PREVIEW: DL12 Indoor Trial gears up for world's top riders at Utilita Arena Sheffield
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Following last year’s sell out event the DL12 Indoor Trial will be back on Saturday, January 13, 2024.
BUY TICKETS: For more details and to book the cheapest tickets whilst they are still available visit www.dl12indoortrial.co.uk – also see www.utilitaarenasheffield.co.uk.
The top five motorcycle riders in the world will battle it out against Britain’s best three challengers over a course designed again by Yorkshire’s very own ex-multi–World Champion Dougie Lampkin.
The undisputed World number one Toni Bou will look to put the disappointment of missing out on a podium place inside the steel city venue earlier this year after a heavy crash and injured foot forced his early retirement.
Already a 13-time victor of the previous events held at the South Yorkshire arena, Bou will be eager to wrestle the winner’s trophy back off his fierce rival and compatriot Adam Raga who came out on top of the inaugural DL12 Indoor Trial held earlier this year.
This established duo will face stiff opposition from two rising Spanish stars, those being world number two Jaime Busto and Gabriel Marcelli who finished third in the 2023 world title race. Both are more than capable of defeating their older rivals and have done so in the past and will be hoping to improve on their podium positions from back in January when they shared the rostrum with Raga. Busto narrowly missed out on the win and Marcelli took third spot.
The highly experienced Matteo Grattarola, a former two times World Champion in the Trial2 class and current world number four, failed to make it through to the final when he was a late addition to the 2023 line up and will be keen to stake his claim on a podium place when he returns to the Utilita Arena following what has been an exceptional season for the Italian rider.
Pitted against the world’s best, Britain will be well represented by recently crowned Trial2 World Champion Billy Green, with the twenty-one-year-old making his Sheffield debut. Green is sure to get huge support from the expected sell out home crowd. Green’s compatriot and a finalist inside the famous Yorkshire arena back in January, Toby Martyn then missed most of the early part of the season after sustaining a nasty back injury. Thankfully Toby is now back to full fitness and ready to fight for a rostrum finish on his return to Sheffield.
Britain’s final contender Harry Hemingway is Yorkshire born and bred and earlier this year became the youngest rider ever to compete at the DL12 Indoor Trial, aged just seventeen. Although it proved to be a tough debut for the former Trial3 World Champion, the young gritty northerner was not deterred by the experience and is desperate this time to put on a performance to repay the massive support he got from home fans during his debut showing.
Course designer and co-promoter Dougie has been working hard behind the scenes over several months to serve up another series of gravity defying obstacles to test these eight highly talented riders to the limit. As the first edition of the event proved, it is a great evening of entertainment and action for all ages with the main competition being preceded by an exhibition of off-road motorcycles and accessories, plus paddock access and a rider autograph session all included in the price of a standard entry ticket.
The improvements for the 2024 DL12 Indoor Trial include:
Top five riders in the world plus Britain’s 3 best challengers
Trial Expo entry*
Paddock / warm up area and rider autograph session access*
New premium upgrade packages – Prime and Prime Plus
Main event start time now 5pm
New PA / sound system
Increased lighting levels
Revamped course including new sections / races
Watch the full delayed live programme via video link*
For more details and to book the cheapest tickets whilst they are still available visit www.dl12indoortrial.co.uk
*Exclusively included in standard tickets purchased via www.dl12indoortrial.co.uk
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