Trial Magazine Forum

Trial Magazine Talks Trials – No 12
With the news that the world round in Fort William would be Eric Kitchens last working assignment on the international circuit it closes the door on three decades of attending and taking photographs at the trials world championship events. At the age of seventy seven years old I think it’s fair to say he is worthy of a well deserved rest.

My first encounters of Eric were in the mid to late seventies when I was riding the Majesty Yamaha for John Shirt Snr and along with Mike Rapley he would be present at the Trials and Motocross news machine tests. His quest for the perfect picture were ever present then and I was delighted when the news came out that he would have an exhibition of his work in the café at the world round with his favourite “shots” on display over the last thirty years of world rounds.

These images were fantastic to say the least as every one had its own picture to tell. My personal preference is of the pictures from the late seventies early eighties as machine development was going through some significant changes but the most dramatic in my opinion are the ones of the Dougie Lampkin crash at the French round in I think 2005. The fact he even finished the event is a true testament to Dougie. Eric was present at the section where the crash occurred and the story he tells is even more interesting than the pictures.

One of the most interesting parts of the trials scene is the innovation that manufactures have brought to the sport. The new XPA, Is it the old Xispa, appears to have easy access to the gearbox allowing the rider to change the ratios inside. This may be a good idea but for the average trials rider I am not so sure. If I am correct I am sure I once came across a guest beer drink called XPA?

With the launch date for the new Ossa now released and the news that the new Scorpa is at long last in production I look forward to the release of the production 2011 trials machines, it will be interesting to see who will be first? Both Gas Gas and Sherco have released there replica machines mid season which always adds a little spice to the summer months and gives us a hint of what to expect in 2011.