DOUGIE LAMPKIN begins the defence of his World Trials title in Northern Ireland this weekend.

After failing to regain the indoor title, he is determined to keep his grip on the main championship.

The 10-round competition gets underway on the sea front at Bangor, near Belfast and continues with events in Portugal, Japan, America, England, France, Italy, Andorra and Spain before the final round in Switzerland.

Dougie prepared for the start of the competition with an important win in the second round of the Spanish outdoor championship, when he beat team mate Marc Fexia on a tie break. they finished the event on 43-points each.

Japanese rider Takahisa Fujinami made it a Montesa clean-sweep on the podium when he finished in third place, pushing recently crowned indoor champion Adam Raga into fourth spot.

Lampkin said: "It was nice to win again, it has been a while coming, but it certainly came just at the right time.

"I have struggled in the last few indoor events although I felt I was riding okay, so this is a great boost to my confidence in time for the opening round of the World Championships."