TEENAGE KIWI MOTO TRIALS
ACE BRANCHES OUT
W
ellington teenager Dylan Ball is fast
rising up the ranking in the moto trials
world and perhaps he’s destined to be
the next Kiwi great.
He’s certainly following in the wheel-tracks of
great Kiwis who have gone before him, men like
New Zealand’s former moto trial world champion
Stefan Merriman or record eight-time former
national champion Jake Whitaker.
The 14-year-old left in May to taste the 2019
world championships, in what was a two-month
journey to Europe for the Moto Trials GPs, where
he would ride for the Beta factory team.
“As soon as we arrived, I started to prepare and
train for the 125cc world championships,” said
Ball.
“This class was from the age of 14 up to 21. We
had weeks to train before we had to set off to
Italy where the first round was being held.
“Dad and I were training with my trainer Joan
Pons every day so that we could be prepared.
Training was very hard as we were doing harder
18 KIWI RIDER
sections than the 125 line, and the heat posed
another problem as it was 30°c every day.
“Italy was a tough one for me as it was the
opener for the world championships. We arrived
after a 12-hour drive and we were introduced to
my team, Beta racing.
“So we got the bikes out and put them under
the tent with my other team mates. After all
that I went to go have a look at qualification.
Qualification was an amazing experience but it
came with an immense amount of pressure,” he
said.
“But it was really good to mix it with the
Europeans. Race day was really tough as it was
a new experience riding against other really
good teenagers, which I was not used to as here
in New Zealand, I ride against adults. But all of
the nerves were a good motivator to push even
harder for the next round in Japan.
“Japan was an amazing event. Beta supplied me
a 125 factory which was an amazing privilege. In
qualification, I did well and I got eighth out of 14,