atomant

Preferred the photoshop version

I am sure you do, but as an example, how many guys do you know who could compete in the BTC never mind the WTC. Compare that with how many peeps who could compete in the SSDT (or something similar). I would argue that if something is harder to do than something else, then by definition, it must require more skill to do it.

Cheers Craig - I can feel a bit of Photoshop coming on for those pics

My comments are based on what I see, what I hear and what I read. They are my humble opinions (hence the 'in my humble opinion' IMHO) which I put after a lot my posts. In relation to skill between the 2 types, there is absolutely no doubt that modern riding is more skilful - IMHO of course

And the reason for cheap living was cheap credit... and lots and lots of it! Coming back to bite now though.... as expected

Fair point of course but fuel could be regarded as a household essential. People can always cut back on non essential items to save money but fuel, not quite the case I think. IMHO

Doug is a big guy. The Beta 4T doesn't have enough power I would suggest for WTC?

I expected this to rattle a few cages . No offence Seriously for a moment, if we are talking about hospitals, then the government invested many hundreds of millions in employing unnecessary positions in bureaucracy, particularly in management staff. These people ensure that the hospitals meet the government targets and report on them. They come up with devious and cunning plans to ensure they meet these targets even though it doesn't improve the service to you and I. Get rid of these jobs and jobs like them in other areas. We don't need them, we don't want to pay taxes for them, and ultimately, give us the money back in a reduction in taxes . By the way, the government can have little direct impact on the price of oil in the open market. What it can do however, is ensure it is using our taxes prudently. Something that I , and many others would argue it's not ! Rant over

Oil prices have already fallen Link . They will no doubt fluctuate still but the price rise is making the Americans ( who drive proper gas gazzlers ) review how they get commute. It would take just a small overall percentage to have a large effect on prices. In the the link, you can see that this is already happening. If we want to take money from the economy, reduce the number of civil servants. Whilst employing people in these jobs keeps the employment numbers down, it does nothing to improve our country's wealth, which is ultimately what we need

Bearing in mind the duty on fuel has absolutely nothing do with with road transport in general. It's just another way the government raises its taxes of course. Reducing the duty (even if its just temporary) would help the country significantly as high fuel costs distort the rate of inflation due to it having such a large influence. Reducing the duty on fuel is a viable option in my opinion.

Signed! Wow, there is a list showing the last 500 peeps who have signed. My name lasted on there for only a few minutes !

Just to clarify, when I mean Non Stop, then I mean if you stop, feet up or otherwise, or you go backwards, then its a 5. This has been watered down with lenient observing over the years to what we have now (albeit I accept some parts of the country will have variations). If I were observing a tough flowing section and a rider was fighting like mad dabbing through to get out the section and he stopped. I wouldn't mark a 5, it would be a 3. I think the 5 would be too harsh for the obvious effort being put in. And this is typical of the observing I have witnessed over the last three years. The thing is with Non Stop ( done properly) it takes an educated rider to see the merits of someone who is good and rides with finesse. These are typically older riders. A youth looking at that for the first time would think it was nothing special, but watch someone do a flick turn, an endo or a 6ft splat and straight away it looks 'cool' and they want to do it too. The youth have to start somewhere of course so if the wish to emulate the Bou's of this world, they will need to practice balancing with feet up when stationary. If they are riding a trial that penalises them for doing this by giving them a 5, then how will they develop? This is why I say it will eventually disappear. All in my humble opinion of course I am certainly not one of the talented few..... although maybe with a bit of practice

1 BOU TONI MONTESA SPA - RFME REPSOL MONTESA HRC 40 2 RAGA ADAM GAS GAS SPA - RFME GAS GAS RAGA 42 3 FUJINAMI TAKAHISA MONTESA JPN - MFJ REPSOL MONTESA HRC 51 4 LAMPKIN DOUGIE BETA GBR - ACU BETA 57 5 FAJARDO JERONI BETA SPA - RFME BETA 81 6 NOZAKI FUMITAKA YAMAHA JPN - MFJ FUMITAKA & YSP KEIYO 90 7 CABESTANY ALBERT SHERCO SPA - RFME SHERCO TARRAGONA 94 8 DABILL JAMES MONTESA GBR - ACU FUTURE TRIAL 95 9 OGAWA TOMOYUKI HONDA JPN - MFJ HRC CLUB MITANI 95 10 FREIXA MARC GAS GAS SPA - RFME GAS GAS GRO NONSTOP 102 11 BROWN MICHAEL BETA GBR - ACU MITON TOP TRIAL 103

1 CHALLONER JACK BETA GBR - ACU MITON TOP TRIAL 79 2 SMAGE PATRICK SHERCO USA - AMA RYP SHERCO USA 94 3 FERRER ALEXANDRE SHERCO FRA - FFM EQ. FRANCE SHERCO 96 4 MORET FRANCESC GAS GAS SPA - RFME SPEA TARRES 108 5 DAGNICOURT BENO

Youth 1 CHALLONER JACK BETA GBR - ACU MITON TOP TRIAL 79 2 SMAGE PATRICK SHERCO USA - AMA RYP SHERCO USA 94 3 FERRER ALEXANDRE SHERCO FRA - FFM EQ. FRANCE SHERCO 96 4 MORET FRANCESC GAS GAS SPA - RFME SPEA TARRES 108 5 DAGNICOURT BENO

WOOHOOO ! Awesome - Don't you just love to see a tri- union jack podium !! Sweet ....and not forgetting Jack for the Youth Images courtesy of Charly

Mate , you let the boys down Fancy having to do what your wife says. That must suck bad

The finals haven't been posted yet ! Where is Craig when you need him eh

1am Man, the night is early

First Lap 1 FUJINAMI TAKAHISA MONTESA JPN - MFJ REPSOL MONTESA HRC 23 2 BOU TONI MONTESA SPA - RFME REPSOL MONTESA HRC 23 3 RAGA ADAM GAS GAS SPA - RFME GAS GAS RAGA 29 4 LAMPKIN DOUGIE BETA GBR - ACU BETA 32 5 FAJARDO JERONI BETA SPA - RFME BETA 35 6 CABESTANY ALBERT SHERCO SPA - RFME SHERCO TARRAGONA 47

Hi Craig and everyone closely watching this Thanks for the piccy of Ross. Looks neat I hope the Brits can hold off Gubian and take a 123 Brit podium. Come on Boys

Anyway......... modern trials require more skill so there

Just watch kids riding and all of them are practising stopping & hopping. When they grow up, they will be the majority. I stand by what I say - non stop will eventually disappear. Actually, I would go as far to say that it already has disappeared. As I remember, the rules are simple - stop or go backwards and that's a 5. In the last three years, I have yet to see a so called 'non-stop' event marked 100% like that. You're kidding yourself if you think non stop these days is what it was 20 years ago IMO. It's basically in transition from the old to the new.

Spud. I had a second hand one in 1984 for about 4 months. That's the extent of my 'greater knowledge'

Thanks for making my point for me. There are many people that ride the SSDT because whilst there is no doubt a hight level of skill required to win, the basic level of skill to ride it is much lower than what is required at a WTC. Hence the low level of entrants for the WTC who are capable of riding it. Its a fair point but the future is with the kids, and that is the way they want to ride. So its inevitable, Non stop will disappear eventually.