bdmc Posted October 19, 2009 Report Share Posted October 19, 2009 Can the Coc explain why the time limit was scrapped on Saturdys route Not sure why but I understand the time limit was scrapped on the Saturday? If this is the case what about the riders who rushed the sections or asked for a 5 so that they could finish within thier time limit. I also heard that some riders knew about the scrapping of the time limit during the trial. Was the a justifiable reason why the time limit was scrapped. As a Clerk of Course I was on the understanding that you DO NOT change or scrap time limits. This is drumed into you when attending the seminors at Rugby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody Posted October 19, 2009 Report Share Posted October 19, 2009 The reason as explained to me yesterday, was that the timekeeper initially went to the wrong location. Riders are clocked off somewhere en route back to the start area, not at the last section. Some riders were finishing before this situation could be rectified, therefore, as they had no finishing time recorded they had to scrap the time limit. Although rumours were circulating late on (I was at the back of the entry) they were just that, rumours, so riders were still attempting to get a move on and finish in time. No-one, as far as I know, took it for granted that the limit had been scrapped and used it to an advantage. It was only confirmed to me by an official after I'd finished the last section and arrived back at the road en route to the timekeeping location. So, although unfortunate, there was little else the club could have done. In an ideal world I'd agree that you shouldn't scrap a time limit, but in this case I can't see that there was an alternative. I've ridden quite a few 'big' trials where time limits have been scrapped, it's not uncommon. On Saturday, there was unfortunately a lot of queuing and one of the things that contributes to this is riders asking for a 5 instead of attempting the section. To bypass a queue of riders and go straight to the opbserver to get a card punched takes up a lot of the observers time. This has the knock on affect of adding more delay to the time riders have to wait whilst queuing to make a proper attempt at the section. More so if there is only one observer, rather than an observer and a punch operator. So riders who correctly attempt all sections then suffer due to others who make no attempt and just get their cards punched. Strictly speaking they should get 10 for missing the section.... Anyway, this one hiccup aside, and the unusual amount of queuing on Saturday, still a great weekend so thanks to all who organised, observed, grafted etc. to make it all possible. Looking forward to next year already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdmc Posted October 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2009 I wonder how many on the hard course were out of time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillary Posted October 20, 2009 Report Share Posted October 20, 2009 Yes, just to confirm why time was scrapped on Saturday. John Harding who always does the time control at this trial was told to go to the same place as he went to last year to operate the time control. However, the route had been changed at the bridge over the River Duddon and instead of going right along the banks of the river, the course went along the left bank. By the time John realised the route had been changed a significant number of riders had finished the trial, and to be fair to all, the time limit was scrapped. Not an ideal situation I agree, and there will always be winners and losers, but it was probably the only glitch in an otherwise superbly run trial. As an aside, it is increasingly difficult to get enough observers on a Saturday (Sunday too) to run a single lap, 40 section trial with 180 riders. Heather Ellwood begs and pleads with folks to help, and the bulk of those that respond are locals. What would help the trial enormously would be an offer by a few of those who attend the trial to support their riders, offered to observe say the first 15 sections. That would take the pressure off the club enormously and those folks could still then see their riders later in the day. Let's be totally honest, what do the trial followers achieve? Supplying food, drink and fuel is hardly essential, especially as there is a formal food and fuel stop at the half way point. As a regular rider at many events, and without naming names, there are many folks (generally parents) who NEVER observe at a big trial. They simply sit in the van at the roadside and wait for their offspring, and sometimes his mates to turn up. Boring or what! Their time would be much better spent observing. And if any rider gets into a problem - puncture, minor breakdown etc, there's always plenty of other riders and folk to help out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nigel dabster Posted October 20, 2009 Report Share Posted October 20, 2009 I thought the queues would be better with no stop, was this not the case? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b40rt Posted October 20, 2009 Report Share Posted October 20, 2009 I thought the queues would be better with no stop, was this not the case? Where's this going, I wonder ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sutty Posted October 20, 2009 Report Share Posted October 20, 2009 well yes there was queing but what a trial some of the best scenery in the country and the wether was briliant on saturday and usuall rain on sunday all i can say is a big thanks to all who organised the event to set up an event like this to suit so many levels of rider so that no one gets hurt is brilliant all the complaning does is dishearten the people who give up all there spare time to put sutch an event on well i say try running a big event like this and an entry as big as they had without queing what would the complainers say if there was no event in the future see you next year !!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trialsnutterman Posted October 21, 2009 Report Share Posted October 21, 2009 I thought the queues would be better with no stop, was this not the case? The queues were quite bad on a few sections but they would have been far worse if the rules were stop and hop. I think the best way to reduce the queuing is to get rid of the punch cards as they take time for the riders to find them and then the observer to punch it, on one section in particular the observer was running down a bank to punch the card then walking back up it to flag the next rider in, two observers would obviously help but they are very hard to come by. The other way would be to set the riders off at 1 minute intervals instead of 30s but then you would have to reduce the entry or the time limit due to daylight hours and length of time the observers/organisers are stood out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trialsnutterman Posted October 21, 2009 Report Share Posted October 21, 2009 (edited) If the COC does read this, I think it would be wise to put the time control at or very near the last section so riders don't go flying along the road to save time points. I watched at the time control on Saturday and there were numerous riders going far to fast for the road, to me it is a accident waiting to happen, also many of the riders including myself stopped at the time check to have a chat about how they had gone on, this caused a bit of a blockage on the road and I saw a few annoyed looking motorist. Please don't take this as having a go as I though the trial was excellent and I really enjoyed it, hopefully my comments can be taken on board to help the trial say as one of the best in the country. Edited October 21, 2009 by trialsnutterman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t-shock 250 Posted October 21, 2009 Report Share Posted October 21, 2009 Not the first time the time limit has been scrapped at the lakes and only "selected" riders were told. I fell foul of this once and rushed round like a lunatic to finish with a couple of minutes to spare, having asked for fives at a load of sections. I was furious as the riders "in the know" just took their time and rode all the sections without worry. I think it depends if you're in the "clique" or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nigel dabster Posted October 21, 2009 Report Share Posted October 21, 2009 Where's this going, I wonder ? not where you think thats for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nigel dabster Posted October 21, 2009 Report Share Posted October 21, 2009 If the COC does read this, I think it would be wise to put the time control at or very near the last section so riders don't go flying along the road to save time points. I watched at the time control on Saturday and there were numerous riders going far to fast for the road, to me it is a accident waiting to happen, also many of the riders including myself stopped at the time check to have a chat about how they had gone on, this caused a bit of a blockage on the road and I saw a few annoyed looking motorist.Please don't take this as having a go as I though the trial was excellent and I really enjoyed it, hopefully my comments can be taken on board to help the trial say as one of the best in the country. Had the same thing in France at a four day where they had a time control in the town not at the last section which resulted in a "road race" but despite my best french (cse grade 4 I think) they didn't seem to think it mattered. Daft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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