Report 2013
Final report of 28 July 2013
Historic triumph: Mirko Kammel first German night trial winner since 1992 / Over 1,100 spectators celebrate summer trial party in Uslar-Fürstenhagen
At the last night trial two years ago, only a tiny dot was missing. But this time Mirko Kammel leaves nothing to chance at temperatures above 30 degrees. With a clear lead, the 21-year-old from the Motorsport Club Brake wins the 17th International ADAC Night Trial of the MSC Weser-Solling in Uslar-Fürstenhagen. The Bielefeld-based driver thus achieves a historic victory in front of over 1,100 spectators. For the first time since 1992, a German pilot is at the top of the podium at the most important German outdoor trial. Jan Junklewitz and Franzi Kadlec also secured second and third places for local riders.
Kammel, German Champion of 2010, kept a low profile before the start: “The top 3 should be in”; said the sports soldier slightly tense. At the finish line, a beaming smile followed a heartfelt embrace with his girlfriend: “I didn’t admit it before, but after the narrow defeat in 2011, I wanted to win today. Here in Fürstenhagen, there is a large commemorative plaque with the winners since 1986, and I have always wanted to be on it,” said the sports soldier after crossing the finish line. Immediately, he stood in front of the big list of winners, covered in sweat, for a private photo session.
And the start of the Night Trial 2013 could hardly have been worse for Kammel. After only one meter of driving, he failed spectacularly on his Spanish Jotagas 300 at the first big rock obstacle and screamed his frustration into the dawning darkness. “I probably wanted to take the pressure off right away,” the sports soldier commented self-ironically on the failed entry. It took Kammel three laps before he could pass Jan Junklewitz from Enger near Bielefeld. In the fourth and final round over the six obstacle sections, he held the lead and won by six points ahead of Junklewitz and the only 16-year-old young talent Franzi Kadlec from Beiersbeuren in Bavaria.
At the other end of the table there was also a beaming face. The 17-year-old Manfred Sustrate from Fürstenhagen took all his courage together and was the first driver of the MSC Weser-Solling ever to register for the night trial. In the field of the twelve top drivers from five countries he fought his way through the heat of the summer night to the finish with his GasGas. “I’m really glad that I took part,” he said after the race. “There were so many spectators. That made me a little nervous. The ride with the top drivers gave me a lot of self-confidence. I’ll benefit from that.” Sustrate’s performance is particularly remarkable because as a junior he was only allowed to compete with a lower-performance 125cc bike.
Until well after midnight, the audience stood in front of the large boulder, which traditionally serves as a podium in Fürstenhagen, and listened to the rider interviews. Dietrich Siemon, who is both head of the night trial and first chairman of the MSC Weser-Solling, was delighted with the successful event: “It was another great trial party. Despite the dry weather and the non-slip surface, we managed to provide the riders with a challenging course that even the top riders had to nibble on. The first German victory in more than twenty years and the first start of an MSC rider make the 17th Night Trial special. Many thanks also to the many voluntary helpers!
About 100 people were on duty during the night from Saturday to Sunday. In addition to the members of the MSC Weser-Solling, the volunteer fire brigade Fürstenhagen, the German Red Cross from Uslar and the Technical Relief Organisation from Bad Lauterberg also helped. At about 2.30 a.m., the helpers were traditionally sent off by the MSC crew with a guard of honour and a La Ola wave.
The night trial of the MSC Weser-Solling in Uslar-Fürstenhagen
Trial pilots are the acrobats, climbers and strategists of motorcycle sport. The winner of a trial is the one who masters difficult terrain sections with his motorcycle without mistakes. With body control and a feeling for the millimetre-precise line, trial riders look for the best way over obstacles and the perfect unit with their motorcycle weighing around 70 kilograms. Body contact with obstacles or ground contact with the feet lead to penalty points. Speed does not matter, there is only a limit for the riding time. Trial is the supreme discipline of motorcycling even in daylight. All the more challenging is the ride through the night.