Name: Kai Sakakibara

Date: 19th April 2012

Venue: Mt Gambier, South Australia

Race: National Champ Bikx 2012, Round 7

Class: 16 boys

Result: 6th

Weather: Sunny and fine, but a bit windy at times

Course condition: Very nice and smooth, well prepared.

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

 

The Champ Bikx race format was different to usual because of the inclusion of the Dynamite series in the racing. The Champ Bikx riders got on the track after the Dynamites’ warm up and time trial, and then got into time trials.

Time trials went well for me, with a pretty smooth lap from start to finish. My time gave me a 2nd for time trials, which was a good start to the day.

 

Racing started after the conclusion of the Pro Bikx time trials.

 

My motos went quite well, with a 1st, 1st, 2nd. The first two motos were smooth and fast, and I stayed in front of Peter Little all the way around the track. In the third moto though, Peter had the good run down the first straight and got the better of me into the first corner. I was right with him all the way around, but couldn’t quite get past, and finished with a 2nd.

 

I got lane 1 for the semi final. My start was good and I came out strong, but Jordan Lecher out of lane 3 came out with the better. I was in 2nd into the first corner. Jeremy Mclerie went for a dive up the inside, but I made my way around and regained my position down the second straight. I took it nice and simple from there, but nearly went over the bars on the last jump when I over manualed the one before and bonked into it. I managed to hold on and come through with a 2nd though.

 

I came out of lane 5 in the final. I had a good start, but didn’t get the manual over the first jump as well as I wanted to and got boxed in down the first straight. I was looking for a dive in around the first corner, but two riders crashed on the inside of the corner so all I could do was ride around the top. I was in 5th out of the first corner. I had good speed coming into the second straight, but Alex Cahill had the inside so I move to the outside to get a clear run. This didn’t turn out well as Alex started to drift outwards, and left me with no choice but to ride into the second corner on the very outside. In this instance, Zac Wilson made a dive up the inside and that put me back into 6th. I looked for moves around the last corner and last straight, but there was just no room. I finished 6th.

 

It was a bit disappointing how the race turned out, but it just wasn’t my race and wasn’t much I could do about it. I was riding good throughout the day though, so I was happy about that.