Have a merry Christmas...
By John Dickinson on 23rd Dec 11
Guest columnist, Sean Lawless, stands in for editor 'JD' this week with some reminescences of his early sporting 'career'...
"So here it is, Merry Christmas, everybody's having fun...” So sang Noddy Holder and the boys waaay back in the day when new bikes came with twin rear shocks as stock and drum brakes, drystone walls and fellow competitors provided the favoured stopping options.
And seeing as Noddy's nick-name derives from his skill at delivering the fearsome Black Country kiss I reckon we'd best not argue with him and ensure that fun is at the top of the menu.
Of course, now I'm a grown-up and to all intent and purpose master of my own destiny, I can make sure I shall be enjoying plenty of the f-word this festive season.
But that wasn't always the case. I must have been eight or nine-years-old the first time I was dragged from my bed in the wee small hours of December 26, stuffed into a fume-filled van and rattled all the way into the wilds of Cumbria for what was to become the annual ritual known as ‘The Boxing Day Trial'.
While my dear old dad – the esteemed founder editor of this publication – sat in the front of the T+MX Tranny, heater on full, chain-smoking roll-ups and passing a hip flask around his fellow schoolboy dads, I'd be wobbling my Whitehawk up the side of an icy fell as my lips turned a similar shade of blue to my beloved Bernie Schreiber replica Alpinestars boots.
But even the horrors of ‘The Boxing Day Trial' paled into insignificance compared to the horrors of another annual ritual – The New Year's Day Trial!
This event upped the ante to 11 on the pain amplifier and I'm convinced played a big part in the setting up of ‘Childline'.
The traditional venue for ‘The New Year's Day Trial' was Back Cown Quarry, near Rochdale, which on January 1 had to be one of the coldest places on the planet.
It was so cold that Siberian prisoners were threatened with a month there if they tried to escape their gulags.
In fact, it was so cold a mate of mine swears blind that the griplessly slick step in section 12 on the far side of the quarry that took so many fives from me was actually the thigh bone of a mammoth. Anyway, you get the picture – we're talking cold.
But you know something? At the time it may have been pretty miserable to face five-laps around the East Lancashire tundra with nothing but a pair of Ellgrens (remember them) between my pale flesh and a wind blowing direct from the Arctic.
To experience the agony of blood flow returning to fingers and toes that had lost all feeling four-hours before. Then there was the disappointment of finally getting back to the van to discover the butty boxes ransacked.
But, looking back it was fun – albeit in a character-forming, putting hairs on your chest sort of way. I can certainly laugh about it now. And it was worse – much worse – for my mum!
At least I was keeping moving. She had to observe and sometimes needed to be chipped from her section at the end of the day!
Checking through the regs at the back of T+MX I can see that ‘The Boxing Day Trial' and ‘The New Year's Day Trial' are still going strong as annual traditions and long may this continue.
So whether your poison is trials, enduro or motocross – or even something involving three- or four-wheels and a set of handlebars – make sure you take care of the most important bit. Have fun!
As for me? Well, I'm planning on a couple of lie-ins this time around!
Have a great Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year from everyone at T+MX...
* * * * *
As we hurtle headlong towards the New Year, as well as looking forward to the new season coming, it's also traditional to look back at events of the past 12-months.
And it's been a solid year for off-road sport...
On the World Trials stage we've seen Spaniard Toni Bou continue to dominate inside and out.
The Spanish have kept their grip on global trials, sweeping the male and female Trials des Nation titles with Laia Sanz also picking up the women's individual crown and Alfredo Gomez taking the World Junior trophy.
However, in Britain we can boast a genuine world champion in youth king, Jack Sheppard!
World motocross has been dominated by KTM and its star pilots Antonio Cairoli and Kenny Roczen but, again, there's reason for optimism for patriotic Brits.
Both Tommy Searle and Max Anstie have shown this season they can be contenders in 2012 and we'll also have Jake Nicholls as a bit of a wildcard on the GP scene next year armed with 2011 factory KTM engines.
But – for me at least – it's the world of enduro that's possibly seen our next superstar emerge.
Cumbrian kid, Johnny Walker's kicked ass more or less everywhere he's rolled up in 2011 and if he continues the trend in 2012 then he's going to take some stopping.
2012? Bring it on!
