When the 2012 FIM X-Trial World Championship rolls into Marseille for tomorrow's third round two-day clash, it will be the eleventh consecutive time that the Palais des Sports has staged a top level competition. Present in the calendar as far back as 2002 it was Marc Freixa - Sherco who was the victor on that occasion, which was to mark the start of a decade plus of Trial action in this French port city.
 
Adam Raga - Gas Gas was then to make this event his own over the next five years, winning all five on the bounce from 2003 to 2007 inclusive on route to him claiming his four FIM Indoor Trial World Championships. Runners-up to Raga over that period included Dougie Lampkin on a Montesa, Takahisa Fujinami - Repsol Montesa, Albert Cabestany - Sherco and Jeroni Fajardo who was then Gas Gas mounted.
 
Although Toni Bou - Repsol Montesa was to dominate the sport from 2007 onwards, ironically Marseille was to prove a bogey venue for the Repsol rider as he was defeated three times in a row by Cabestany from 2008 through to 2010 inclusive. So Bou had to wait until late last January to record his first triumph in the Palais des Sports, and will want to add to that tally starting with a solid qualification tomorrow evening.

There is no doubt that the 2012 FIM X-Trial World Championship has begun at speed with the trip to Marseille this coming weekend marking the third stop on the current tour in as many weekend's. Directly from the winter break, the World's elite Trial riders have been thrown immediately back into battle with the opening two bouts having been contested in Strasbourg, France and Geneva, Switzerland over the last two weeks.

Marseille will bring a new type of challenge to the competitors, with round three being held over two separate nights. Friday evening will see the action begin, as the eight fixed riders are joined by two wild card entrants for the qualification process. Only six successful candidates will progress to Saturday's main Trial, which once again will be broadcast live on FIM-TV.COM.

The new year may only still be relatively young, but already reigning FIM X-Trial World Champion Toni Bou - Repsol Montesa has resumed normal service and shown himself to be currently operating at another level compared to his rivals. His performances in Strasbourg and Geneva thus far have been pure class and can only serve to have demoralised the opposition so early in the campaign.

Behind Bou, the traditional battle to become the best of the rest has already begun to develop with compatriots Albert Cabestany - Sherco and Adam Raga - Gas Gas trading blows in the two rounds to date. Cabestany now holds the upper hand in the general standings as Raga's inconsistency returned in Geneva and left him without a podium placing.

A pair of spirited rides by the tour's oldest campaigner Takahisa Fujinami - Repsol Montesa sees him holding fourth spot in the series some ten points clear of Jeroni Fajardo - Beta and Loris Gubian - Gas Gas. Fajardo has yet to shine since switching back to the Italian factory, but has showed moments of promise. Whilst Gubian can count himself unlucky having missed out on a place in the final in Geneva after losing a three-way tie decider with Fujinami and Raga, as the more experienced duo transferred through to the sharp end of the event.

Michael Brown - Gas Gas and Alfredo Gomez - Montesa are the last of the permanent riders and must both up their game if they are to move beyond the qualification stage in Marseille. Their task will be made that bit tougher this weekend, as they have to contend with wild card entrants Alexandre Ferrer - Shero and Pol Tarres - Jotagas to book their place in the semifinal. Tarres will be making his debut on the new Spanish built machine, and hence will be looking to impress.

Although Bou will be ultra confident when he arrives in the southern French city, he will also be aware of Cabestany's uninterrupted winning run in this atmospheric and noisy arena from 2008 to 2010 inclusive. With the series set to pause for a month after Marseille and ahead of a trip to Madrid in early March, all the riders will know the importance of a good holding performance this coming weekend.