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Nah, Bou's riding style & 4 banger power would'nt mix

I very much doubt Bou will be leaving Beta, Especially as its the beginning of the WTC season.Toni Bou is now the only full Factory Beta rider now that Kenichi has retired from WTC competition. Also I doubt Gas Gas could afford another top 3 rider, due to there current financial position.

16 Brits to 10 Spanish.

He'll not be chuffed about being called an old timer! Crackin ride though Chief.

Personally I don't think there's anything wrong with the current system. 5 1/2 hrs is plenty, yes Jack lost 14 time penalties, but that was because he had some problems. Lets get a national event over and done with under normal circumstances i.e. not in a monsoon!!! before everyone wants to start changing rules/time limits. Its the first one of the year, so all the riders will be dialled for the next one, and will manage the time better. If they are going to go anywhere on the World/European Stage then they are going to have to learn how to do this anyway. Everybody knows the World rounds are always tight on time. Thats my ten Penneth

I must say Telecat you raise some very good points. I maybe contradicting myself slightly from some of my previous posts, but I also agree with everything you say having read your points.

markymark I think all your points are just about spot on. Two laps of twenty sections I think is spot on, If Dob Park had 5 1/2 hrs I think it would have been perfect. As said before, the Otter vale trial is a one off because the only way up the first gulley is through the sections, which meant the lesser riders getting stuck. Even Zac Sherwin lost time penalties, & that is a first! If a Youth National is 20 sections I think there should be 10 hard sections for the good lads, 5 easy & 5 mediocre. These trials are like you say meant for the best youths in the country, & to groom them for future success in the Youth & Adult British, Euro & World rounds hopefully. I don't think another route is a way forward, the job is hard enough for the COC as it is, and I'm talking from experience, this would just encourage even more less experienced riders to 'have a go', & make the problem worse. Ideally 2 observers per section, to keep things flowing, but again its hard enough getting 1 per section, so beggers can't be chosers. The current Nationals are not far off at all & all credit to the Clubs & individuals that are willing to take them on, without them we would'nt have any at all, so if any of you read this, please do not take it as criticism as it not meant to be. We'll have to see how the next round at Scarborough pans out, maybe that will be the 'Ideal Youth National'.

Dabster??? What are you talking about??? Did I mention Dob park, Or Jack, or Winning????? All I want is for the Youth Championship to be the best it can be.

I think you have good point here Alan, If your Chris had completed the event I am sure that he would not have been last!!! Frankly there are alot of riders competing in Youth Nationals, that are either not good enough or not been riding long enough. The current Youth Nationals are running under the same time limits of years ago, but with at least 30 or more riders, which inevitably makes time more of an issue. The first 2 rounds have turned into virtual Enduros for us. Either the clubs need to add another 1/2 hour to the time limit or some sort of grading system like Alan says needs to be brought in. Riders should be aspiring to ride in these events, not just havin a go for the sake of it, to the cost of the better lads who spend a small fortune travelling to all of the rounds, to possibly end up with unnecessary time penalties which may drop them one or two places due to being held up by riders struggling & getting stuck in sections, trials is about skill & balance, not speed (apart from the Scott). P.S. Their is a big difference between retiring and withdrawing. Thats my ten penneth!

No its not bo**ocks, the Scottish is a serious International Trial, & I'm sorry if you disagree, but if a rider struggles to get round the course, never mind the sections, then I'm sorry but they should'nt be in the event. I'm not saying that all riders should be experts, I'm no expert, but surely common sense should tell a rider if they are up to it?

Then they should'nt be in the event in the first place. I rode the event in 98 & 99, getting a first class award both times, I entered again in 2000 & lost out in the ballot, despite much pleading with the then secretary, I entered again in 2001, lost out again in the ballot, By this time I was losing patience, after losing out a third time in 2002 I did lose patience & hav'nt entered again since. I am contemplating entering again for 2007, so if the secretary's reading this, please remember me?

Thanks for that John.

