They seem to be grouped around Yorkshire, a gaggle in the south of England and one in Wales. Even if Cheadle came back that's a big geographical gap in the middle that does not have a round. I remember Mansfield Maun running one when we went to a C/D round. So why this year when concerns were voiced about travelling costs etc do we have this situation??

As we say up here in Bonnie Scotland, "there's nae pockets in a shroud laddie"!

Big John

You want too see what the old man has ordered then....

Agree with John's points, lets have a round in Scotland somewhere

Now I could be wrong here (don't think I am though) but the geographic centre of Great Britain is Haltwhistle in Northumberland. So I propose that we have a British Championship that radiates from this central point - instead of the current Southern Championship that we have at the moment. It would be more environmentally friendly! And, of course, substantially cheaper for me.

Seriously though, it kind of makes me laugh that I live 45 miles East of this 'central' point yet travel South for every round!

Well get a North East Centre club to apply for one then Bloody hard work it is, they could have ours.

The North East Centre has organised them before, Durham County has ran a few. No reason why the centre couldn't again. The new land Tweed Valley have would be ideal, suggest you kick this off sunday at Alwinton, I'll help you out if you want.

Edited October 24, 200619 yr by Baldilocks

I thought Richmond's was quite a good one! One or two of the sections were a bit long and testing leaving a few riders on the deck and hurting but it did sort them out.

Richmond was the best national this year, Perce you done a brilliant job please do the same next year what a mega trial,all trials sould be like yours well done

And the trials are not all in the south, where i come from they are all in the north Hook wood is still 100 miles north from my house,the euro rounds are in the south

Edited October 26, 200619 yr by no1

No1, you must be using a very funny map! The Nationals a very definately Southern biased. I do agree about Richmond though, great trial (still South of the centre of the UK though).

Think of Allan McMaster and Shankies (I think they're from Fort William and Glasgow) must be 300+ miles (South again) to their closest National.

Allan was in the IOW aswell, must have been an 1100 mile round trip! Bet there was some Red Bull consumed on that trip.

But heres a thought, where would be the best place to live to do this years nationals if you had a choice between the IOW (seriously South) and Newcastle upon Tyne (moderately North)?

The man from the IOW will drive approx 2600 miles and the man from Newcastle will drive 50% more!! Are you sure they're not Southern biased?

The man from the IOW will drive approx 2600 miles and the man from Newcastle will drive 50% more!! Are you sure they're not Southern biased?

But you forget the

Yeadon Guiseley, Scarborough and Richmond run in Yorkshire.

The Abergavenny Youth Trial is in South Wales.

Then we have Otter Vale in Devon, The Kent Youth and the Surrey Schoolboys with the Isle Of Wight running last in the series this Year. These are all south of London

There is a North South split here with clubs like Mansfield not running a trial there is a big gap in the middle of the country where no Youth A/B was run. Having checked the C/D's as well the trials are in the same areas.

This means that the "Yorkies" and the South coast appear to have the trials with only the Welsh also willing to put in the effort.

Try forgetting the mileage and think of the time it takes to travel a set distance.

In my book the north starts at the Watford Gap, almost any road north of that you can travel 60miles in an hour, now try the same on our roundabout, the M25 which all the southern softies and IOW teams must use.

At last years (2005) C/D round in Richmond the Hancock family drove up from Bodmin via the M5, M6, etc. I think i'am right in saying that it took them about 11 hrs. Which is about the same time it takes to get down to southern France.

Given richmond has some of the best trials land in the country it makes you wonder why they went back, assuming they did of course

Allan was in the IOW aswell, must have been an 1100 mile round trip! Bet there was some Red Bull consumed on that trip.

We travelled 150miles north of our house for the Scottish championship round the next day as well!

i have to say there was no Red Bull in the van!

whats that saying

If you aint in it you cant win it

But at the end of the day we love it

And i think Allan will be on the podium next year

1100 mile round trip south we would have done a trial at cahors, now thats got me thinking

Edited October 28, 200619 yr by no1