At the age of thirty-three, Takahisa Fujinami – Repsol Montesa is now the oldest rider in the FIM Trial World Championship, with the ever popular Japanese protagonist just beating Albert Cabestany – Sherco to this trusted position by the matter of a few months. The 2013 campaign marks Fujinami’s nineteenth season of top flight competition with the youngster having first joined the series back in 1996 as a sixteen year old fledgling. Takahisa just managed to scrape into the top twenty on his GP debut before then taking a sensational sixth place a week later at the British round.
Since then the high flying, highly entertaining, highly respected and hugely popular Fujinami has never looked back. He would finish as runner-up in the series on no less than five occasions before finally clinching the 2004 FIM Trial World Championship, to become the second only ever Japanese off-road champion. Although unable to retain or win the title again Takahisa has been vice World Champion twice more since taking his only FIM crown. Today he heads into his two hundred and sixty first Trial GP, whilst holding third in the current general standings to confirm his status as a true Trial master.