Trial Magazine Forum

For a change of environment, well nearly,  it was a most welcome visit to the C and D class championship round held at Bracken Rocks near Matlock in Derbyshire in the glorious sunshine on Sunday. The event attracted a good entry of over thirty riders in the different classes.

One thing hits you in the face at these Youth events enthusiasm. It starts when the riders go to sign on. The Mansfield Maun club like many clubs the length and breadth of the Great Britain is run with that key word, enthusiasm, even the “Butty” van was excellent. From the people who put in the section markers to the ones who take the entries and observe the sections the word enthusiasm keeps jumping out at you. Terry and Lynda Crabtree were at the controls supported by the other club members and friends. Twelve sections were on offer and all had observers. It’s so good to see the kids chatting and generally having banter about any thing from trials to football to the latest gadgets, yes it was a very happy environment.

Having signed on my-self with the club to take pictures I set off into the cooler wooded area to check out the action. Most of the riders have a parent or guardian sign on with them at the start who also help out at the sections. These are very testing for the youngsters but as with any championship event it has to be a little bit harder than normal. I thought the event was excellent and it’s so good to see the stars of the future in action.

It was also my first chance this year to see the Oset electric machine in action in the very capable hands of Oliver Smith, the son of Ian the manufacture. I have watched with interest the development of these radical machines from the very beginning when we tested one for the magazine in its early days. Oliver is now progressing into a very capable rider as the machine’s potential is explored. The ACU have now granted them a class to ride in and I am sure these machines have a permanent place on the trials scene.

The latest issue of Trial magazine was sent out on Monday to the subscribers and will go on sale tomorrow in the newsagents. It contains what I consider my second major “exclusive” since I started with the magazine. The first was when Gas Gas in Spain allowed me to be the only journalist ever to test and be photographed on the revolutionary prototype side valve four-stroke machine. The second was when Richard Deal gave us the “exclusive” test on the new Greeves trials machine at Hawks Nest in Derbyshire. This was the first time the machine had been officially displayed in action to the press. The machine has huge potential and if you want to find out more you will have to read the magazine.

After the weekends proceedings at the youth event where we could see the stars of the future in action and witnessing the Oset electric trials machine in action, the arrival of issue 21 of Trial Magazine containing the Greeves exclusive made me suddenly realise in these uncertain economic times that trials really is god!