World moto trials round

It's on! The countdown for Australia's first ever hosting of the Trials World Championship is over as this weekend the competition will be held at Mt Tarrengower, near Maldon (Victoria) on May 26-27, 2012.

The weather will play a large role in the outdoor event as the forecast is for rain and wind, which make things precipitously slippery.

Riders who will compete at Mt Tarrengower include multiple world champions Toni Bou, Adam Raga and Dougie Lampkin, as as well as as 2004 world champion Takahisa Fujinama, Spain's Albert Cabestany and British hotshots Michael Brown and James Dabill.

The skill level that riders display has to be seen to be believed, as they bunny hop, balance and bounce their bikes around the tight and technical courses.

Australia will be one of seven rounds in this year's championship, with the opener already held in France on April 28-29. Australia is the only round to be held outside of the Northern Hemisphere.

The last major moto trials event in Australia was the spectacular International Two Day Super Trial near Bendigo (Vic) in late 1995, won by Englishman Sean Morris, with Brown and Dabill also competitors.

Moto trials makes for a spectacular spectator sport, as all the action is held in a very small area and observers can get up close and personal with all the action.

Remarkably, there have only been four world trials champions since 1997, mainly due to the incomparable Lampkin, who piled on seven successive titles from 1997-2003.

Since then, Fujinama (2004), Raga (2005-2006) and Bou (2007-2011, pictured) have taken over the mantle from Lampkin, who is reaching the twilight of his career.

Mt Tarrengower is located about 150km north of Melbourne, just off the Calder Freeway.

For more information on  the Australian round, visit www.wtcaustralia.com.au, or click here.