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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128173
World Championship Trials Series Final Round: Twin Ring Lampkin makes history with yet another title (Left) Doug Lampkin wasn't perfect on the weekend, but he didn't have to be. His second-place finish on day one was enough to clinch his sixth straight championship - an alitime record. He won day two. (Above) Takahlsa Fujinami did his best to keep Lampkin down by winning day one. He ended up second on day two, and In the points. (Left) David Cobos' 3-4 finishes on the weekend were enough to vault him to fifth in the points. BRIEFLY••• For the third consecutive year, Honda's Twin Ring road-race circuit hosted the Japanese World round. and once again. everyone agreed it was the best event of the season. Spectators enjoyed the convenience of a road-race circuit with the aura of a true trial. and 22,200 of them <13.700 on Sunday alone) paid the 2000-yen ticket price (about $18) to do so. Italian round. This time, though, organizers didn't make the mistake of over-correcting for Sunday; though 10 sections were modified, only the necessary alterations were performed, leaving them challenging enough. . While the top two for the season were never in doubt in Japan, there was also a good battle among the three riders behind them - Graham Jarvis, David Cobos and Marc Freixa. Part of the reason for the heated competition among these riders is that only the top six riders in the series are guaranteed an invitation to the World Championship Indoor Trials Series this winter. DAY 1 Riding difficult sections (due to the bad weather), Fujinami scored the win by two points over the defending STORY AND PHOTOS BY MARIO CANDELLONE MOTEGI, JAPAN, SEPT. 7-8 lthough Takahisa Fujinami put on a Saturday show for his home crowd, taking his fourth win of the series and his third in four tries, King Dougie Lampkin came out victorious at the season's final day of competition, sewing up his record sixth consecutive World title. The finale came following a lengthy delay in the schedule, but the event's elite level of organization, press coverage (including Japanese television), and huge spectator turnout made it worth the wait, despite the fact that the weather didn't cooperate. The rocks in the sections were soon covered in mud, and Saturday's slippery going was reminiscent of the A 42 SEPTEMBER 25, 2002' II: U II: I e n e _ s Taichi Tanaka lost the Junior title to fellow countryman Fumitaka Nozaki after he led the points chase for most of the year. The unlucky Gas Gas rider took part in this competition despite having a broken bone in his hand. hoping to keep his advantage and clinch the title. But the pain was too great (especially in such a tough event). so his poor performance wasn't enough. Yamaha-mounted Japanese rider Isao Shibuya scored his first World Championship points at this round with a 13th-place finish on Saturday. Also. home rider Tomoyuki Ogawa. who competed at the World level in the '90s. made it inside the top 15 in his only World ride of the year. At the end of Saturday's award ceremony. the Japanese team for the Trial des Nations was announced. The event will take place at month's end in Portugal. where Takahisa Fujinami, Kenichi Kuroyama. Tomoyuki Ogawa and Fumitaka Nozaki will compete. There will also be a Japanese team for the Trials of the Nations for Ladies. but only one of the three members - Ban Tsuruyo - was present. The sections were in four groups: one through three were on a steep hill; four through seven were in the woods; eight through 13 had rocks and muddy climbs; and 14 and 15 were indoorstyle and near the start. A free service of buses allowed spectators to access the circuit. Among the European riders. Marcel Justribo and Bruno Camozzi were no-shows. as were several smaller names who could not afford such an expensive trip. To compensate, there were 13 Japanese riders not seen before at any World rounds. There were a few interesting bikes in the pits. including an electric Honda. a Kono Honda 100cc four-stroke (produced in Spain and sold only in Japan). and a Scorpa-Yamaha 125cc fourstroke in two versions (one for competition and one for recreation), Going by the final points standings. it can be said that Japan would have topped the unofficial team championship for the year. The showdown between that country's team and those of Great Britain and Spain in Portugal at the Trial des Nations should be a good one.