The Buildbase CCM and Phoenix Tools CCM Team made the long trip to Kegums in Latvia for the first running of GP motocross in this former Soviet block country. A tough sandy track greeted the MX1 riders for the qualifying race on Saturday where Jason Dougan & Tom Church both acquitted themselves well in 11th and 21st place.

Once again for the 2nd week running the CCM Team was the highest scoring British Team in MX1 and MX2 even though their 3rd MX1 member Ray Rowson has still to race in GP’s. Ray continues to make good progress and should make his GP debut at the Belgian GP on 2nd August.

However Sunday’s race was a different matter with both CCM teamsters stepping up their race pace with Jason Dougan running as high as 8th in the first moto only to be cruelly denied with a burnt out clutch. This was especially disappointing for the 22 year old Jason Dougan on his Phoenix Tools CCM as this ride into a top ten position was to be his best all year and after the second moto a downbeat Dougan commented: At the moment I’m bitterly disappointed. Along with a strong moto 2 finish in 11th I would have had my best result all year with 9th overall. I should have realised after Saturday’s qualify race the clutch needed replacing but I didn’t let my mechanic Ryan know but on the upside I now know I’m capable of top 10’s in both legs at GP’s and I just want to now focus on this till the end of the year.

As ever Tom Church on the Buildbase CCM had strong points scoring finishes in both GP legs. His fist race 12th was hard fought as he did not make the best of starts. However the 2nd leg for Tom Church was to prove a very tough challenge on the increasingly rough track. Tom was pushing through the pack into a top 15th position when he came up behind Julian Bill on the factory Aprilla through the difficult whoop section where a choice of lines meant that Tom Church could double past the struggling Bill. Tom Church landed on the rear of the Aprilla which sliced through Tom Church’s left hand. With blood streaming from his glove Church struggled on to earn a gritty 17th place. Tom attended the course medical centre to have his hand stitched but hopes to be fit to ride at next weeks GP at Udevelle in Sweden before returning to the UK for the next round of the British Championship at Lyng in Norfolk.