SMAGE, FREIXA SWAP WINS AGAIN
P
at Smage and Marc Freixa
swapped wins for the sec-
ond week in a row, this time at
rounds three and four of the
2016 SWM US National Cham-
pionship MotoTrials Series at
the Trials Training Center in
Sequatchie, Tennessee, May
28-29.
The Trial Training Center is
a trials paradise for those who
enjoy the feet-up sport. How-
ever, the place can be treacher-
ous when wet and with rain in
the forecast, the organizers set
up the MotoTrials section on the
easy side. And when the rain did
not materialize, the end result
was a trial that saw both Smage
and Freixa finish Saturday's
event without taking a dab. In a
tie situation the win goes to the
rider who finishes the event with
the fastest time, and the Sherco
rider, Smage, finished the
12-section, three-lap course 16
minutes quicker than Freixa.
"I figured the sections would
get trickier as the trial pro-
gressed, but we ended with a
clean first lap and so did Freixa,
so at that point it turned into
a race [due to the potential
of a tie-break situation]," said
Smage. "On the final lap I was
getting a little nervous because
there were a few places that
were a little tricky and I landed
on some loose rocks a few
times and that almost cost me a
point, but I'm happy I was able
to put in a complete day."
Naturally, Freixa was frustrat-
ed at cleaning the trial and still
missing out on the overall win.
"The trial was too easy for the
top riders and we had to race
around the course, which is
IN
THE
WIND
P36
(Above) Pat Smage had a perfect
day on Saturday.
