AMA congratulates U.S. Trial des Nations team

PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- Trials is one of the most challenging motorsports in the world, and the annual FIM Trial des Nations championship features the world's best competitors. On Sept. 30 in Moutier, Switzerland, the U.S. men's and women's teams represented America well, finishing sixth and fifth in their respective divisions.

Spain, a perennial trials powerhouse, won both the men's and women's divisions.

The U.S. men's team, which competed in the International Trophy division, included Cody Webb from Royal Oaks, Calif., Bryan Roper from Glendale, Ariz., Karl Davis Jr. from Ormond Beach, Fla., and Eric Storz from Ventura, Calif. For the U.S. women's team, the competitors were Louise Forsley from Bernardston, Mass., Caroline Allen from Norton, Mass., and Rachel Hassler from Albuquerque, N.M.

"The U.S. team did America proud in Switzerland," said AMA Off-Road Manager Chuck Weir. "Trials is enormously popular in Europe, but it is growing quickly in the United States. Our participation in events such as the Trial des Nations plays a key role in that growth by showcasing our riders' talents among the best trials riders in the world. We congratulation Spain on an impressive showing, and we're already looking forward to next year's competition."

The U.S. Trials des Nations team was managed by Kip Webb, and Martin Belair served as the delegate to the local FIM affiliate organization.

The sport of trials involves riders navigating their motorcycles over seemingly impossible terrain. The Trial des Nations began in Europe in 1983 as a way to bring the best trials riders from each country together to compete as teams, and it has evolved into one of the most anticipated motorcycle events of the year. Each competing country fields two teams: a men's team consisting of four riders and a women's team consisting of three riders.