Reigning X Trial Champion Kyle Middleton, put in an incredible display of determination and held out local West Australian Neil Price, in a nail biting finish to round one of the X Trial Australian Championships at Perth’s HBF Stadium on Saturday night.
In front of a 2000 plus vocal West Australian spectators, 6 of Australia’s best Trial riders took on a formidable course. The level of difficulty was obvious in the Qualifying round as all 6 riders took a maximum score of 5 on the first and most technically difficult section. The night didn’t get any better for Colin Zarczynski (NSW) and Craig Austin (WA) who both did not qualify for the final Colin ending the round in 5th (24 points) and Craig 6th (26 points).
Tasmanian Chris Bayles had a soft start to the Qualifying round, but a solid clean ride on the Waco Kwikform Scaffolding left him on 19 points, 5 clear of Colin Z to secure his place in the Final 4. The other Zarczynski brother Kevin, had a determined ride to get through both of the concrete and OTR tyre sections to end up on 17, equal to 2nd place, but relegated to 3rd by count back on cleans.
Neil Price (WA) had two solid one point rides in sections 2 and 3 to secure 2nd place in the final, but nearly put himself out of contention with a big fall on the final section hurting his ankle and snapping the handlebar mounts off his Beta Evo.
Kyle Middleton, came out of the box with some really smooth confident riding clean rides on the concrete and Scaffolding to roll into the lead on 9 points.
In the Final Neil Price came out of the blocks with the only clean ride on the narrow barrier section, Kyle dropped 3 and Chris and Kevin both dropping 5 marks. Price continued on a perfect run, with Kyle not dropping another point. Four sections in Price was in the lead on 0 points but with Kyle right behind on 3 points in 2nd and Chris Bayles in 3rd on 7 points and Kevin dropping back to 16 points.
It all came down to the very last section of the night and the support from the home crowd wasn’t enough to get Price up and over, fiving the last section.
Never before had anyone conquered the seven’s till Kyle sailed to the top in a spectacular ride to cement the win. The crowd roar was deafening.
“X Trial is growing bigger and bigger every year, I can tell because it’s getting harder and harder to hear myself think every year,” explained Middleton. “The organisers really know how to show off the sport of trial. I made a few mistakes in qualifying, but I threw everything I had at the final.”
Second place getter Price said,” I felt nervous in the practice, but felt calmer as the night progressed, my ride in the final was unreal, better than I ever expected, be close to Kyle is unreal as he is riding so well”.
Chris Bayles rounded out the podium in 3rd. “The crowd was awesome, really got behind us riders, I felt alright on the bike, but it didn’t show in the results. I actually thought I hadn’t qualified, but I felt better as the night progressed and I am looking forward to shaking these guys up in Wollongong”.
Next Round
Wollongong - Saturday July 27th, WIN Ent Centre, Wollongong, NSW Gates open at 6pm - Main Event 6:30pm Start
Tickets – Ticketmaster https://www.ticketmaster.com.au/x-trial-australian- championship-tickets/artist/2645072