Eleven of these competed in the top division and with great success as three Japanese riders in featured yesterday’s top ten. Takahisa Fujinami – Repsol Honda made sure that there was a home flag flying above the podium as he secured third spot after having survived a huge crash at section three on the first lap. Today Fujinami, the greatest of the home town heroes, will mark his three hundredth GP start.
Takahisa was well supported in the TrialGP class on Saturday as Tomoyuki Ogawa – Honda slotted into ninth position thanks to three consistent lap scores. Ogawa was followed home by his compatriot Kenichi Kuroyama – Yamaha in tenth place to give the home fans plenty to cheer about. However, whilst the main focus on these more familiar names, it was fifteen-year-old Shota Yamazaki – Beta, who rode his way onto the rostrum in the Trial125 class as he made his debut in the series yesterday who was perhaps the real star of the show.
Overnight rain means that all the riders, including carrying the hopes of the home nation, will face another difficult day of competition today despite revisions having been made to many of the sections as a result of the inclement weather.