Youth Championship 2019

[smudger984]

An ACU representative was at the British Sheffield Youth round and made an announcement at the start that the ACU was thinking of changing the ages of the classes. 

They wanted to change the age classes, and the knock-on from this would be that any youth in the second year of the 'B' Class would be moved up to the 'A' class for 2019. I seem to remember this was to allow a younger youth to move up to 125?

I voiced my concerns to the ACU Offical (sorry cannot remember his name) at the time, and told him you will be pushing the riders on to a harder route, this does not seem fair or safe to those riders, who are all expecting to still be riding the 'B' class next year. Every other Parent I spoke to also said the same.

I have heard via different sources that this new age classification is coming into play next year, although I will say not from anyone official yet?

I did go back and look at the comments about the changes to the 'A' class for 2018 of having a split with the option for an 'A' to ride in the Elite 'A' or the British Youth 'A'. The comments for this was to bring more riders into the Youth A championship.... umm wonder how that turned out then?  

Has anyone else heard of any changes or are these just rumours at the minute?

 

[section swept]

No info on this subject and it doesn’t sound as if it’s been too well thought out, almost like they want to scare youngsters away from our sport. ??‍♂️

[hillary]

As is so often the case, people get the wrong end of the stick. The suggestion is that the age limit for B class be lowered to 12 which will allow 12 year olds to ride 125cc machines which would bring the UK regulation into line with the European trials regulations.

There is definitely NOT any suggestion that B class youths be moved into A class any earlier than they do now.

[mickwren]

A week gone Thursday I drove from the Lake District to Rugby to collect equipment for the Bob Macgregor round of the British Trials Championship. On the Friday I then drove to the said event and spent the weekend there. This last Thursday I got up at 5 am to drive to Rugby again to return the equipment and attend a Trials and Enduro Committee meeting . A total of over 1000 miles and 5 days away from home. Next Thursday I will again drive to Rugby for a meeting at 4.30 in the afternoon which will mean it will be probably midnight when I get home, and why do I do this ???? Apparently it's so that I can play an active role in killing off Youth Trials, not to mention the massive power trip and the VIP lifestyle , Have you driven the length of the M6 recently ?. Apparently our debate about the youth classes wasn't very well thought out, I would suggest they were a little better thought out than the response of someone hiding behind a keyboard and a nick name.

For anyone who might be interested, The T&E Committee are blessed with so many experts who are keen to make us aware of our errors and with this in mind our Chairman came up with the idea of forming a Trials Working Group. The idea being that each centre, of which there are over 20, could nominate one representative to attend a couple of meetings a year to keep us informed about views from the grass roots and add their experience to continue and promote our sport. We initially got 3 volunteers, this has since grown by a couple  but it just proves the point that plenty can drive a keyboard but are not prepared to do anything positive.

On his other point I personally have been aware for years that kids ride round doing wheelies, stoppies, etc etc and that's why I don't believe in the no stop rules 

[section swept]

Mickwren, that journey is what you had to do in performing your duties as you chose. It is also unwise to use your real name on any website for obvious reasons. 

Far from hiding behind a keyboard I comment on suggestions, others interpretation of matters to hand and offer help and advice to those members that seek assistance with machine issues etc. 

I consider that I have done my bit for motorcycling as a whole. Sponsoring trials when I was a Dealer, helping other club riders with parts and clothing at good discounts. I went to schools and colleges open days to promote my business but also fairly obviously motorcycling and the sport aspects, all in my own time and at costs to me and not my business, including Sunday’s. You are not alone in travelling. I have also attended the BMF East of England show ground both as a sponsor and exhibitor. I have also provided sponsorship to a Motocross rider and a junior Trials rider who went on to be quite successful. I have attended at the Instructors request the then mandatory Star Rider training sessions to demonstrate the course and how to ride it. Again all in my own time and at a cost to me. I also formed a motorcycle club with a fellow likeminded enthusiast, and we held open days for all to come and see what we were about. Lastly, again at cost to me I spent 2 days at a charity festival event raising money for the organising body. This entailed me paying two other people to help me run a ‘try a Trials bike’ for a small donation. Mitsui the Yamaha importers loaned me a TY 125 for free that I had to collect from Chessington and deliver back undamaged and if memory serves me correctly on Sunday evening I deposited some £650 into the organisers charity fund. 

So maybe before any criticism is levelled, or suggestions about hiding are made I feel that I have done enough and others can and are doing something positive. I must say as a representative of a governing body your response is challenging to say the least. As you were not named in the first post but described as a representative of an official body am I correct in saying that you can claim for your travel and out of pocket expenses! Unlike many of us that do it for the love of the sport. If you don’t get expenses then I apologise for that last bit. 

