Another trials year over
By John Dickinson on 19th Dec 18
And so we race towards the end of yet another year-long trials season with TMX having covered everything from Wednesday evening club fun trials through a myriad British Champs series to Trial World Championship.
My personal year reflects that in its own small way beginning with the annual Sheffield Indoor Trial in January, the only International event of its kind in Blighty, and continuing week on week until the clock ticks over into 2019.
I dont get to every event, not by any stretch of the imagination, but do attempt to get the vibes from all angles which occasionally results in a, What are you doing here? raised eyebrows question.
I actually bumped into TT legend and off-road fan John McGuinness in a local Garden Centre recently (attempting to hide when he saw me!) but Mac got his retaliation in first, saying, I thought youd be standing out on a moor somewhere...! Which I very likely should have been!
But, Ive done my share of Northern Nationals, British Champs, S3 Parts Champs, KIA Twinshock champs, the odd Normandale, a 10-day working holiday in Scotland in May. And back to Scotland for the inaugural Kinlochleven Two Day Twinshock later in the year and Scotland again for the British Champs round.
Then there was the British World Championship round at Addingham to support the British challengers. And I never once returned home from an event thinking thats another day of my life Ill never get back. Every single trial was a positive, from informative chats with riders, officials, observers, spectators to witnessing superlative riding to getting lost driving round Knighton with Chris Myers, trying to find a KIA venue while following Dave Wardell who was even more lost than we were!
The only disappointment of the year was the (necessary) cancellation of the Reeth Three Day, arguably the BEST trial in the country. The organising Richmond club had no choice, we were in the heart of a rare heatwave, the moors and fields were parched and the risk of fire was just too great to risk both for the landowners and the events future.
The Scott Trial, still the biggest buzz in our sport, signals that the competition year is coming to a close and from that October Saturday on it is dark mornings, dark nights and we start looking forward once again and planning for the year ahead.
For many riders that process is already underway, with entries for next Mays Scottish Six Days and Pre-65 already closed. Id already booked my Scottish accommodation early in October the one time Im ever ahead of the game! Have a great Christmas - dont forget to support your local Boxing Day and festive trials and I look forward to seeing you all in 2019.
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