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Young motocross sensation Josh Coppins\' bid to finish third in the world 250 champs has been swept away in the mud of Switzerland as luck deserted the brave kiwi at the last hurdle.
Needing just a few points to head off his nearest challenger Pit Beirer of Germany, Suzuki star Coppins was taken out by that very rider in atrocious conditions at Roggenburg near Basle.
Battling metre-deep mud in race one, Coppins\' brilliant start was undone on the first lap when the Kawasaki veteran slid right across his bows.
As torrential rain before moto two made the steep circuit almost impassable the Motueka-born 23-year-old again grabbed a holeshot only to be crashed out in a multi-bike pileup.
\"I tried to battle on but I\'d lost a glove and I think I might still be carrying injuries from my big crash yesterday,\" said the Suzuki factory rider.
\"It\'s really disappointing after I had a good hold on third but the mud here is just unbelievable and in those conditions anything can happen.
\"On the day luck smiled on Pit and I was the one to miss out.\"
Coppins maintains fourth spot in this, the premier world title - a jump from seventh last year and comfortably inside the top-five target his Corona Suzuki team set for the year.
The world title had already been decided, Frenchman Fred Bolley successfully defending his crown for Honda and shutting out Coppins\' teammate Mickael Pichon also from France.
Final championship points:
1 Bolley 421 points,
2 Pichon 367,
3 Beirer 340,
4 Coppins 334,
5 Claudio Federici (Italy) Yamaha 301.
