outlawtrials.com

This is another old pic that popped up on FB - It shows a bunch of the lads at an Alberta Trial held near Chain Lakes. -Not sure what year this was, but what a great time we had - I think there were about 40 riders that day.  The ATRA held a few events there, with Chris Wilson, from High River, doing a wonderful job on the sections. Always a great turn out of riders -  Unfortunately, this area (like so many) has been lost for riding.  - I only recognize a few of these guys - Brian Marshal, Steve Richardson and myself in the Clice gear. - old age makes us all forgetful. ( Maybe somebody can fill in the blanks)

This is a link to a video called “An introduction to Trials”  - quite interesting.
https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fattribution_link%3Fa%3DhAKtkP9YDJo%26u%3D%252Fwatch%253Fv%253D08qARzbB698%2526feature%253Dshare&h=AT3DoO9LrUsYIZ_wDzMFt8TBjuSQ88zs86LxA_YuXcpFtfd1NK6qX4wBW5UXxWDaEf17G8j34HmHolSAKt60ssXEcub9Z5VeHh7YCMfEYmvO37XpVdW0sdrq2LPHeNl4NcDFOldxCtvUJam5AsWeiaJlcCER0Ng06dNudrNsZWU0rTpxAu43ESeFiSpqyUF5fVTh6X2nv0f-ymBnf_vclMol4kMChoswgN0JTW9wcKRMGs950Sqh6FARoBz2_IcOTuUqGiwg79IolnKcIWzZ56GkwBAui9SmV5pZ7kpngNCq9yUaw6NtzgJP_MxEWjGwIgOD2E6VHMD2d8_G0R-7kuwlPw-6KcOUjwpzsw2lSXeC6-tn-62DVz9q02orOHuNP3IA7azgJgrTTl5Cti_HBVRMkf_Ik_SPf4AvmPbZeaETaI8LLYBOGBb6wi7JeGgxRmcglJt3E1QGmYKKPkCV4SVwS0YRw

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And followed by this one of how things sometimes go in Modern World Trials >>>> video

And here is a Mountain Bike clip - from Wales !! - Crazy stuff. - But I remember the muddy trails >> video

And this is a “Must” watch of Graeme Jarvis >> # megawatt111

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Canada has always produced a lot of great Off Road riders - here are a couple from Quesnel BC - The Boos brothers pictured with their WEC number plates for the Series.  - They will likely both be at Silver Star this weekend. ( They also have Trials bikes)

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This afternoon, I’m going to play “Hooky” and go for a ride with a buddy - I haven’t been out for a few weeks, so I’m looking forward to getting out on my Beta Evo 200 - they are an amazing bike - this one will going on sale right after the WTC at Malakwa and is immaculate.  Call me if you want to get in the line up of buyers.

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A reminder that the WTC National (West) Round #2 goes next week at Malakwa  - We don’t need checkers !! - Sam is doing the set up once again, and also has this nice TRS 300 for sale - call me if you are interested.

If you thought that Spain were only good at Trials & Road Racing - Check this out >>>>>

Lots happening this weekend, both locally and across the Country .

The CPTA are also holding a Junior/Inter - Trials school at Ioco this Sunday. check out their website for further details.

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Now we know why they get a good entry at the Corduroy Enduro !!!

Here are the results from the WTC Nationals (East) held in Quebec last weekend - Beta riders did good.

Jordi and Beta - they were the Team to beat back in the day   !!

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It won’t be long, before the new 2019 models start to arrive from both Beta and TRS - This pic just popped up, from 2016, and my first ride on the new 250 TRS. - Glad to say that these bikes have been very successful  in competition and have stood up very well - in fact as a dealer, perhaps the only complaint is that we don’t sell many spare parts.  But for customers that is a good thing, although we do of course stock lots of stuff.

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Here is another great shot - it’s the last day of Forest Fire duty for Chris Hrabb and the Selkirk Helicopter - What a summer it’s been for us in BC.

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Looking ahead to the weekend . The Silver Star “Rev Limiter”  is happening in Vernon, with riding schools on  Friday, by Steve Foord and Lexi Pechout  - followed by the Enduro X on Saturday - then the WEC Hare Scramble on Sunday. - Spectating is free.

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The Cascade Iron Mountain Trial last Sunday, was won by Alex Walton, (TRS) in very wet conditions  -  2nd Expert was Sean Bird -(Scorpa)  back riding again after injuring his knee - with Stan Bakgaard (Scorpa) in 3rd. - A full report and results will be up shortly on Trials Canada.

