I have just picked up on this thread and can now break out some good news, confirmed to me only today.
The Lakes Motor Trial Association (organisers of the fantastic Lakes Two Day) will be running a British Championship sidecar round on Saturday July 17 2010, starting deep in the heart of the Lake District at Torver which is at the top end of Coniston Water. The trial (on SATURDAY) is being held in conjunction with the Inter Centre Twin-shock Team Trial which will be held on Sunday the 18th of July.
Both trials will be run by the same team that organises the Lakes Two Day but the sidecar trial on Saturday will be plotted by former five time national sidecar trial winnner and TC columnist Mike Rapley.
So, how did this all come about?
You may know that Rappers and passenger Andrew Scott rode the Manx Two Day this year on a sidecar. They thoroughly enjoyed the event but had a succession of bike problems which didn't really allow them to reflect their potential. They were 19th on Saturday but finished 23rd after having to take 25 in fives late on Sunday afternoon.
Anyway, Robin Luscombe says to Mike at the prize presentation "how about you organising a sidecar trial in the Lakes" for Robin rode one of his very first sidecar trials in the Lakes back in 1981 when Rappers and the Barrow club included the class in a club trial.
Our columnist said nowt, but it set him thinking and following discussions with several Lakes folk at the recent Lakes Two Day, a late application was put in, supported by ACU committee man Tim Fairbrother who agreed to drop one of his rounds, and hey presto, there will be a sidecar round in Cumbria.
The trial will be on the road and will use several areas of land, just possibly one lap but more likely two - in fact there's more land available to chairs than you can imagine. There's natural rock streams, rock and mud hillsides, in fact the area has more than you could ever wish for.
So, whilst it's very early days, all you sidecar boys had better get planning and keep Saturday July 17 free, for rest assured, it'll be done right!
And Lancs County are again runnning the Angela Redford with even more land - arguably the best trial in the series. SATURDAY, March 13, 2010 is the date to mark in your diaries.
Yes, just to confirm why time was scrapped on Saturday. John Harding who always does the time control at this trial was told to go to the same place as he went to last year to operate the time control.
However, the route had been changed at the bridge over the River Duddon and instead of going right along the banks of the river, the course went along the left bank. By the time John realised the route had been changed a significant number of riders had finished the trial, and to be fair to all, the time limit was scrapped. Not an ideal situation I agree, and there will always be winners and losers, but it was probably the only glitch in an otherwise superbly run trial.
As an aside, it is increasingly difficult to get enough observers on a Saturday (Sunday too) to run a single lap, 40 section trial with 180 riders. Heather Ellwood begs and pleads with folks to help, and the bulk of those that respond are locals. What would help the trial enormously would be an offer by a few of those who attend the trial to support their riders, offered to observe say the first 15 sections. That would take the pressure off the club enormously and those folks could still then see their riders later in the day.
Let's be totally honest, what do the trial followers achieve? Supplying food, drink and fuel is hardly essential, especially as there is a formal food and fuel stop at the half way point. As a regular rider at many events, and without naming names, there are many folks (generally parents) who NEVER observe at a big trial. They simply sit in the van at the roadside and wait for their offspring, and sometimes his mates to turn up. Boring or what! Their time would be much better spent observing.
And if any rider gets into a problem - puncture, minor breakdown etc, there's always plenty of other riders and folk to help out.
I had forgotten all about Carl and Tim as our travelling companions in Finland, but John is absolutely right, and I can picture even now, Carl, with his arm in a sling, discussing the Scott whilst we watched a special test in a very rocky and rooted forest.
Unfortunately, John has also forgotten to mention his adventures swimming in one of Finland's many lakes, or should I say skinny-dipping!. I declined to join him. That was certainly a good week with John (and Carl and Tim) as very enjoyable companions.
Download a Trials Registration Form from the ACU website (acu.org I think), complete it, get it countersigned by the secretary of the club of which you are a member, pay the
Mark, Best to confirm exactly where you mean. My first thought was that you meant the newish complex on the left of the big wide road leading into the chairlift site, but the picture from photobucket is a different place, and one that I'm not familiar with.
Amazing isn't it. I write a column and don't expect to get any postings, then all of a sudden there are 15 and Stefan Merriman pops into the equation.
I wrote a big article for TMX about Merriman in July 1997, can't remember what I said, but I do recall that he was fairly good on an Aprilia for Malcolm Rathmell, then was very good road racing back home until he ran out of money and then came over to Europe to take on the enduro boys where he was supreme.
As I recall, he was the outright winner of the 2001 ISDE in France and I remember watching him on the final motocross and he was fantastic, really, really in a class of his own.
Due to unforeseen circumstances, there will not be a column normally scheduled for Sunday, June 7. Sorry folks, but this is unavoidable for a number of reasons.
Back in the early days of TMX, we (they) had about a dozen banners put up round the car park in Fort William and by the end of the week there was not one left - all stolen - because that's the correct word, not borrowed, or loaned, but stolen.
And it seems to me that is what happened with the banners on Sunday. It's not on, so can I suggest that those who have them post them back to the trial organisers, that's Gary Bingley at Lloyd Motors BMW/Mini, Carlisle, or if they can't afford the postage, take them to the next trial and leave them quietly in a place where the organisers can find them and get them back to Gary one way or another.
