hoodie2 Posted February 12, 2005 Report Share Posted February 12, 2005 After hearing that the SACU were running a clubmans championship alongside the main championship I was looking forward to having a go at the series. Then I heard that if you had ever been graded expert you could not ride the clubmans championship. Is this right? As an over forty, downgraded, non expert would I be ineligible? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boofont Posted February 13, 2005 Report Share Posted February 13, 2005 (edited) As an over forty, downgraded, non expert would I be ineligible? Might be a controversial view, and its not my intention to offend...... But, I think it would be unfair to allow downgrade Experts and Non Experts to take part on an 'award' basis. I can appreciate that you are riding as an ' Over 40' but it would make more sense, IMHO, to cater for said riders and include a Over 40's class. Edited February 13, 2005 by boofont Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoodie2 Posted February 13, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2005 No offence taken. I agree with the idea in priciple as well and am quite happy to ride events on a no award basis. I just want to know whether championship events will cater for eveyone and if I will be able to ride the B route either as an over forty or as a non expert but outwith the clubmans championship. I got upgraded at a time when I could not ride regularly and was definetly not improving. I got downgraded after 3 years of not competing and now compete half a dozen times a year, usually finishing in the middle of the non experts. I have not competed as an over forty yet although I do qualify. I'm not a trophy hunter looking to jump down a class and scoop all the awards. I just want to participate in these events in some way. I think there are some quite good riders who would rather be top non experts than tail end experts and have deliberately avoided the Nationals to avoid being graded up. These guys will fight out the clubmans championship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boofont Posted February 13, 2005 Report Share Posted February 13, 2005 I think there are some quite good riders who would rather be top non experts than tail end experts and have deliberately avoided the Nationals to avoid being graded up. These guys will fight out the clubmans championship. I can think of loads of ringers that ride with both the clubs I'm a member of. How sad, the only way to get kicks is by beating a load of novice riders in their hunt for a cup! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g4321 Posted February 13, 2005 Report Share Posted February 13, 2005 I can think of loads of ringers that ride with both the clubs I'm a member of. How sad, the only way to get kicks is by beating a load of novice riders in their hunt for a cup! Trouble is Mark that there are two views to this:- It was brought home to me at the last trial where one of the guys who has always to ride the hard route - dont know whether an Expert or Non-expert commented to me and several others that he fancied buying a twinshock because he felt he was no longer happy riding the hard route. It is likely that there are a lot of 'good riders' out there who feel the same way and do not fancy riding the hard route because of the severity of some of the sections - hence the reluctance to get upgraded. On some trials I can fully appreciate their opinion! Have a look at the scores from a trial in the novice class and see the wide range from close to zero down to 100 - 150pts, perhaps the novice class could be split into 2, but the argument will always be where do you draw the line & those in the middle of the pile in each half could feel they are hard done by in the level the 'split' is placed. The same thing happens in MX races where it was a common sight to see riders hanging back in the heats to ensure they did not qualify for the A class, some because they did not feel confident racing with the A group and others as you say wanting a little bit of plastic to show how good they are - NOT! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfoot Posted February 14, 2005 Report Share Posted February 14, 2005 Gordon / Mark I know who you are speaking about regarding the change to a twinshock. The step from Novice route to Expert Route is just too big for some. The club has lost a lot of good riders over the years because they found the Expert route to hard some moved to Twinshocks but didn't stick at it for long. This is why the club started a fourth route last year for intermediate riders. The inter class is placed between the two and anyone in the club can ride it. If a club expert (not expert licence holder)wanted to ride but was obviously doing so for a trophy and was though good enough for the expert route the club will step in and exclude them. Expert licence holders are only excepted after approval by the club and currently there are none. I can't think of any ringer is the club at the moment. I was probably the closest in coming back down last year in to the new inter class but that worked out fine. I was competing for wins but not taking the thing by storm or in fact winning the trophy in the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boofont Posted February 14, 2005 Report Share Posted February 14, 2005 Bigfoot The Inter route adopted by BAMCC is a fantastic idea and I can see that it makes a great stepping stone for riders going up and coming down from the Expert ranks. Keep up the good work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g4321 Posted February 14, 2005 Report Share Posted February 14, 2005 Bigfoot & Boofont (What a choice of names! - but best of luck in the Scottish) The way I look at it the vast majority of riders compete for entertainment/amusement/exercise & are not too bothered whether they finish first or last. Myself I know I am unlikely to win anything but 'winning' is not the reason I took up trials. If I thought I could 'win' I would not be riding 18year old bikes! I like to try and improve my scores from lap 1 to lap 3 - sometimes this happens and often it does not. I know i do not have the skill or more importantly nerve to ride many of the 'A' routes or the Inter routes and at some trials I have competed I was a little uneasy with some of the 'B' Route sections. Perhaps if I started 20 years ago Lampkin would have a rival - NOT! My main aim is to have a 'fun day out' with light hearted banter between your mates on how well or badly you/they are riding. Trials seems to be really taking off again in the NE of Scotland, particularly in my local area where there are often 8 or more riders from within 5 miles of Elgin practicing on a Sunday, whether any of us will ever make expert status in the near future is debatable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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