[AS iow]

Was out marking sections for next weeks Ladies round today when the subject of next years A/B championship came around, and how living on an Island makes traveling to these event more expensive and time consuming than other competitors. For example last weekend my van clocked up 639 miles going to Scarbrough and back, they left there at 5pm after the trial, 7 hours later they only just got the midnight ferry arriving home about 2am in the morning, both lads were knackered and missed school on monday. Back in August we had to go to Northumberland another 800 mile round trip and late night home for the lads, as living on an Island August is the worst time to travel on the ferries.
When the ACU starts planning next years rounds could they please consider not having so many of then so far away so often, its OK for the ACU steward who get paid by the mile for traveling but it gets a bit much for your average hard working parent in these tough economic times.
To have a round up north ( Scarbrough ) is fine but this year we have had for us down south Scarbrough, Northumberland , Bracken rocks twice, and to top it all the Isle of man, after which we got home at 6am in the morning. A more central based championship with a few exceptions ( No one wants to have a round a cheadle ) would be fair to eveyone.
And would it be possible for the youth competitors and there for the customers of the ACU to have a say in which clubs do and don't get rounds next year, as we have been to Bracken rocks to many times, and know one wants to ride at Cheadle, and the general feeling is that both these clubs only get rounds because they have ACU committe members conected with them. The Richmond Mintex time trial was well attended as everyone knows they put on good trials, as do the Welsh, West of England , and Kent clubs, infact there must be plenty of clubs out there who can put on a good trial, instead of forcing us to ride the same old cr-p at Cheadle & Bracken. I,am sorry if this seems a bit over the top but its only what most of the competitors at national youth events are saying week in week out.

[Fivemeister]

Quote

instead of forcing us to ride the same old cr-p at Cheadle & Bracken

Noted. As someone who writes off whole weekends to present the likes of you with a days sport - I'll just say two words. Ungrateful b@$&!*d......

[AS iow]

And as someone who has put more back into trials than you will ever know, i say up yours.

[Telecat]

Look "us up north" have had a few years where we were trundleing down to Otter Vale, IOW, South Wales and two rounds South East of London so I can to an extent sympathise. However what comes around etc and this year I haven't had the expense of Previous years. I made my feelings clear about two rounds at Bracken Rocks. It is a good venue but two rounds was not fair on the Northern and Southern Riders who don't get there that often.

As for Cheadle it has to be said that many parents I listened to over the years we have done the championship basically thought that it wasn't any good. And the Parents were those of top five riders, some of which have gone on to world rounds. In fact I believe at least one club organised a round to try and get Cheadle's date and stop them holding a round. The two times we did do it I thought were ok but we were "B" class at the time.

[KICKSTART101]

Calm down boys. not sure some of those comments are really necessary.

As someone who organizes a championship hear in the eastern centre i know it can be hard to please everyone. Weather it be a centre or a national championship there will always be some rounds that are just round the corner from some people and a long long way from others.


I would add that i would be nice to see a couple more down south though, Tomorrow i will be headed down to kent for the final round of the british series, i would love to go to more rounds but coming from the suffolk area this is the only round that is even remotely close to me. I do sympathize with the riders and their parents (if were talking about the youth class).
We have a young lad in our centre who is has just wrapped up the youth A title this year and im well aware of just how far they have had to travel around the country for him to achieve this success.

Its a difficult job, as i say no matter where you run a trial it will always be close for some riders and not others.

[GIZZA5]

AS iow, on Sep 26 2009, 10:39 PM, said:

Was out marking sections for next weeks Ladies round today when the subject of next years A/B championship came around, and how living on an Island makes traveling to these event more expensive and time consuming than other competitors.

........and all the lady riders who will be riding your trial live on the island then? Don't think so, or maybe as a gesture of good will you are paying their ferry fare?

Swings and Roundabouts fellow and personal choice, Yes it maybe expensive for you, but whether it be work or choice to live on the island at the end of the day you choose to live their, maybe next years rounds can be Southampton, Bournmouth, Poole, Weymouth, Brighton and Bognor Regis!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Nigel Dabster]

I assume you will be attending the ACU forum to raise these points.

I suppose having a round in your "back garden" compensates a little but it will always be the case if you live in the most southerly part of the country, surely?

Bracken rocks twice is wrong. Cheadle I have heard is pants on several occasions but you should always be grateful for pants trials, don't you know.

[Nigel Dabster]

Surely much more of an issue is minders?

If they have them without bikes then the courses shuld be reasonably compact, heaven forbid if someone has a heart attack trying to chase little johnny no dabs round how much would that cost the ACU/Club?

[AS iow]

Nigel Dabster, on Sep 27 2009, 08:16 AM, said:

Surely much more of an issue is minders?

If they have them without bikes then the courses shuld be reasonably compact, heaven forbid if someone has a heart attack trying to chase little johnny no dabs round how much would that cost the ACU/Club?