Sean Lawless
Have a great Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year from everyone at T+MX...
* * * * *
As we hurtle headlong towards the New Year, as well as looking forward to the new season coming, it's also traditional to look back at events of the past 12-months.
And it's been a solid year for off-road sport...
On the World Trials stage we've seen Spaniard Toni Bou continue to dominate inside and out.
The Spanish have kept their grip on global trials, sweeping the male and female Trials des Nation titles with Laia Sanz also picking up the women's individual crown and Alfredo Gomez taking the World Junior trophy.
However, in Britain we can boast a genuine world champion in youth king, Jack Sheppard!
World motocross has been dominated by KTM and its star pilots Antonio Cairoli and Kenny Roczen but, again, there's reason for optimism for patriotic Brits.
Both Tommy Searle and Max Anstie have shown this season they can be contenders in 2012 and we'll also have Jake Nicholls as a bit of a wildcard on the GP scene next year armed with 2011 factory KTM engines.
But – for me at least – it's the world of enduro that's possibly seen our next superstar emerge.
Cumbrian kid, Johnny Walker's kicked ass more or less everywhere he's rolled up in 2011 and if he continues the trend in 2012 then he's going to take some stopping.
2012? Bring it on!
Have a great Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year from everyone at T+MX...Guest columnist, Sean Lawless, stands in for editor ‘JD' this week with some reminescences of his early sporting ‘career'...
"So here it is, Merry Christmas, everybody's having fun...” So sang Noddy Holder and the boys waaay back in the day when new bikes came with twin rear shocks as stock and drum brakes, drystone walls and fellow competitors provided the favoured stopping options.
And seeing as Noddy's nick-name derives from his skill at delivering the fearsome Black Country kiss I reckon we'd best not argue with him and ensure that fun is at the top of the menu.
Of course, now I'm a grown-up and to all intent and purpose master of my own destiny, I can make sure I shall be enjoying plenty of the f-word this festive season.
But that wasn't always the case. I must have been eight or nine-years-old the first time I was dragged from my bed in the wee small hours of December 26, stuffed into a fume-filled van and rattled all the way into the wilds of Cumbria for what was to become the annual ritual known as ‘The Boxing Day Trial'.
While my dear old dad – the esteemed founder editor of this publication – sat in the front of the T+MX Tranny, heater on full, chain-smoking roll-ups and passing a hip flask around his fellow schoolboy dads, I'd be wobbling my Whitehawk up the side of an icy fell as my lips turned a similar shade of blue to my beloved Bernie Schreiber replica Alpinestars boots.
But even the horrors of ‘The Boxing Day Trial' paled into insignificance compared to the horrors of another annual ritual – The New Year's Day Trial!
This event upped the ante to 11 on the pain amplifier and I'm convinced played a big part in the setting up of ‘Childline'.
The traditional venue for ‘The New Year's Day Trial' was Back Cown Quarry, near Rochdale, which on January 1 had to be one of the coldest places on the planet.
It was so cold that Siberian prisoners were threatened with a month there if they tried to escape their gulags.
In fact, it was so cold a mate of mine swears blind that the griplessly slick step in section 12 on the far side of the quarry that took so many fives from me was actually the thigh bone of a mammoth. Anyway, you get the picture – we're talking cold.
But you know something? At the time it may have been pretty miserable to face five-laps around the East Lancashire tundra with nothing but a pair of Ellgrens (remember them) between my pale flesh and a wind blowing direct from the Arctic.
To experience the agony of blood flow returning to fingers and toes that had lost all feeling four-hours before. Then there was the disappointment of finally getting back to the van to discover the butty boxes ransacked.
But, looking back it was fun – albeit in a character-forming, putting hairs on your chest sort of way. I can certainly laugh about it now. And it was worse – much worse – for my mum!
At least I was keeping moving. She had to observe and sometimes needed to be chipped from her section at the end of the day!
Checking through the regs at the back of T+MX I can see that ‘The Boxing Day Trial' and ‘The New Year's Day Trial' are still going strong as annual traditions and long may this continue.
So whether your poison is trials, enduro or motocross – or even something involving three- or four-wheels and a set of handlebars – make sure you take care of the most important bit. Have fun!
As for me? Well, I'm planning on a couple of lie-ins this time around!
Have a great Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year from everyone at T+MX...