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THE TDN goes this weekend - read on >>

The FIM Trial des Nations, which takes place this coming weekend at Sokolov in the Czech Republic, is widely regarded as the Olympics of Trial with teams from an incredible twenty-three different countries coming together to decide global bragging rights across three classes.

It is hardly surprising given their dominance of the modern-day sport that Spain reign supreme in the premier Men’s World Trophy category. In fact, in the event’s thirty-four-year history the Trial powerhouses have won on no fewer than twenty-four occasions and are looking to stretch their current win-streak in the competition to a fantastic fifteen.

It was not always the case however and when the Trial des Nations launched in 1984 in Poland it was the four-man French squad of Philippe Berlatier, Gilles Burgat, current FIM Trial Director Thierry Michaud and his older brother Fred who came out on top. Winners again in 1985 and 1986 in Italy and Austria with a largely unchanged team – only Fred Michaud had been replaced by Pascal Couturier – the hat-trick cemented France’s reputation as the leading Trial nation on the planet.

Italy claimed their sole TDN victory in Finland in 1987 with Diego Bosis, Renato Chiaberto, Carlo Franco and Donato Miglio before France bounced back the following year with Thierry Girard joining Berlatier, Couturier and Michaud on top of the podium.

Incredibly, Spain had to wait until 1989 to take their first TDN title with Jordi Tarres – who had just secured his second FIM Trial World Championship – leading Amos Bilbao, Andreu Codina and Gabino Renales to a landmark victory in Belgium. The French struck back on home soil for their fifth and final TDN win in 1990 with Berlatier, Couturier, Girard and Bruno Camozzi, but after that it was Spain all the way with the red and yellow Rojigualda flying high above the podium for the next six years.

With Tarres, Bilbao and Marc Colomer forming the nucleus of their triumphant team – supplemented by Renales, Joan Pons, Angel Garcia and Marcel Justribo – the Spanish looked invincible, but then – on an emotionally-charged day on the Isle of Man in 1997 – Great Britain’s Dougie Lampkin, Graham Jarvis, Steve Colley and Dan Clark ended Spain’s run of victories.

Spain struck back in Italy in 1998 with Jordi Pascuet replacing the recently retired Tarres before Britain returned to the top in 1999 with Martin Crosswaite taking Clark’s place on the victorious team as the two great Trial nations went toe to toe.

The new millennium was marked by Spain’s ninth TDN victory as Albert Cabestany got the call-up for the first time alongside Colomer, Justribo and Marc Freixa and in 2001 – with Justribo dropped in favour of team newcomer Adam Raga – they retained their title.

Britain fought back in 2002 with Lampkin, Colley, Jarvis and Sam Connor taking a one-mark win from Spain in Portugal and the following year, with Ben Hemingway replacing Colley, Britain claimed another one-mark victory over their fiercest of rivals.

Since then the Spanish Armada has dominated the TDN with Toni Bou, Raga and Cabestany forming the backbone of a dream team every year since 2005 with teenaged talent Jaime Busto getting the call up instead of veteran Cabestany last year..
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This is how close the battle was in the World GP 2 class this year - a young Toby Martyn from the UK just losing out due to the tie break on total  points. - Now here’s the deal ! - Grattarola was riding the top class up until last year, but decided to drop down this year - obviously this was allowed by the FIM, but where do they draw the line?  the GP2 class is supposed to be for the young riders, coming up through the ranks. - Personally, I think Toby Martyn was robbed of the World Title, as there was at least one clean that was altered to a five, on Toby’s score card - bit of home country help for Grattarolla.
Who knows who else will decide the top class is now too difficult for them and drop down?  - Fujinami - Dabill, - Cabestany ? they are all getting up there in age, as of course is Adam Raga. - A difficult decision for the ruling body.  ( The former class was for 21 or under riders) .  - Check out all the comments from the UK on this link.
http://www.trialscentral.com/forums/topic/67470-toby-martyn/

There were a couple Factory Yamaha’s in Italy - to me, these look like big heavy lumps with a very strange exhaust design. - (However they seem to fly pretty good)

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Just for a change of pace - check out this video of vintage road racing at Goodwood in England - watch how Troy Corser reaches over to the hand shifter on the right side of the tank, so he doesn’t have to let of the gas !! unreal. and all rigid frame bikes.

video

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Sammy sent me this poster for the upcoming WTC National Trial - The Normal poster for our events, is already up on Trials Canada etc - Sam just wanted to let people know that there will be a lot more going on that weekend.

