Hi I was wondering why there are no American riders in world trials?

I've seen them in trial des nation but not FIM indoor and outdoor world championship

Do they not cross the pond?

Rich

Hi I was wondering why there are no American riders in world trials?

I've seen them in trial des nation but not FIM indoor and outdoor world championship

Do they not cross the pond?

Rich

Brian Roper and Karl Davis finished both days last weekend.

As a matter of fact they missed our opening National Rounds to

to be there.

They did indeed

Hate having to do it, but theft of photos is a real problem these days. These images are COPYRIGHT and must not be used anywhere else.

Did Smage ever compete in Worlds?

Results last year at TTC.

http://trialonline.org/02%20RESULTATS%202013/2013%2003%20USA%2001/01%20102%20MONDE%20USA%202013%2001%20TRIAL.pdf

http://trialonline.org/02%20RESULTATS%202013/2013%2004%20USA%2002/01%20102%20MONDE%20USA%202013%2002%20TRIAL.pdf

He has ridden over seas before.

Long way to go for a trial to be cancelled because of time and rider protest

Did Smage ever compete in Worlds?

A talent that should probably have made it, but just did not seem to take to Europe.

The US riders are usually independantly funded. Our TDN is usually funded by Tshirt sales, collection bucket passed around at local events and then usually one or two importers that help arrange for bikes to ride. Parents, friends, and a few sponsors help make the dreams of our riders come true. Unless you are one of the main distributors here in the states its really tough just to keep your family housed and fed on trials as a sport.

Its a happy/sad story. Very few of our up and comming riders see trials as a limitless future of fame and fortune which is sad. Most of our riders are just in the sport because it is fun which is the happy story. Its hard enough to send your child 2000 miles away across this country so that they can ride and learn with the best we have but it still happens. Its also unusual to find a trials community here in the states that won't welcome a stranger with open arms. In europe i know that its strange for a new rider to just show up at a club to ride and feel instantly welcome. When you compound that at the world level where your competitors have a lively hood to lose it makes it a foreign enviroment for a US rider.

If you want to make a living at Trials enough to be come world competitive here you have to fund it riding demo's which requires you to travel 10's of thousands of miles a year. There is very little opprotunity to just ride trials to win trials as a job here.

--Biff

Andy and htrdoug,

Thanks for posting the pics for all of us to see.

:thumbup:

Edited May 27, 201412 yr by zippy

I don't want this to be viewed as anti American it certainly is not intended as that. What it is is anti people who expect things to come to easily. It would be good for some to read how Sammy Miller, Jeff smith or Nigel Mansell worked to make it to the top.

The driving force has to be the desire to reach the top at a sport, rather than the desire to have the lifestyle that goes with being at the top.

Being a champion is not just about having the skill, its about being able to cope with the pressure of a championship and the travelling.

At this time anyone who hopes to get to the top in trialling will probably have to base themselves in Spain for quite a large portion of the year.

It`s one thing to be fairly good enough to even go to Europe to ride. It is quite another to give up what you know and embrace a new and exciting ( Some things not so exciting)life. Not only do you need talent, funding, determination and drive. You have to be fairly educated enough to be multi-lingual. Schrieber is the only one that actually liked going over and stayed for years. I think Pat has the talent, but living in a new country is not what most young Americans want to do.

i agree with what's been said so far, but with motorcycle anything you have to start young very young and then if the kid is good enough the kid and probably family would need to move to Europe to live, train and compete. i think if he's not riding the european series and support classes for the world rounds by the teen years then he's out of luck on the world championship level. i don't know of any parent that would send a pre -teen to live on his own in Europe? back in Bernie's day the top riders were older and old enough to live on their own? maybe someone knows for sure but that's my feeling on why it's hard for US riders.

rob

To be honest you could sub the word us easily for uk in biffs post above. The only difference for the British lads is they start alot closer.

Again I will beat the same drum the FIM having taken control of Euro champs could very easily open up the youth or junior champs (euro) to guest us riders and have two events close together geographically and consequetive weekends in the summer recess (us) and this would then be backed by manufacturers to provide hire bikes and support trucks, very possible when the wtc closes down.

Everyone needs to step back and have a look at what we all can do for the sport to survive globally, and encouraging the "smages" from the us is worthwhile, possible and maybe just help get the US riders over here as a taster?

Pat Smage didn't have the desire to become world champion ! . He is happy living life doing his displays and enjoying himself

Edited May 29, 201412 yr by atomant