Girls are go

The 2012 FIM Women's Trial World Championship is underway, with the opening day of the news series having run in conjunction with the FIM Trial World Championship in the mountains of Andorra. This is the first time that the two championships having been fully combined. Previously the Women's competitions have either taken place as stand-alone events or on the day prior to the men's Trial.

Eighteen Women riders swelled the masculine ranks to make a total of sixty-six starters for this inaugural joint format competition. Using the same sections as their male counterparts, the Women's route through the rocky hazards was defined by the pink markers as they tackled fourteen out of the fifteen zones. Sandwiched between the Youth and Junior riders in the starting order, the Women's contingent included riders from as far a field as Australia and Sweden.

2007 FIM Women's Trial World Champion Iris Kramer now in her role as adviser to the series, was on hand to check the severity of the course and to ensure that all the girls were present for the traditional season opening group photograph. The Women will wait until September for the their closing two events that will take place over two consecutive weekends in Switzerland, the latter round being part of the FIM Trial des Nations gathering.