World rounds are on trial...
By TMX Archives on 28th Apr 10
THIS week folks on the back of the opening, wildly fluctuating 2010 FIM World Championship rounds it's all about trials... FOLLOWERS of World Championship trials have watched the start of the 2010 series with something akin to astonishment. The opening two rounds have been like chalk and cheese. In Spain the Championship course bordered on the impossible while in Portugal, just a single week later the sections provided for all classes proved so easy that the organisers were reduced to sorting out ties on the time it took each affected rider to finish the trial.
This as least had one hell of a galvanising effect on the championship chasers for the second day's action – especially for the Junior and Youth classes whose sections were every bit as lenient as the full Championship hazards. Realising that the sections hadn't been stiffened-up anywhere near enough, Sunday's top riders got in some motocross training withy several gambling on flying round so as to hopefully come-off best when the seemingly inevitable tie-breaker was called for. This, if nothing else, led to some astonishing finishing times of sub-two hours to complete a two-lap 15 section course. This would have put your average Wednesday night club trial to shame – although you have to take into consideration the much larger entry for Wednesday night events.
Now believe this or not (and I know you won't) but this piece is not meant as a direct criticism of the FIM trials committee. I do acknowledge that they are actually trying to address what appear to be a multitude of problems at world level – but for some reason seem to be completely unable to get to grips with it. I am not actually tempted to throw my hands up, as some have and groan: "How hard can it be?” because I do know that it is not an easy task marking sections out for Bou, Fuji, Doug, Dibs and co.
The difference between too hard and too easy is often quite a fine line – and you need a special person to define that line. Former World number two (several times) and a long-time hero of mine for his riding skills, Diego Bosis is supposed to be overseeing the sections for the FIM this year, and the opening rounds would suggest that he is having a nightmare. Just how the responsibilities are shared/divided or whatever between Bosis and the events' Clerk of the Course I don't pretend to know – except to say that it is not working.
The problem is, or shouldn't, be anywhere near as difficult to contend with when it comes to the Juniors and Youths. Lots of us ought to be able to put on suitable courses for them because we much better understand the reduced skill levels.
The Junior/ Youth results from Spain looked to be just about bang-on while the Championship was about as far out as you can get. When a rider of Michael Brown's or Alexz Wigg's abilities loses a full house maximum then something is clearly wrong.
The knee-jerk reaction that surely occurred in Portugal saw the see-saw swing the other way and ALL classes were affected by over-easy sections.
There is, as we all know, a groundswell of opinion (not necessarily from the riders!) that says World Championship trials ought to return to their no-stop roots. The FIM has dallied with this idea for several years and if you believe what snippets and rumours emerge from the great halls of power, have been extremely close to implementing this – but ducked-out at the last moment for reasons unknown – although we all naturally have our own pet theories as to why.
Personally, I am not convinced that it would be a great cure-all, because many things have indeed moved-on since the great days of no stop which ended circa 1981 when Gilles Burgat won his lone title for SWM. Ulf Karlsson, the tough Swede who finally nailed a World title in 1980 certainly didn't hop and bounce around in sections, he went the direct route like Malc and Mart and Vesty before him. In 1979, American ace Bernie Schreiber sowed the seeds of the skills that would eventually bring trials to a skill level that a circus performer would be proud. From that point trials went into a whole new era that for a time worked well, with Jordi Tarres, especially indoors, taking trials into a whole new territory. As far as the outdoor scene goes, at World Championship level – and we are only talking the very top step here – it has unfortunately turned-out to be a blind alley.
Contrast this to the thriving home scene. Yes, there continues to be outbreaks of the Stop – No-stop argy bargy but by and large it all sorts itself out. Clubs work out for themselves what works for them and their riders and this is reflected in their entries.
Likewise National series. Riders know what they want from a trial and they rapidly suss-out who is providing just that. Which brings us round nicely to the 2010 Scottish Six Days Trial which just happens to start next week. This is an event which succesfully reinvented itself through ‘going back' to the No-stop rule. Here's to a great week – and on to 2011 for the 100th anniversary.