2020 California Trials Invitational Results
Cycle News Staff | July 26, 2020
Karl Davis Junior came out on top of the results sheet for the 2020 California Trials Invitational. The event was pulled together to allow the top Trials riders to compete since most Trials competitions have been postponed due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Karl Davis Junior got off to a great start and held on for the win at the California Trials Invitational, hosted at the KTM groups newly constructed Trials training section at RD field.
The KTM group purchased GasGas in 2019 and for the first time, the Austrian company has a brand to compete in Trials. The team hired Geoff Aaron, the ten-time US Trials champion and longtime GasGas rider, to manage the team for 2020 and beyond. When it became clear that most events were not going to happen anytime soon, the KTM group decided to create an event and invite all the top riders to compete, regardless of which brand they ride. Aaron constructed a Trials section at RD Field, the same property that the KTM and Husqvarna teams have their Supercross and EnduroCross testing and training courses.
Josh Roper looked spectacular all day, but early mistakes held him back. But he put on a clinic on in the third and final round to move up to second for the day.
Like a typical National event, the course included five sections and the riders attempted each section three times. Davis got off to a hot start on his Scorpa collecting only seven points on the five sections during round one. Rounds two and three did not go as well for him as he recorded 16 and 13 scores but his final score of 36 was enough to edge out Sherco rider Josh Roper, who ended up with 39. Roper’s day was the opposite of Davis as he had a tough time on the first two loops scoring 20 and 26 points respectively but then he had an amazing final loop where he had just three points. Roper was the only rider to successfully complete the tough loop five all day.
Alex Niederer uses a lot of finesse and relatively low RPM to great effect. He finished third for the day on his Beta.
Beta rider Alex Niederer rounded out the podium with a score of 44.
In the women’s class, Sherco rider Louise Forsley had a consistent day to beat out GasGas backed Maddie Hoover and Scorpa rider Kylee Sweeten.
Louise Forsley was consistently strong all day and earned the women’s class win on her Sherco.
Multi-time and current US women’s champion Maddie Hoover looked strong but struggled with one log wall on section three.
2020 California Trials Invitational Results
Men
- Karl Davis Jr., Sco
- Josh Roper, Shr
- Alex Niederer, Bet
Women
- Louise Forsley, Shr
- Maddie Hoover, Gas
- Kylee Sweeten, Sco
The event was widely praised by all the riders and media that attended. The KTM group is hoping to help increase the awareness of Trials and this was a good way to do just that with a lot of media on hand to see it, many for the first time.
