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AMA NATe Observed Trials Series: Rounds 1 and 2 Aaron by Leaps and Bounds is considered one of the best teachers in the sport. Finishing out the top five series standings were Ryon Bell of Victoria, British Columbia and Oliver Clamagirand, who moved to the United States from Belgium in '97 to compete full time on the NATC circuit, but sat out '98 and '99 to start a business. Adding even more international flavor to the event was David Chaves, a Spaniard riding for Bultaco USA. Chaves will compete in the series, like Tommi Ahvala did two years ago, as an exhibition rider. Had Chaves' scores counted, he would have placed ninth and seventh. SATURDAY Geoff Aaron proved just how determined he was to win in 2000 by negotiating Saturday's opening loop with the loss of only one point. Aaron actually never took his feet off the pegs, but was given a point in the first section when the judge determined that Geoff had lost forward momentum. "I came up over a rock and stuffed into a hole with the front tire," Aaron sa id of the incident. After that, Aaron was cautious and hung back, letting all the other riders go ahead of him so he could watch their lines for the remainder of his near-perfect loop. "I took some advise from a local rider who said that the sections here get better after a few riders go through." Aaron's strategy obviously paid off as his closest challenge came from Raymond Peters, a full six points back with winner of last weeks Canadian national round, Ryon Bell, who scored all of his points in just three sections, in third with ten. Loop two was relatively uneventful for the top three with Aaron picking up six marks. compared to nine for Peters and Bell, who were still within striking distance. Bell came into the Goldendale event as one of the pre-event favorites after totally dominating the first round of the Canadian/NAMU championships the week before in loco, British Columbia. Admittedly nervous before the Washington event, Bell's third loop could best be described as frustrating. "I started out the third loop really, really well until the third section," Bell admitted. "Disaster struck from there on. I spun on a small rock about the size of a baseball and fived the section." Bell had back-to-back fives on relatively easy sections mid-way through the loop and topped off his bad luck with a flat rear tire in, appropriately enough, section number 13. When all was said and done, Bell had 25 points on the last loop, but sal- Gas Gas-mounted Geoff Aaron came to the Pacific Northwest and dominated both days picking up where he left off two years ago. every single thing out there and know that on days when I feel like can do that, I'll do it." Aaron's win gave the 27 year old a 14-point lead in the title chase and also marked his national debut on Gas Gas after seven years with Beta. Second place in the series after two rounds belongs to U.S. Bultacosponsored Raymond Peters of Kentucky. Peters was the only rider besides former world champ Tommi Ahvala to win a national in '99 and is making a comeback from knee surgery after a get off during an exhibition event in Park City, Utah last year. The number three-ranked rider in '99, Peters made his usual consistent rides over the weekend and is a strong contender for this year's title. Three points behind Peters is Gas Gas rider Jess Kempkes of Nebraska. Kempkes spent part of last year doing exhibitions and didn't compete in the national series. Fatigue was a factor on Saturday for ~'Jesser". However, with encouragement from his new minder Mark Manniko, Kempkes turned in a brilliant second place finish on Sunday. Manniko, a top national competitor in the mid-'90s, By SHAN MOORE/TRIALS COMPETITION NEWSPAPER. GLENDALE, WA, APRIL )·2 ive-time u.s. National Trials Champion Geoff Aaron took a giant step toward a record-tying sixth title with a double win at the opening two rounds of the AMA/NATC National Observed Trials Championships in Goldendale, Washington. The win was especially satisfying for Aaron since his last national victory was in 1998. "It's been over a year since I won a national and I am really happy to be back on top," Aaron said after the event. "It feels great to come out and win the first national of the year." Aaron, who calls Alpine, California home, found the dry, porous rocks around Klickatat County, located on the dry side of the Cascade Mountains, to his liking. "The terrain suited me," said Aaron. "It's similar to what I've been riding and I knew that this was a good opportunity for a win, so I just put my head down and tried to clean as many sections as I could and stay steady. I just felt like I could clean F 22 APRIL 19, 2000· cue I III n e vv s Canadian Ryon Bell had a successful weekend posting a third-place finish on Saturday followed up by a fifth on Sunday.