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The kids ride put on by the Vernon Off Road Club on Sunday, went over very well, with the rain staying away for most  of the day, and all the youngsters enjoying themselves.

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Saturday was a fairly quiet day - I watched the qualifying live video from the World Round, which was held under lights at night, for the first time ever. - Although I’m not sure where this theme is all going - I have to say that it was quite exciting to watch as the riders battled against the clock, for top starting positions today. - Simply put, the fastest rider in each class, gets to start last, which may be an advantage - but only if it doesn’t rain and mud gets dragged onto the huge boulders in the sections.

Not sure what the riders think of this new qualifying format, but it certainly seems popular with the paying spectators ( see video posted late yesterday on my blog)
Tony Bou was once again the top dog in the GP Class, but Adam Raga scored a five, which had him starting pretty much at the front of the pack. - However on checking the first lap scores, today,  this doesn’t seem to have effected him much ( see below) - although he did get three “5’s” - on the other hand - Cabestany was second fastest in the qualifying so he started 2nd to last - but still got punched five “5’s” -  As usual it would appear that the scoring by the checkers, on some sections, will be questioned. -

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One early result - shows young Billy Green from the UK, winning the 125cc World Championship for Beta.

Update:  Looks like Bou won - subject to official results coming later.

And here we are >>

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The last round of the World Outdoor Trials Championship goes this weekend in Italy - Here is a review from Trial Mag: UK

The dramatic, purpose-built venue made its World Championship debut last year with the mixture of man-made and natural sections proving to be a huge hit with riders and Trial fans alike so it is the perfect location to conclude the 2018 series.

Never one to rest on its laurels, championship promoter Sport7 continues to innovate and will mark its Italian programme with the first-ever floodlit second qualification session on Saturday night to determine starting order for Sunday’s points-paying competition.

The major prize, the TrialGP title, was clinched last time out by Toni Bou – Repsol Honda at TrialGP Great Britain for an astounding twelfth consecutive time, but the final podium is still very much up in the air with a three-way fight over the second and third steps of the podium.

“It was great to be able to win the title early in England,” says Bou, “so we can face the last round without any pressure and fully enjoy the event. That, however, does not mean that we are not going to fight. On the contrary, we will try to perform our best at the Trial to be able to finish the season at the top, the way we started it.”

With Bou now untouchable, the fight for the remaining podium places is an all-Spanish affair between Gas Gas team-mates Jeroni Fajardo and Jaime Busto and two-time champion Adam Raga – TRRS. Just five points separate the trio, making for the most dramatic finish in recent years.

Despite the TrialGP title being already in the bag, there are still two championships to be decided with the Trial2 and Trial125 crowns very much up for grabs. In Trial2 we have seen some incredibly competitive performances throughout the season with Italian Matteo Grattarola – Honda and Britain’s Toby Martyn – Montesa going toe to toe for the World Championship. Veteran Grattarola, who has dropped down from the TrialGP class for 2018, started the strongest and dominated the early stages before eighteen-year-old Martyn found his groove.

A hat-trick of wins in France, Belgium and Great Britain has seen Martyn open up a five-point gap at the top of the standings but the class is still wide open and Grattarola will enjoy home advantage this weekend.

“We will be competing on home soil,” says Grattarola, “which is always good for someone, but not for another. To win at home would be the best thing, but I’m sure the rivals will all give it their best shot at the victory too.”

Also still in with a mathematical shot at the title, Spain’s Gabriel Marcelli – Montesa holds third, but the eighteen-year-old has yet to win a round this season despite regular podium finishes and has to be considered a very long shot.

Following almost a three-month break in action, the young guns of the Trial125 class resume hostilities and it is Britain’s Billy Green – Beta who starts as a firm favourite. With four wins from five days of competition, Green holds a commanding eighteen-point lead over Spain’s Martin Riobo – Gas Gas with another young Spaniard, sixteen-year-old Pablo Suarez – Gas Gas, in third a further point adrift.

UPDATE :  Watch the exciting qualifying video here >>live video

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If you have been riding Dirt Bikes ( any kind) for any length of time, the chances are that you have been “Over the bars”  -at some point. -  At Trials speeds, the damage is usually minimal, but not always, so if you are new to the Trials game, be sure to take a close look at any section, before you take that first ride. ( Experienced riders, ALWAYS walk a section, before they attempt it) - This is Daniel Blanc Gonnet  - not sure where the pic by a Mr Dodd was taken., but it  looks like a World Round man-made section.

