Trail Bike Adventure Magazine

Merriman rools!

Sunday, 07 September 2008 23:30

The ISDE has been run and won, with the Junior Trophy team - Bewley, Hore, Lloyd and Braico - nabbing a second place.

That's a huge result and Australia should be celebrating (but won't be, 'cos nobody pays much attention to our sport).

But the heartbreaker was Stefan Merriman. Second outright after Day Five, Merriman was in with a chance at the outright win. A collision with the padded barrier at the first turn of the final motocross cost him not only his outright second and chance of the overall win, but his class win as well. Knowing Stefan, he'll take it in his stride, be quietly disappointed, and move on to the next race. He's a class performer in every respect, both on and off the track, and I'm probably showing more emotion about the result than he is.

The Senior Trophy team were doing well until a mechanical failure DNFed Kirk Hutton. All the remaining team members - Merriman, Hollis, Kearney, Kearney and Roberts - finished on gold with good class and outright positions, but the DNF cost them any hope of a good team result.

So Australia again acquitted itself well, and I want to give a big round of applause to MA. I've been critical enough of our governing body in the past at times, but they did a superb job of keeping the news and rider positions up-to-date on the website, and even posted video daily, which I know from experience means a lot of work for someone.

Back here issue #24 is rolling along, the XR is beginning to look a serious proposition, and the ride in Laos is looking more likely.

I'm flat knacker, so I have to get back to work.

TF