In praise of the Scott trial
By TMX Archives on 28th Oct 11
Last Saturdays Scott Time and Observation epic was once again a total triumph and a genuine sporting occasion...
WELL, it was Scott Trial Saturday so with mighty apologies for all other events on over the weekend – including the Sheffield Supercross – the Scott remains an absolutely unique event that, despite being an anachronism in this day and age, just continues to grow in popularity.
I have no idea how many spectators converged on the Yorkshire Dales (Arkengarthdale remains my favourite) surrounding the picturesque town of Reeth but judging from the throngs that packed the popular section boundaries and the sheer number of vehicles that, parked end to end, stretched virtually unbroken the entire length of the dale, was many thousands.
All of which, with the inclusion of a nice dose of Saturday sunshine, even if it was a bit parky up on some of the more exposed moorland slopes, ensured another magical day's Scott time and observation trial.
As soon as the first rider heads down the field from Feldom, near the one-horse village of Marske, the Scott Trial bug bites deep and both riders and spectators are on a mission. If you are riding the decisions are easy. Follow the flags as fast as you can – for as long as it takes!
For enthusiastic spectators it is not quite so clear cut. The big question is how many riders do you want to see and how often can you see them? For support crews those decisions can be and often are crucial. Miss one opportunity and without a bit of back-up your rider can be out of the trial. Too far up the road and you are no good to them. Equally, drop behind and you are of no use.
If, like me, you are trying to keep track of the trial, at least as far as the leaders' times go, while keeping an eye on all those brave guys and gals running towards the front you again have to make decisions that allow you to – hopefully – just arrive at a given section at the same time as the first rider. It's not always easy, especially when you've got someone like John Sunter on a mission – but we try!
Having mentioned the girls, no praise is too high for Katy Sunter and Emma Bristow. Local ace Katy is mainly responsible for the current crop of girls prepared to give the event a go. Just six-years ago a Scott finish was the ultimate, barely possible, achievement for a girl. Yet in just a few short years Katy and Emma have moved those particular goalposts and they are now genuinely giving all the lads a hard time and can surely threaten a Silver Spoon in future. Emma, riding full time, has come on so much in the last 12-months in terms of fitness, riding skill, mechanical ability and mental strength that almost anything is possible in future.
There are, unfortunately, flies in the Scott ointment, mainly in the shape of riders of trail/enduro bikes who insist on riding on the tracks and the moors despite warnings from the club, the provision of parking places at the most sensitive areas and a posse of vigilant marshals who do their best to head off trouble on the day. One landowner said that if it wasn't for the good that the Scott Charities do he would stop the trial going on his land, such is the nuisance that the ‘trail' riders cause.
It is absolutely impossible to overstate the sheer amount of work and organisation that goes into running the Scott. There are inumerable land-owners and farmers and gamekeepers to liase with as well as various public bodies to keep happy and that's before a single flag has been planted. An 80-mile single lap course offers mischief makers plenty of scope to remove or switch route marking flags and it is only because of the superb organisation of the Richmond club, with so many reliable individuals that the clerk of the course can rely-on absolutely to do the right thing in any stuation. Compare that to the many clubs that are effectively one (or two or three) man bands and you come to realise what a special thing the Richmond club has. There are very few clubs anywhere that can boast anywhere near the kind of trust and cohesion necessary to run an event of the magnitude of the Scott, so more power to their elbows!
The runaway success of the Scottish Six Days Trial and now the Scott, despite the desperate financial times we find ourselves in, surely gives food for thought regarding other major events and series. Several times during Saturday spectators said to me: "This should be a British Championship round. The Championship as it stands is rubbish, with six riders in the Champioship class. There are 200 riders here today all riding the same course.”
Well, I'm not 100% sure about the Scott being a British Championship round but the sheer rider and spectator interest in the event proves that trials is still capable of grabbing public interest in a big way. So what is needed is a way of harnessing what is right about the Scott into the British Champs. Easier said than done but one thing is certain, we have to do something.
I know for a fact that every World or British Championship event organiser would die for a crowd the size of that which attended the Scott last Saturday...
