The problem you've got is local Clerks of the Course (and their egos!). Nobody can overrule them - not even the FIM course advisor. Look at France last year. Could have been a fantastic venue. Nice valley which would have happily housed the paddock with perfect scope for the twelve (or even fifteen) required sections up both sides. Hotel right next to it for all the admin stuff, but no. The podium was in the town centre. The paddock was up a very steep hill half a mile away. Results Manager was next to the podium, but we were shoved off in an estate agent's office nowhere near the podium. some of the sections were in the valley, but two were away off on their own, pretty much inaccessible to spectators and best of all, they stuck more of them right up a mountain which was frequently in the clouds - and refused to move them. Then we have Spain - 2014's venue should never have been homologated in the first place.

France 2014 - whole valley was like this

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It's a mess and with the same old, same old in place for 2015 it's not going to get any better

It would make excellent spectator viewing if the chair lift was working! We have a local event at a Ski resort every year. The chairs going up and down makes the event!

Aye those French sections were the worst id seen in years. Technically challenging but repetitive junk and OH SO BORING. At least the Spanish round had some decent hill and bull ring sections. Id recommend Arnedo for sure.

Aye those French sections were the worst id seen in years. Technically challenging but repetitive junk and OH SO BORING. At least the Spanish round had some decent hill and bull ring sections. Id recommend Arnedo for sure.

Ah yes, the bull ring sections. You go to Spain, arguably the modern home of trials and you have not just one, but two indoor sections at an outdoor world championship...

The WTC has already imploded, as I have mentioned before it is now the Spanish Championship on tour.

I did not bother going to Nord View in 2014, probably will have a look this year but by no means sure. I watched Sheffield 2015 on youtube but was pretty bored after 1/2 an hour, yet I can happily spend all day watching 2 or 3 sections at a Lancs club or northern centre trial.

Why is it the Spanish championship on tour?

The WTC has already imploded, as I have mentioned before it is now the Spanish Championship on tour.

Why? Because the Spaniards are filling the podium and it becomes the Spanish Championship?

Well there weren't too many complaints when Doug was winning week in week out?

Whatever is wrong with it, it certainly isnt the spanish championship on tour.

The fact that the top 3 are spanish isn't anyones fault, except im sure the rules have extended Raga, Fuji and Cabbys careers.

As Gizza says when dougie was winning 7 titles we didnt complain.

What I find incomprehensible is just a few years ago there was the 125cc youth, and then junior, then full wtc.

It was a natural progression and worked well enough, with the younger classes well supported and popular, and popular in the individual countries aswell.

So that meant in England you would get the good lads having a go at "their" world round, same in France, Italy and Spain etc. Then when the rules were bent to suit firstly Laia then Pol Tarres the junior championship lost something along with a name change etc in recent years which stopped the progression.

The 125cc class was great and could be brought back in and a junior champs too, and then a minimum age of 18 for the top route possibly? Also make it 7 rounds counting from 12 so the youth dont have to find fares to japan or america?

Make the factories have at least two supported riders in each class, or better still a contingency like they have in USA motorcross for privateers who get the bonus paid on resluts?

And ffs get the FIM to realise its dying and ask the drop outs oliveras Gomez Gubian Wigg and so on why?

Edited January 11, 201511 yr by nigel dabster

What I find incomprehensible is just a few years ago there was the 125cc youth, and then junior, then full wtc.

It was a natural progression and worked well enough, with the younger classes well supported and popular, and popular in the individual countries aswell.

And ffs get the FIM to realise its dying and ask the drop outs oliveras Gomez Gubian Wigg and so on why?

Dabster, I agree with asking "the drop-outs". Best idea yet.

I also enjoyed the 125s, more than the Junior class to be honest.

One aspect of this that I don't feel has worked well is the Youth and Junior classes acting as a feeder to the WTC. I think to top five in the world, who have been there for many years, all came directly into WTC. Those who have won Youth & Junior titles have tended to fill the places from 6th downwards.

Alfredo Gomez is going from strength to strength, would be interesting to see what it would take to tempt him back ?

Having come back to trials having retired from road racing I find the WTC a series devoid of any relevance to what most people regard as trials and in a desperate state.Barely a dozen riders and being propped up by HRC.

Back in my day a very good UK rider could at least enter a world round and having a decent day out without fiving every section and smashing their bike to bits.

Obviously you can't turn back progress bike and riding wise but surely the WTC sections can be laid out in a more sympathetic manner requiring different skills without just one big step after another.

I like trials but when I watch a WTC round I get bored after 5 minutes so god knows what the general public think,finally if you are going to have a non stop rule why not enforce it that is a complete joke at WTC.

What is the answer?

Take a look at the results from Portugal, bou wins dropping just 1 on observation. Our no 1 rider finishes on 75 observation! Most of which come from 5's. Jack Sheppard, a decent rider, fails 9 of the first lap 12 sections! This shows us that the majority of sections these days are either clean or 5.

The only way forward is to change the nature of the sections so that there is a variorty of differnet challenges. Its pointless to create technically trick style sections with big steps and leaps. This type of section just segregates the top 4 riders (especially Bou) further from the rest of the field and alienates WTC from the general public relating to it.

Yes its not possible to go back in time to the days when a decent center rider could compete in a world round have a go at every section and get round the course. But lets not lose the fundemental principals that traditional trials was based on.

Set the WTC out with a selection of rock, river, hills, mud, tree roots... sections that are difficult and challenging without the need for arena style riding. Basically sections similar to a traditional national section but tougher, steeper and slippery. At least with this style of section everyone in the field has a chance of completing each section. The top riders will still win, but they will have more dabs and will get caught out more often. The gap between the top few and the rest of the field will shorten and the general public will have more to relate to.

Don't disagree but its all been said before. Manufacturers pump money into the wtc still, for some until they have no cash left. Let it die, it has failed to sell bikes which has to be one of the purposes for its very existence.

After all we all know who the best rider is.

I doubt that the majority really bother what happens in the world championship. I doubt it sells any bikes really.

Yes its not possible to go back in time to the days when a decent center rider could compete in a world round have a go at every section and get round the course. But lets not lose the fundemental principals that traditional trials was based on.

 

 

 

why not?

Why not ?

Because the range of ability is now immense. You can't really run a centre trial as a single route so imagine the range of ability between somebody 10th at an S3 round and Toni Bou.