Without doubt one of the greatest female Trial riders of her generation, Berta Abellan (Scorpa) has carved a career for herself through a combination of skill, dedication and sheer dogged determination that has carried her to four FIM silver and two bronze medals in a top-flight career stretching back to 2014.
While her career stats are already very impressive, they become even more remarkable when you consider that she is still only twenty-four years old with many years ahead of her in the sport.
Coming from Terrassa, just thirty kilometres north-west of Barcelona in the Spanish Trial hotbed of Catalonia, the Health Emergencies student is extremely honest and open about the fact that winning the FIM Women’s Trial World Championship is her primary motivation. Currently trailing defending champion Emma Bristow by thirteen points with three scoring days left, it is an ambition that she is looking increasingly likely to have to put on hold for another season, but it comes as no surprise to learn that Abellan is not giving up.
“I can [catch Bristow], whatever happens will happen. I’m going to fight to the end. It’s a thorn in my side that I’ve wanted to get rid of for years, but even so I also know that she will be fighting to finish in the best possible way.”
Her 2023 campaign got off to a flying start when she won both days at the opening round in Spain, but this year she faced the double disappointment of twice finishing third when the series got under way in Japan in mid-May. However, in keeping with her never-say-die mindset, despite again finishing third on the first day of competition in Germany she fought back to claim a fifth-career TrialGP Women victory the following day before finishing a solid second behind Bristow last time out in Belgium.
“I feel just as strong! In all these events I have learned a lot and maybe I did have a bad day in Japan on Saturday, but on Sunday it was not only up to me and in Germany [on day one] I had a mistake that I couldn’t recover from. The victory [on day two] for me was a turning point and gave me motivation and satisfaction for all the effort I have put in.”
Runner-up behind Bristow for the last two years and currently lying second in the series, when the British legend retires from FIM World Championship competition at the end of the season Abellan is the obvious heir to the crown – although, staying true to her modest character, she is not taking anything for granted.
“For now, I’m not thinking about it, but I think everything will stay pretty much the same – a lot of work and I’ll continue to enjoy the sport.”
Abellan will be in action this coming weekend (24-25 August) at the TrialGP of France at Cahors. The points-scoring action is scheduled to get under way at 09:30 local time on Sunday with the event streamed LIVE on FIM-MOTO-TV with a season pass – covering all seven rounds and the FIM Trial des Nations – priced at €34.90. For more information click here.