The reason I mentioned Ian Austermuhle specifically is because he is not a professional trials rider. Sure, the bulk of the entry are not pros, but I was making the point that in finishing third he beat all but the first two who are regular WC riders. I'm not boosting Ian for any other reason; inevitably, this column is always my opinion as I see it and I'm the first to recognise that others have different views. That's why I write it. And in MY opinion, he rode supremely well, so did others, like Jonathan Richardson, Richard Gaskell, Becky Cook in fact everybody did well if it keeps you happy. Why? Because they were there doing it and I wasn't and that in itself makes them special.
Thanks for clarifying the error on my part. Now that you have mentioned the tragic circumstances I recall Ian Fender's death and have confused him with Ian Pollock. My apologies to all concerned; the error was a genuine one and I trust all will accept my admission in the manner in which I make it.
After 112 columns for Trials Central, this is my first request, if it fails, then so be it, but have you read the contents of the previous 111 and even remotely enjoyed them?
And before you ask if I have ever loaned out a bike, the answer is yes, for a ISDE!
As secretary of a trial that offers a late number to an early entry, I frequently get asked why one particular rider always has a late number and why this particular rider seems to have a late number in virtually every trial in which he takes part.
I can't speak for other secretaries but as for myself, the reason this rider gets a late number is because his entry arrives first, virtually without fail, therefore I follow my own regs and allocate him a late number.
With regard to the Jack Wood, I can't speak for the secretary, but if a organised Team Manager sent me 18 entries in one envelope and that envelope was one of the first to arrive, then I would allocate him late numbers. Simple. If the regs say early entry late number, it doesn't matter whether the envelope contains one entry or 50 entries.
Equally, you would be surprised at the number of riders who enter fairly late and still expect a late number!
I've entered for the Ian Pollock next week and have put on the entry form a request for guidance to a rider who is over 50 and normally rides what in England is classed as Clubman Easy. Will that be the green flags?
What you are all missing is this. I sit down of an evening with ten observers sheets from a normal club trial. You know that a rider has completed the trial but there are scores missing. I also know that in many cases the score is missing because the observer has missed his number/been chatting/taken a drink/etc.
So what do I do? If I put 10 down, within five minutes of the results being seen the rider will be on the phone. So I take the easy way out. Inevitably, the few riders that "fiddle" the system get away with it, but if I put a result down, I at least have a peaceful week and I don't upset my observer by phoning him and asking if he can remember what Joe Bloggs did on his section.
Whilst I know that a few of those that post on here act as a secretary/organiser, the vast bulk don't so until you are in the position of doing the secretarial work for a trial, think it through!
And the reason why we still use observers cards rather than punch cards is that you get a decent set of results in a short space of time. Those that use punch cards simply list a total and finishing position, which purely on a personal level, I think is slack and not good enough. At least I can safely sit here and write these things because nobody can point the finger at me and say I'm moaning about subjects and not doing my bit.
Punch cards hold up a trial, rarely are they transcribed into a complete set of results and I do like to sit down and peruse a proper set of results to see where I've had a good ride and perhaps more frequently, where I've been thoroughly thrashed.
We use observers cards so the responsibility of getting a score rests with the observer not the rider. It's the only snag with using observers cards rather than punch cards. Punch cards hold up the trial too much as witnessed at the Cleveland yesterday. The Cleveland sections were extra long and most had only one observer/puncher which equals big hold ups and then you are tight on time!!
177.JPG.9fd444f099602e00a86c455a24b2e122.JPG)
Newbie Looking For Events!
in Sidecar Trials
Posted · Edited by Hillary
I have just picked up on this thread and can now break out some good news, confirmed to me only today.
The Lakes Motor Trial Association (organisers of the fantastic Lakes Two Day) will be running a British Championship sidecar round on Saturday July 17 2010, starting deep in the heart of the Lake District at Torver which is at the top end of Coniston Water. The trial (on SATURDAY) is being held in conjunction with the Inter Centre Twin-shock Team Trial which will be held on Sunday the 18th of July.
Both trials will be run by the same team that organises the Lakes Two Day but the sidecar trial on Saturday will be plotted by former five time national sidecar trial winnner and TC columnist Mike Rapley.
So, how did this all come about?
You may know that Rappers and passenger Andrew Scott rode the Manx Two Day this year on a sidecar. They thoroughly enjoyed the event but had a succession of bike problems which didn't really allow them to reflect their potential. They were 19th on Saturday but finished 23rd after having to take 25 in fives late on Sunday afternoon.
Anyway, Robin Luscombe says to Mike at the prize presentation "how about you organising a sidecar trial in the Lakes" for Robin rode one of his very first sidecar trials in the Lakes back in 1981 when Rappers and the Barrow club included the class in a club trial.
Our columnist said nowt, but it set him thinking and following discussions with several Lakes folk at the recent Lakes Two Day, a late application was put in, supported by ACU committee man Tim Fairbrother who agreed to drop one of his rounds, and hey presto, there will be a sidecar round in Cumbria.
The trial will be on the road and will use several areas of land, just possibly one lap but more likely two - in fact there's more land available to chairs than you can imagine. There's natural rock streams, rock and mud hillsides, in fact the area has more than you could ever wish for.
So, whilst it's very early days, all you sidecar boys had better get planning and keep Saturday July 17 free, for rest assured, it'll be done right!