When you re-read the original post you will be aware that quite a few influential people ie parents were a little put off by your said announcement. Maybe better explanation was needed.

Edited October 27, 2018 by section swept

[mickwren]

On 10/27/2018 at 10:11 AM, section swept said:

No info on this subject and it doesn’t sound as if it’s been too well thought out, almost like they want to scare youngsters away from our sport. ??‍♂️

No info on the subject yet you still choose to criticise.  

[smudger984]

Thanks for the info Hillary !!!

I didn't really as you say get the wrong end of the stick as originally it was said about moving the ages..... this is why I asked for someone in more know than myself to confirm. 

Sounds a good decision as I agree youths that want to or are ready to move to a 125 should be allowed.

 

Thanks again for confirming.

Edited October 28, 2018 by smudger984

[mickwren]

15 hours ago, splatered stu said:

fricken politics and politicians...they are as bad or worse than lawyers and the cause of many things being tainted to the point of worthlessness.ever tried a therapist or cannabis?.that may help you with the buthurt feeling other than that maybe try dirtbikes or monster trucks they may be more your thing...aggression and grandstanding seem commonplace to their ranks.all this bitching is the reason why kids would be uninterested or unlikely to participate.seems like a first world adult problem and will chase away your numbers.Mickren do you do this for fun or are you angling for a hero biscuit? you do know its proverbial and there is no real biscuit right?i applaud your energy and willingness to push your sport but beware where you are pushing it to.its not yours you are a part of it. again more evidence clubs are nothing more than the vibration of their loudest member or members.you sir have dragged that energy down and made a good case to not join your club or any other.you're probably a really nice guy when there is no bug up your ass...might want to get that bug dealt with so you can be integrated back into the fold and start going forward again.whynot take a year off and go ride by yourself to remember why it is you love trials.ultimately you will hurt your sport if you insist on pushing too hard.prove to yourself and everybody you know when to back down.peace guys.and keep your feet up.

Yep no arguments there , certainly no hero biscuit or reward of any kind, simply trying to demonstrate the lengths we go to to promote the sport, therefore why would we try to deliberately sabotage it

 

[nigel dabster]

@mickwren I am assuming @section swept has privately e mailed you and requested a place on the trials working party?

[section swept]

7 hours ago, nigel dabster said:

@mickwren I am assuming @section swept has privately e mailed you and requested a place on the trials working party?

Well actually no I haven’t e-mailed anyone about this, as I have already pointed out I feel that I have done my bit in the past. It is more pertinent that the younger competitors take on the mantle, with fresh ideas and a forward looking outlook. Have you considered a place on the trials working party. Quite frankly I have had my fair share of meetings about meetings with very little outcome to show for it. So I do not feel thus inclined, thank you for the thought.??

[mickwren]

7 hours ago, nigel dabster said:

@mickwren I am assuming @section swept has privately e mailed you and requested a place on the trials working party?

I still don't know who he is, I don't need to now who he is, I have no issue with whatever he might have done for trials I have no doubt he will have done loads, my issue is, and always will be people's immediate response of assuming the ACU will have got it wrong again because they always do because they're so far out of touch etc etc. People need to be nominated by their Centre to become part of this group and as a matter of interest the suggestion that we should look into this slight change came from one of the members of this group. Most of the time we get criticised for holding back youth riders but this is a genuine attempt to give them what they have asked for. We also know that what suits some will cause problems for others, that's why we always try to design regulations that will permit riders to do something without forcing them into something where they are out of their depth

[section swept]

mickwren, Having read your last post with interest, it appears that you have identified the reason for my initial comment. Now that the situation has been better explained about the intended rule change, it is less of a threat to young riders that want to progress at their rate. ?

[jimmyl]

Who's Job is it?

This is a little story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody.

There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it.

Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.

Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody's job.

Everybody thought that Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it.

It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

 

Who wants Change?

Once there were four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, Nobody who wanted change.

So, Everybody said "I want change".

Somebody said "If only Anybody, would start to change, I will join."

But Nobody said "I will change."

Finally Everybody stayed same, blaming Somebody for waiting for Anybody to start changing. So, Nobody changed.

 

At least the likes of Mick/ Hillary and the ACU are trying/have tried to do something -even if  Everybody thinks they can do a better job

[cubby]

Agree that the work put in to organising trials is much more than people assume. Trials is in general a niche sport with relatively few people involved as a whole, but plenty of 'Experts'

If the idea of the change in ages of the Youth B class is to allow riders onto a 125 a little earlier, without affecting the riders who will now be going into their final B class year then I think that is fine. I speak as having one of those kids who is going into that final year at that level. 

Bringing into line with Europe is a good thing, however I do always personally like the idea of a rider being able to outride the capability of a bike before moving on. A.k.a Jack Dance in B class on an 80 last year!!  

Poor bike lol