ShanBlog #4, Stardate May 6, 2010

I'm still reeling from the sights and sounds of the opening two rounds of the national trials series in Oklahoma. Everyone was thrilled having learned that defending champ Patrick Smage had won the Portugal round of the World Junior Championships just one week before and I couldn't wait to see what the Wisconsin rider looked like after spending all winter practicing in his barn. However, it was Cody Webb with the hot hand on Saturday, the newly acquired Gas Gas rider came out with guns blazing on Saturday, tackling the super-tough Tishomingo sections with confidence and poise. Even though Smage told us he was having problems getting his new Sherco jetted correctly, lots of credit should go to Webb for the ride he turned in on the opening day.

Smage came into the event with a brand new Sherco 2.9, which had a new S3 315cc big-bore kit installed, in addition to a high-compression head. All of this was in anticipation of some really big climbs and gaps - which the Texhoma club produced. However, Smage just didn't have the time to get things sorted out before Saturday's event.

After Webb took the big win on Saturday (he beat Smage by 16 points), Ryan Young and Brad Baumert stayed at the Tish club grounds until late in the evening getting things sorted out. On Sunday, Smage turned in an impressive ride, cleaning every section except for the first creek section, which took a three and a one from him.

At the end of the day, Smage took the win, and he left Oklahoma deadlocked with Webb for the series standings.

As for Europe, Smage told me he didn't enjoy the trip to Spain and Portugal and wasn't planning on going back - which is a big disappointment for most of the trials community, however, Smage is a great talent and what we need to hope for - as far as the prospects of a future US World Champ, is that he continues to compete for may years to come so the younger riders coming up (and there are a lot of really talented kids coming up through the ranks, thanks to people like Bill Markham, Ryan Young and Dan Brown), and hopefully, we will soon find a young American willing to do what Bernie Schreiber did and go to Europe, learn the techniques and take it to those guys... just my thoughts.

About Shan

Owner and Editor of Trials and Enduro News MotoJournalist of the Year Honors from the AMA NATC Trials Hall of Fame inductee