Andy

Well the trip was slightly changed and I'm currently sat in a hotel in.... Kuwait Temperature was 46C when I got here - at 6:30 last night. God knows how the troops working just across the border in Iraq put up with those kind of temperatures especially in body armour etc. Went for a little wander round the compound (yes, security is that tight) about 10pm last night and even then the wall of heat that hits you as you step outside is unbearable. Upside - air conditioning and free broadband Downside - It's a dry country. No beer On to Cairo tomorrow. They have beer there

Hmmm.....

This was one of the great MotoGP races. Fought at high intensity for 30-laps the action never let up and it was Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) who eventually prevailed over Marco Melandri (Fortuna Honda RC211V) in second and series points

CAS Honda rider Josh Coppins has finished on the podium at the last two South African rounds at Sun City and won the event twelve months ago. For the 2006 edition the New Zealander picked up his third trophy and third set of silverware this season since making his comeback to the 2006 Motocross World Championship. With two second positions from the two motos today the 29 year old finalised the runner-up spot overall behind Stefan Everts and in front of Steve Ramon at the tenth round of fifteen in the FIM series. The Sun City circuit was again immaculate in its organisation. The resort, some 180km from Johannesburg and 1500meters above sea level, played host to the Grand Prix for the third and final time before the South African round switches to Durban in 2007. The tacky clay-based terrain proved to be much softer through better mixing and watering than previous years and this produced a surface that yielded several lines in places. A 25,300 crowd enjoyed some winter sunshine and also a set of four 35 minute and 2 lap motos, two for each MX1 and MX2 class. The surface was slippery in places and the MX1 contestants also had to battle the glare of a dipping sun later in the afternoon. Coppins dashed into the first corner of moto1 with the holeshot on his CRF450R and led nemesis Stefan Everts for one lap before the World Champion (in such a ruthless vein of form) moved through and set about establishing a gap of six to seven seconds over the New Zealander. Coppins in turn worked hard to keep a distance over Steve Ramon in third. The second race witnessed a re-run as Everts was too fast for Coppins but Josh was the best of the rest and withheld a late flurry from Ramon to confirm second place. Coppins

German Grand Prix at The Sachsenring Saturday July 15, 2006 HONDA MEN TAKE TOTAL CONTROL OF FRONT ROW Honda powered riders dominated this MotoGP qualifying session taking all three front row positions for tomorrow

You won't see him. He'll be mixing with the creme de la creme and you'll be outside looking through the fence cause you didn't request wristbands!

Hmmm... Weekend after Hawkstone. I might come down to that.

Spoke to him yesterday. They're going out this week.

Dern colonials can't produce a good likker..... You're talking to a Scotsman - we produce the best in the wordl

I believe he may be riding in the Past-Masters Trial on Saturday at the UK World Round

Anybody who can bring coolboxes - either with or without ice, please do so. We'll have some ice on-site, but more is always welcome and coolboxes are something we're short of.

It was originally about TTC, but deviated so I moved it to this forum. I'm talking about Poland. TTC was one of the better ones this year! Riders and spectators on seperate routes - yup. Control over who got press bibs - yup. Good press/minders corridors - yup. No public in the sections/corridors - yup (though that is more an understanding thing by the public as to why the corridors are there - Mainland europeans seem to ignore the reasoning behind it!) I think the only problem I had at TTC was the speed of getting results. Charly in one place, the organisers in another and the press in yet another (although the air-conditioned RV the girls from Tennessee Outdoors was VERY welcome!) It is so vital we get results as soon as Charly releases them. One to bear in mind for future events. PS. I also had a problem with Al B's moonshine - does that count?

The only important part in the letter is "You are personally responsible for the conduct of your guests". I'd expect you to be hoofed off-site within 5 minutes of arriving

The whole event was a nightmare. For a country that wants the event to return, they didn't exactly go out of their way to be helpful and boost their chances. Apart from letting spectators and riders use the same route and allowing anybody on a bike access to the entire course (an accident waiting to happen), the organisers refused firstly to alter the sections even when the riders said they weren't possible, refused when requested to put in press/minder corridors and refused to let the Youth and Junior podiums run whilst they debated over Raga's protest about Fuji (when there was no protest to answer). They also let anybody in the press/minders corridors - and even into the sections themselves whilst riders were in there!!! - without any kind of bib or marking and gave press bibs to anybody who wanted them. Poland isn't the only place that's badly out of line. The Championship needs a co-ordinator that is present at every event to make sure the pre-requisites are met i.e. Spectators not sharing the same route as riders, no unofficial bikes on the course, properly designated areas for press and minders etc etc. If the event does not meet the pre-requisites then it should not run and any infingement should be heavily fined. They'd soon tow the line. PS. Topic moved to the World Championship Forum.

Having spent my evening up to my neck in wristbands, envelopes and address labels I can finally say that all wristbands will ship tomorrow. On receipt, check the envelope as there are not only wristbands in each, but a letter that explains the format of the weekend. They're padded envelopes so this may not be immediately obvious and having personally signed each letter, I'll be well hacked off if they're not read! All will ship with the exception of the following: r2wtrials (plus guests) - collect on site Cota Kid - already got AtomAnt - collect on site trialcast - collect on site graffics - collect on site Site sponsors - collect on site Due to withdrawals and non-responses there are around 30 wristbands still available. I'll take late applicants for what is sure to be a top weekend. Email andy AT trialscentral.com by the end of the week. First come, first served. Registered forum users only.

They claimed that at the Poland World Round. Just unfortunate for the genuine press that 2970 of them had press passes - or seemed to think they had

Post deleted. Please don't try and get round the swear filters on the forums. That's a fast track to the ban button! This is a family-friendly site.

Done!!!

He got up pretty quickly, but I think we all would with an unexpected bath like that! He did look hurt pretty badly at the time so major credit to him to go on and win. I saw him after the event and it looks like he has bruised down his side, but we saw him at Krakow airport today and he seems fine. As for the bike? It started no problem and was ridden out of the section by one of the minders.

4 hours on a bus or hire car with Jake driving - I think I'd take the bus

OK. Saw this but was in Gatwick en route home. Now home and have the info to hand so... Airports: Barcelona 225km Tolouse 220km Last year we flew to Barcelona and stayed overnight - I think it was the Novotel. Nice hotel. It's hot as hell and the sections are up around 2000 metres so be prepared to be out of puff! Some nice restaurants and bars around, but the hotels themselves aren't up to much. There's an FIM Ladies World Championship Round on the Saturday before. BTW, prepare to have your car searched as you leave the principality. They're kind of officious.

I was stood right at it. Down a steep bank into a river. Didn't lift the front wheel quite soon enough. The plan was to get a nice "water splash" photo. This wasn't the kind of splash I had in mind!

I now have the wristbands - they're a lovely colour!

Seen the sections in Poland and, to be honest, it looks crap. Many of the sections are simply impossible and the organiser (one guy) refuses to change them.