A B National Pontypool

[spudsdad]

anyone seen full resullts from yesterdays youth national???

[Andy]

On t'front page now

[as iow]

Lots of talk about minders riding bikes at this trial, with a 3 mile lap it was impossable to be at and time them through every section. Its about time ACU looked in to this, its not a problem at the adult rounds so why not let minders ride at the A/B rounds.

[manwithtool]

Totally agree re minders riding. My lad had a big crash on section 6 and had to retire due to bike damage, if I had been there I might have caught him, but I was down in sections 1-4 about 1 mile away ! And I only got there in time to see him head off to section 5. If you include tough sections (which you obviously have to) then you need to make sure the minders can get there. Even more so with Youth A I'd have thought.

I don't know much about the next round other than knowing I will have to run (walk, crawl) around the track and then drive 300 miles home and go to work the next day. Falling asleep is never a good thing at work.....especially when your a 747 pilot, (just kidding for those nervous flyers).

This is not a critisism of the club, Judging by the scores they got it about right, and had to use the land as they did.

[telecat]

The distances between sections is always a problem. Otter Vale for example is a great trial but the gap between the two "groups" of sections means that Dads, (and some Mums) need to be super fit or have help to get between them. Historically Youth nationals are "open" to anybody who matches the Age criteria. Hence four of five years ago entries near to a Hundred. This meant that with Dads following on bikes the whole thing got too crowded and accidents and incidents happened hence the ban on Minders bikes. With the current more manageable numbers it would seem to be allowable but I can see numbers rising again if that happened leading to the same problem. Perhaps Organisers could arrange Quads, (farmers types) which could shuttle Mindersto and form the extreme's of sections??

[as iow]

Historically Youth nationals are "open" to anybody who matches the Age criteria. Hence four of five years ago entries near to a Hundred. This meant that with Dads following on bikes the whole thing got too crowded and accidents and incidents happened hence the ban on Minders bikes. With the current more manageable numbers it would seem to be allowable but I can see numbers rising again if that happened leading to the same problem.

Simple, limit entry to 60 30 A plus 30 B class.

[telecat]

Simple, limit entry to 60 30 A plus 30 B class.

That's OK now but if numbers rise how do you choose? The idea of these classes is to allow any Youth a go! Any Registration scheme runs the risk of excluding those who can only afford to do "local" rounds or those who want to join the series late after discovering they are good enough! You also don't want to exclude those who know they are not going to beat the top lads but enjoy the ride. A compromise needs to be reached where no rider is left without a "catcher".

[m&s]

I do not think anybody would want to mind on a bike at any of the compact venues.

But minders on bikes (possibly with an acu licence) at large venues would remove a lot of parental worries as to how riders are managing, physically and mechanically. This weekend in A class actual catching was at a minimum but timing a must.

[as iow]

I do not think anybody would want to mind on a bike at any of the compact venues.

This is true, at the West of England BC trial no minders rode as it was quicker to get from section to section on foot, and this would be true of other venues like Bracken rocks etc, but at the larger venues like Scarbrough, Otter Vale, and the Pontypool trial it was impossable to keep up with out a bike

This weekend in A class actual catching was at a minimum but timing a must. How about sections two & three, i think you needed catchers there, while section six about a mile away and about a mile long realy needed someone on the stop watch.

[m&s]

Exactly, I only got to see sections 1 to 4 once catching required, and 10 to 12 once, had to be happy to stop watch on sections 5 to 9. I am not criticising the sections nor against long lap lengths, but if we could mind on bikes the whole thing would be easier to cope with. It is nice to know that riders can seek help from other parents but this should not be necessary when a named minder is signed on.