Name: Kai Sakakibara

Date: 28, 29 January 2012

Venue: Bunbury, Western Australia

Race: National Champ Bikx 2012 Round 3 and 4

Class: 16 boys

Result: Round 3 - motos, Round 4 - DNS

Weather: Sunny and hot all week, but windy.

Course condition: Very smooth and well prepared.

 

Redline, Blackman Bicycles, Time Pedals, Champion System, Michram Industries, Bluefit Gym, Peabody

 

 

 

I travelled to Bunbury W.A. with the NSW State Team, and arrived in the morning of the Friday before racing. I was able to get some practice in that afternoon on the track before the racing started on Saturday.

 

There was some practice and warm up sessions on the track, then the racing started with the time trials.

My time trial was a bit of a messy lap. I came sideways out of the gate so had a slow start, and didn’t quite get the first straight perfectly either. It wasn’t a very fast first straight, but my second straight and third straight both went nicely, and I finished off with a good last straight. I ended up 6th in the time trials, the messy first straight probably cost me some time.

 

I had 3rd pick for the first moto and got lane 1. I had a really good start out of the inside, and came across down the first straight. Peter Little and Jordan Lecher came out well as well though, so it was quite tight down the first straight. I had the inside line coming down the first straight, so was planning to go in tight to get past. I can’t quite remember what happened, but I think Peter came across over the triple into the first corner and I tried to dodge him, but lost control and took off sideways off the triple. I landed hard on my side, and wasn’t able to get up to finish the race. I was scored a DNF.

 

I decided to go on with the racing, but obviously had the slowest time in the first moto so had last pick for the second moto. I came out ok out of the gate, but it was a long way across to the inside, and the riders on the inside were already there when I went to come across. I was stuck on the outside into the first corner in 4th, and got pushed up high and let Luke Roguski up the inside which put me into 5th. I got him back up the inside around the second corner though, so I was in 4th again coming into the third straight. I did my best to make up for my loss down the first straight and first corner, but couldn’t catch into 3rd. I finished 4th.

 

I got lane 4 for the last moto. I came out of the gate quite well, but it was tight again down the first straight with Jordan Lecher, Peter Little, Curtis Dowdell and Luke Roguski all in one bunch. I was in about 4th into the first corner, but took the corner low and got myself into a battle for 2nd with Curtis Dowdell. I got through the second straight quite well and shut him down, so I was in 2nd coming around the second corner. I knew I had to get a 1st in this moto if I was to make it through to the final, so I was looking for an inside pass on Jordan down the third straight. It all happened really quickly. Jordan came across onto my line down the third straight, and I went to move onto the outside. Then suddenly my hand slipped off my handle bars and I hit the deck. I once again had to walk it across and off the track and I was given a DNF for this race as well.

 

Unfortunately I was not up to racing in round 4 on Sunday.

 

My result and racing in Bunbury this year definitely wasn’t how I wanted it to be but I am feeling extremely excited about the next rounds of the UCI Champ Bikx series at Canberra, ACT.