahom Jarvis (Seo) 51; 3. Kenichi Kuroyamo (Bet) 52; 4. Steve Colley (G-G) 60; 5. rakahsa Fujinami (Hon) 64; 6. Marc Colomer (Mon) 67; 7. Bruno Camo7.zi (G-G) 67; 8. David Cobos (G-G) 69; 9. Amos Bilb,o (GoG) 70; 10. Joachim Hindren (G-G) 83; J 1. Mkha.J Vukeevle (G-G) 83; 12. Marc Freixa (G-C) 84; 13. Albert Cabestnoy (Bet) 86; 14. Martin Crosswai'e (GoG) 87; 15. Frederic Crosset (G-G) 87. Upcoming Rounds: Round 3 - San Marino, April 25-26 Round 4 - Nepomuk, Czech Republic, May 23-24