23/04/11 - UEM Youth and Women Championship: Civita Castellana, VT

French Steven Coquelin and pluri-champion Spanish girl Laia Sanz dominated the scene of the first appointment of the, respectively, Youth and Women European Championship.
For the first time the European Trials circus arrived in center of Italy, at Civita Castellana, not far from the capital Rome. The local club called “trialisti laziali” found a one km square area to include all the sections, allowing spectators to follow the whole competition, easily.
It fell to about 50 very young riders and 12 girls to kick-start this three-round championship usually run during school vacation. On the twelve hazards, which will be used to-morrow for the high level classes, Coquelin gained soon a smooth advantage on his country mate Paul Bury, both on Gas Gas: 15 points against 18 at the end of the first loop. But his masterpiece was the second lap. He scored just 5 marks, totalizing sharply half point than his rivals. Third step of podium for English Luke Walker.
Among the women, no chance for any but Laia Sanz, She cleaned both the loops. Surprise the runner-up position went to British Emma Bristow, who beat number two in world ranking , still English, Becky Cook.
In the lower class for Youth, named International, Spanish Miquel Gelabert topped the rostrum, after a good recovery in the second lap on Germany Sascha Neumann. Both tied in the score made, tied in number of cleans, it was necessary counting the number of dabs: one more for Gelabert. French Anthony Pierre completed the podium.
German Michelle Neukirchen triumphed in the lower class for Women, beating the two Italian Elisa Peretti and Sonia Porcu finished in this order.
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