Your getting into another subject there.
We have lived on this Island all our lives right back to great grand parents and beyond, we have jobs and work here so we are stuck with it.
On Sunday evening after 8pm some ferry companys run every three hours, so as was the case after Scarbrough we miss the 10pm boat the next one was at 1am in the morning, this would have meant not getting home untill around 3am. So we had to change from Red Funnel to Wightlink to get the Midnight sailing at more expence. ( total ferry cost £70) so for £70 you can by a fair amount of diesel. If you live on the mainland it don,t matter were you live you can just drive home, and for £70 you can drive a fair way.
The point is we don,t mind this once or twice a year if it,s a good trial like Scarbrough etc, but this year its happened a bit to often, and all we want the ACU to do when apointing thier rounds for next year is to consider how difficult it is for some people to travel to these events especialy at bank holiday time when the roads and ferries are jam packed and their prices go through the roof.

There is talk of Scotland getting a round next year and this would be totaly unfair to us, and as the SACU have their own championship i can,t see the point in this.

[thespikeyone]

AS iow, on Sep 27 2009, 11:15 AM, said:

There is talk of Scotland getting a round next year and this would be totaly unfair to us, and as the SACU have their own championship i can,t see the point in this.

So it's too far for someone from the iow to travel too, what if someone in the north of scotland is showing great promise and decides to have a go at the BRITISH championship, to hold a round on the iow is totaly unfair on them, and the fact they have to drive 200 miles just to get in the same country as ALL of the rounds.

YOU CANT PLEASE EVERYONE ALL OF THE TIME

[GIZZA5]

AS iow, on Sep 27 2009, 11:15 AM, said:

Your getting into another subject there.
We have lived on this Island all our lives right back to great grand parents and beyond, we have jobs and work here so we are stuck with it.

Choice !!!!!!!!!! you need a bigger spade because the hole you are digging is getting deeper??

British Championship is as it sates so the rounds can be anywhere, some rounds will favour some others rounds will favour other people..........Thats Fact!! If you have had a bad experience at one venue don't go again that would be your choice?

Gary Mac must be the furthest travelled competitor in the Adult British Championship, but it has been his choice to live in Fort William and his choice to contest the championship! On the flip side its fairly handy for him for te SSDT

[Big John]

AS iow, on Sep 27 2009, 11:15 AM, said:

There is talk of Scotland getting a round next year and this would be totaly unfair to us, and as the SACU have their own championship i can,t see the point in this.

Sure, the SACU run the "Scottish" trials championships. How can you call it a "British" championship when the rounds are all in England, surely it should be called an "English" championship then?

The ACU are quite right if they agree a Scottish round of any "British" championships, that goes for Welsh and Irish too. The Macdonald Trial at Kinlochleven is regarded as one of the finest ACU "British" rounds in the calendar!

We have also allowed ACU riders to ride in our "open" championships for a long time!

Big John

[John Collins]

Not going to get to involved in this one except to correct a few bits on nonsense.

First - No –one from the T & E Committee has any connection with Cheadle , so that is an irrelevance, inaccurate and unfair. As far as I can think without spending too much time at moment – no C/tee member has association with any of the present provisional Youth rounds – possibly one in West.

Next – There is an important word on the top of the present calendar – and that is PROVISIONAL

Next - The A & B calendar will almost certainly alter – as basically the Bank holiday and postal strike/problems delayed a few applications – which although on time – were not on the table for first draft – and we wished to get this out so that Centres could have more notice than in past – which we know was not good. I am sure a further letter was sent out to Centres explaining this.

Next - The Trials Forum – as someone else has already stated was held in August – and ideas about date allocation etc could have been raised there by anyone who wished to attend.

Next – I get a little fed up about people bleating about what should or should not be done – or how a Committee should do this or that – simplest answer of all – stand for it – applications forms go every Centre in the land – and therefore all Clubs have an opportunity to do so

Finally - A British Championship should be spread about the UK as people have stated – and it is also only fair that riders from IOW, IOM and Scotland also get rounds BUT - it is not cast in stone that they get a round every year.

I have every sympathy with the travel costs , but I am afraid we also have to deal with the applications we have. It should also be borne in mind that some rounds combine with C & D – and this is also desirable, as there are not always a huge number of applicants for the latter. What I am sure is not correct – is that when a round is not allocated to a particular place – that the rounds that are successful are picked upon. They have hard working members who are doing their best – and extreme care needs to be taken that they do not get fed up and just not bother.

I have little sympathy with slagging off this or that round – obviously not all suit everyone – but again in Aug there was a forum , and this is where all this debate could take place.

I finish my re-stating that the calendar is provisional at present and I expect some changes - and it is also not unforeseen that there may be additional changes to the whole format of A & B rounds

[Big John]

John Collins, on Sep 27 2009, 09:24 PM, said:

Not going to get to involved in this one except to correct a few bits on nonsense.
Next - The Trials Forum – as someone else has already stated was held in August – and ideas about date allocation etc could have been raised there by anyone who wished to attend.

Next – I get a little fed up about people bleating about what should or should not be done – or how a Committee should do this or that – simplest answer of all – stand for it – applications forms go every Centre in the land – and therefore all Clubs have an opportunity to do so

Well said JC, I agree!

Big John

[John Collins]

Just a little more to add re the criticism on travel from IOW and unfair allocation of rounds etc

I have checked this morning ( for it is not unkown for me to make a balls up over dates) – and records show that for 2010 there has been NO application for a Youth round received from IOW – so hardly surprising there is not one there?

As I said before – we can only work with what we have got