It should be mentioned, that at local club Trials events - the obstacles are usually on natural terrain - many might look almost too easy for the newcomer - However, quite often, people find even the easy flat turns difficult to make, without putting a foot down - it’s all about practice.  BUT, once you are hooked, you’re hooked. - The secret is to take your time when first getting into the sport - a good teacher, will never let you try sections that are “Over your head”.  Note! Throwing your expensive new toy at rock walls first time out, is not a good idea.

For example - this EXPERT section, will be used in the Cascade Iron Mountain Trial tomorrow near Mission BC - and while the top two or three riders in Canada, love to tackle these huge rock walls. - Most Trials sections for the lower classes, are very much easier ( and enjoyable)  the name of the game for Trials, is for everybody to have fun, and want to come back next year.

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Today is known as “Battle of Britain Day”  - When the Germans launched the first and largest raid on London and British Airfields - they were met with such a great offensive by the RAF, that it was this battle that eventually proved to be the major turning point of the war.

This is a nice pic of the Lampkin family, with Bernie Schreiber, Yrjo Vesterinen and Manual Soler, at the Charity Trial in the UK  - The story is in the latest issue of Trial Mag: UK Classic Edition.

With Classic Trials events hitting an all time high, with huge entrees, it would be interesting to hear, what these Past Masters, think of the modern Trials Circus.
We have also managed to donate quite a lot of money to the Cancer fund, from our Outlaw Trials in the Okanagan - a very worthy cause.
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The big story this morning is the weather, and in particular the Hurricane that is causing havoc on the  US East Coast. - the images on the early morning TV coverage are frightening.  - It appears that Natural disasters are now a regular thing - but at least the rain that we have, plus snow in some parts of Northern BC and Alberta, will put out the Forest Fires.

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The Vernon Club have the kids event happening this weekend - head up Noble Canyon to the start - Olivier stopped by yesterday with his two youngsters - both now super keen on the little mini bikes. - He plans on bringing them to the Malakwa Trial in a couple of weeks, so we will be adding a special kids class.

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This “Blast from the Past” - just popped up on FB - it shows a bunch of riders on a hill overlooking the town of Midway, on the USA border., - back in 2009.  - We had a buddy living there, ( Gord Walker)   who bought a Sherco from Outlaw, and  in fact we put on a Trials demo, in “Down-town”  later that year,  when they held an annual festival ( it was a scorching +40)   - I don’t think any of these guys ride anymore, and of course Peter Brown is no longer with us.  ( Gord works overseas most of the time these days)

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In weather news, we are back to the “Monsoon” season in the Valley, with torrential rain overnight, and it’s still coming down today. - Plus there is already snow forecast for a number of places in Northern BC and Alberta .

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Yesterday was the sad anniversary of the 2001 Twin Towers terrorist plot that killed 3,000 Americans and some Canadians. - Although the passage of time helps to heal all grief and sorrow. - Let me mention this  >>

I never met John Ross, but of course know his Father very well. - In fact his Dad, Doug and myself share the same birth date along with the more famous Stevie Baker -   - We all know that Motorcycle racing is dangerous - we have likely all lost friends who chose this sport, but consider this - today would have been the birthday of Super Star Barry Sheene - who lived life to the fullest - birds & booze - plus always the cigarettes, - in fact it was those that killed him,  -  he survived  a horrific crash at Daytona that  broke about every bone in his body.

One thing that a few of our newer readers might not know, is that Barry started his road racing career, on a Bultaco - ( Tuned by Bill Webster)  - plus Barry knew how to ride a Trials bike -   Yes, -  Bultaco were into all aspects of sport back then.  - So today we remember #7
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Tonight we see the other sad report that they have found the plane crash site near Revelstoke from 2017, when the young couple from Edmonton went missing on a flight out of Penticton. - They were so close to the Hiway, that you can only surmise that the pilot was trying to land on that after experiencing engine trouble - what an unlucky way to end.
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Just in case you think you have done everything in Motorcycling - Check this out  - a group from Ontario, doing a tour of  Iceland ( Kelly Irwin just got her ankle out of a cast)

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Pretty ladies on the Podium in Norway.

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That time of the year - Sand Cranes heading South >>>>

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Riding the High Country - not sure who this is - but look at that great terrain,

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This weekend is the CPTA Iron Mountain Trial - at Mission - Clerk of the Course is Krash Crumly - who has been putting in a ton of hours to make this event special.  We hope he gets a good turn out of riders.

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Also on this weekend >>>>