After today's action, the second leg of the World Driving Championships from Norway is now in the
books.
Canadian representative Brad Forward was co-leader of the championship after the first leg, but has slid to fourth in the overall standings after the conclusion of leg two, which took place at Biri Travbane in Biri.
Peter Ferguson, representing New Zealand, earned the distinction of being 'driver of the day' for leg two, as the pilot recorded a win and two second-place finishes.
Via his success in the second leg, Ferguson has taken command of the overall leader board with his 71 points. Bjorn Goop of Sweden now sits second with 60 points. Denmark's Birger Jorgensen is currently third with 56 points.
Forward's 54 points now have him sitting fourth overall. He recorded a second-place finish, a sixth and two tenths (Forward was just a neck short in his second-place finish). Forward explained to Trot Insider that he is still very optimistic and positive about his chances in the WDC. He also stated that he didn't have a lot of stock in leg two.
The WDC drivers got up behind some coldbloods during leg two. The experience was something that was new to a lot of the drivers, especially North American reinsmen.
"I've been told by many people how these coldbloods go," Jason Bartlett, representing the United States of America, told Trot Insider, "but it is truly something that you have to experience to understand. I can drive 13 horses on a single program back home, but I feel sorer after driving just one of these coldbloods. At one point it felt like the horse was going to pull my shoulder out of its socket."
According to Trot Insider, temperatures (20 degrees Celsius) were pristine yet again during the second leg. Biri is a small town located beside the largest lake in Norway and is a 20-minute drive from Lillehammer, site of the 1994 Winter Olympics.
All of the WDC competitors are gunning for the Ulf Thoresen trophy, named for Norway's world-class driver.
Peter Ferguson - New Zealand - 71
Björn Goop - Sweden - 60
Birger Jørgensen - Denmark - 56
Brad Forward - Canada - 54
Eirik Høitomt - Norway - 53
Christophe Martens - Belgium - 51
Roland Hülskath - Germany - 50
Jason Bartlett - USA - 42
Gareth Rattray - Australia - 38
Imre Fazekas - Hungary - 37
The entourage will now move from Biri Travbane in Biri to Jarlsberg Travbane in Jarlsberg for Leg 3, scheduled for Saturday, May 16.