Probably the most competitive trials championship currently being held in the UK is the Normandale sponsored ACU Traditional Trials Championship, a ten round series that caters for Pre 75 British Bikes, Twinshocks, Air-cooled monoshocks, and veterans over 40, 50 and 60 on modern machines.
It’s a series that is generally well supported, indeed, my own club, Lancs Country regularly holds a round and we generally attract over 140 competitors. It’s not a series that I ride regularly, in fact apart from my own event, I probably only ride one other each year. This year’s second ride in the series was at the Hillsborough Club’s final round at Stannington near Sheffield.
It was a last minute decision to attend, partially prompted by Dave Thorpe always wanting to know why I didn’t ride “his” round when he always supports “mine”. So, on Sunday morning it was a two hour drive to the start for a trial that I knew would be good.
There was also another reason as I wanted to see if young Carl Batty could clinch the A class (Pre 75 British Bikes) championship for the second year, and it was a fascinating battle to watch.
Let me set the scene; the winner would be either Dave Thorpe (64 years and 11 months old) or Carl Batty (19 years 11 months old) – a 45 year age gap, and where else in sport could two competitors, so vastly different in age, experience, maturity and attitude, be so evenly matched? Prior to the start of last Sunday’s trial Batty was on 178 points with four wins, three seconds and two thirds whilst Thorpe was on 168 points from four wins a second and a third, plus of course the two challengers had lower scores from other events. So young Batty had the upper hand, but who would discount the challenge of Thorpe, a winner of a British World Round way back in the 'sixties?
The styles of riding contrasted markedly. As anybody will know if they have seen Dave Thorpe ride, he is very much of the old school, all body English and years of talent. They will also know that David is fairly infirm these days, walking is far more of a problem than riding a bike, but he is without doubt a real character of the sport.
And what about Carl Batty? He’s worked his way through the youth ranks and found in the Pre 75 scene an enjoyment that is not there for him on a more modern bike. He can do all the tricks and certainly can make the bike “talk”, but he rides it properly, no-stop as the regulations demand, and it has to be said, he’s a joy to watch. But so too is Thorpey, though with a totally different style and approach.
Ultimately of course, with a ten point advantage going into the last round, it was Batty who secured the championship for the second time – and he did it with a clear cut win in the class in a trial that was absolutely suited to their talents. Or so I thought until I saw the results on Monday evening which were considerably different to the marks I saw lost in the sections They say the observer’s decision is final and that’s the way it should be, but even so, strange how two people can see a totally result
However, what does disappoint me is the attitude of some folks. OK, so Batty is but a mere youth, but why shouldn’t he ride the old bike class? There is no written or indeed unwritten rule that the Pre 75 machines have to be ridden by grizzled old veterans, and in my opinion those who consider that he shouldn’t be in the class are totally wrong. I wonder what the reaction would be if he entered the James in the twinshock class (as he would be perfectly entitled to do) and ruffled a few feathers with some outstanding results.
Arguably, older riders should be on modern bikes which are easier and safer to ride, as is frequently proven by older riders having some nasty crashes as they attempt sections on Pre 75 machines that are also intended for 40 year olds on modern bikes.
Those who say the Traditional series can be too difficult for such a wide range of machines and abilities have a point, but equally many of the clubs who hold these rounds get it spot on – or so I am told because it’s a few years since I rode the full series.
The other class that had still to be decided at the Hillsborough trial was the twinshock category, fought out between Richard Allen and Phil Wiffen. Richard Allen kept his advantage and together with A class winner Batty, C class winner Pete Ruscoe, D class winner, Ashley Hall, E class winner Nic Draper and F class winner Jon Bliss, will be able to collect their 2010 championship certificates when the ACU hold the presentation early next year.