I have just recieved my ACU handbook yesterday. Upon reading the trials section of it, there is no mention of the FIM rules that are being used in the British Solo Trials Championship the first round of which is the St Davids in a couple of weeks. At the back it gives a description of all the various Championships, Novogar etc, but again there is no mention of the Full British Championship. Surely there should be an explanation of the current FIM rules, I understand these rules, as we have been going away to the Europeans for the last two years, but alot of riders will have never ridden under these rules. If the info is elseware within the book I apologise, but I can't seem to find it?

I have just been looking at the dates for the Inter Centre Team trial, & it is on the same weekend as the Andorra World Round, which is not unusual, this rules out the top adult brits, but this year it will have an impact on the Youths event on saturday as well. Wiggy, Ross and Robert Andrews will be in Andorra I Imagine, so seriously weakened teams their. Plays into the hands of us Yorkies, hopefully!

Jack will be there. Don't know whether Wiggy & Ross are riding, hopefully they will be.

Raga, Lampkin & Co are the worst offenders!!! But they have a minder or two to do it for them I don't think it makes much difference to the end result, for me personally, if I move a small rock it is probably more pchycological(dont know if thats spelt right)than anything else, & probably would'nt make any difference to my ride.

beta riders do not have to put up with this problem, Ifyou have a failing stator, contact John Lampkin Imports with the frame no etc & they wil send a new one FOC, as long as it has'nt already been changed, which is un-likely as the new ones are faultless. What year of bike are you considering buying? Only the 2004 bikes had a serious problem with the stator, 05 & 06 bikes hav'nt got a problem. As far as build quality is concerned, I don't think you can compare the Beta with a Gasser, the Gasser engines are spot on, its just the rest that lets them down, but they are a lovely bike to ride. Hope this helps.

I have just been looking at the FIM site. It appears that there are only 30 riders registered to ride the full WTC!! At least 4 of those will not be riding the full series, or any at all, being Jarvis, Kuroyama, Connor and Colley and there is also the US guy Florin, I don't now whether he is going to ride any, other than the US round. That leaves us with a maximum no of 25 riders!!!! Say in one or two years time, when Lampkin & and maybe a few others decide to hang up their boots, who's going to be left, & what sort of Championship!! Its not that long ago that there were 50 plus riders & any rider that managed to score points had to work B***dy hard to get them. I was talking to Crosser who managed a 14th place onceover & got two points,& Ben Hemmo who is a damn good rider, never managed a point. Nowadays, if your a half decent rider you only have to get into the top 60% or so to score points, & that percentage is going down. Whats the solution? What can the FIM do to attract riders back into the full Outdoor WTC?? Is the WTC getting too elitist, as their are only the top five that are capable of riding the sections properly. They need to do somthing or we will be left with a very diluted World Championship. What are your thoughts?

Ayup Andy. Sounds good, 'Team Challoner' are definately up for that. You know what they say,"No such thing as bad publicity", judging by the reaction to our article, it certainly got noticed. Maybe I should be abit more contravercial next time, the odd 'kiss & tell' maybe

You got it in 1 their No1. there is nothing wrong with the Cheadle venue, but all the sections were always around the rocks & not over them, which kind of defeated the object. On the other hand, the Bradford national is/was a cracking trial, & has already been penciled into our plans for this year. Sound even better now if its goin to be abit of a shindig We may even Camp

The next round is the Otter vale trial in Devon on 19th March. Forgot to mention that.

Yes i agree Dabster, Alexz had an crackin ride & came out a very deserved winner. Alexz is a fantastic rider & a crackin lad. But, be fair, he is not the only one out there, so credit where credit is due, we have some very good riders in the 125 A class so lets give them abit of encouragement & support also. Also, Andy are you planning on doing a report on yesterdays trial? What did you think of it? Just wondered. Sorry did'nt get chance to introduce myself but we were rushing all day & I did'nt see you after the trial.

I think punch cards are ideal for Nationals & above, as you where you are score wise all the time, but too time consuming & expensive for the club for smaller events.

I would keep an eye on Ben Morphett in the B's, him & Jonathon should have a fair tussle for the title this year.

Well said scorpa3, I could'nt agree more.