The past seven days have been fairly hectic for your columnist as far as trials are concerned, having ridden last Bank Holiday Monday followed two days later by a journey deep into the Lake District to begin planning sections for the two Lakes Motor Trial Association events that take place on Saturday July 17 and Sunday the 18th.
Normally planning sections is not my department, I’m more of an administration wallah, but with the Saturday trial being round eight of the Challenge Lusky.com British Sidecar Championship event, it seemed appropriate that the Lakes MTA organisers made use of my limited knowledge in planning suitable sections for the chair boys.
With a sidecar trial first, followed the next day by the National Twinshock Team Trial, our plan is to get some sections suitable for both events, and if that is not possible, then having the sections adjacent to one another for organising convenience.
Whilst this may not be possible at every location, of the first 14 sections plotted, several can be absolutely the same for both trials. That may seem surprising, but with some great stream sections as well as climbs and rock outcrops, straight up a stream has to be the same for both as there’s only one way in and one way out, whilst the others can have slight variations for the solo twinshocks the following day.
Norman Cooper takes on much of the responsibility for section planning for both Barrow and Lakes trials and once he understood what can and can’t be done with a sidecar, he soon got the idea. However, everything will be fully vetted for both trials before they happen and judging by what’s available, it’s all looking good. The full details are in the events calendar with regs available to download.
The Cumberland County Club’s Alan Trial was first held in 1920 and whilst it has inevitably undergone several major changes over the past 80 years, these days it is as strong as it has ever been. Several years ago it was moved from being a road based trial to an all off-road event, due principally to heavy police presence on the Melmerby to Alston road along which it was held. But since it has moved to an eight mile, 23 section course based at Newbiggin, entries have increased and it’s only because it is so far north that it doesn’t attract even more riders.
It’s a trial at which I have observed for many years – there is a need to help out local clubs with major events when possible – and I certainly don’t mind doing so. I don’t see it ever taking over from my riding – at least not for a while, but it still provides some decent entertainment.
Punch cards were used which for me as an observer gives one a chance to have at worst a very brief grunt with the rider, and at best a decent if short conversation. Trouble is, I’ve found that chatting and talking makes observing difficult and several times I had to ask riders what they considered they had lost. And I think they were as honest as the day was long. If not, they were only kidding themselves but I still think they were straight up with me.
As you may well know, Dan Thorpe has for many years been one of our best national trials riders and it was a real pleasure to be in attendance when Dan won his 100th national trial this last Sunday. He has now won the Alan seven times, the last four in succession with the first being in 1999 and those 100 wins have come over the past 12 years or so. It’s some achievement and I rather think that it will be a long while before his record is matched.
Presumably a number of other riders will have notched up 100 national victories; I suppose it’s a fair guess to say that Steve Saunders and Sammy Miller will have achieved such success, but in the absence of a recognised UK trials historian, guessing is the best that we can manage.