This was posted on Thursday, by Dougie Lampkin, after we had done our blog, but because it is such an incredible story we are printing it in full today – almost unbelievable that an organizing body could act this way ( but then again we have memories of similar actions by CMA and Marilyn Bastedo = Her way or no way)
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I thought with the dust settling after the last DL12 Indoor Trial and after so many messages and questions asking why such a great event has sadly ended, it would be a good time to share the truth with you all.
Getting an arena date next year was part of the problem we were facing, although there were some options that could have worked, but we just can’t risk having a World Championship event again on the same date or the same weekend.
We asked for help from ACU but they did the opposite and strangled us because they knew our internal and external plans were linked financially, plus we presented them a solid three year plan which is never seen in economic climate current, and they strangely rejected it.
ACU are also aware that we need to book and sign contracts with any arena in the UK at least twelve months, or eighteen months in advance, to be in with a chance of securing a date that suits us, which we have been doing for the last three years. But the problem is that the dates of the World Championships are never announced for a maximum of three months before the first round, and since we’re not part of the series, we’re under attack. This year they had initially planned an event to be the same date as us, before finally moving it to the day before, but ACU did nothing to try and protect our event.
On Saturday morning we had to pray that the flight from Lyon, with Bou, Busto, Marcelli and Raga, could take off. It was delayed over an hour because of the fog, but it finally took off and our four biggest names made it just in time for our event.
Can you imagine the fallout and refunds we would have faced if these guys hadn’t showed up. We can’t continue to risk the quarter million pounds we’ve invested in the event every year to lose because of something we have no control over.
My father and his partner have been running Sheffield Indoor for the last twenty-five years and Jake and my father have organised over ninety per cent of UK outdoor TrialGP events over the last twenty years, not to mention my own achievements – sporting and otherwise – so one could hope that the ACU has some respect for what we continue to do for the sport. Not only are we still organizing events, we are now organizing what is considered to be the best events of its kind in the world.
When we first met Tim Lightfoot [the new ACU president] we really thought he was going to support us, but in reality he showed us nothing but disrespect and actually became one of the main reasons we don’t trust going into the future under the ACU banner despite having organized every event we have ever done in the last 25 years with ACU. We even attended a mediation meeting in Rugby but still haven’t worked it out and he even tried to block our future event by refusing to issue the permit we requested.
Nobody from the ACU hierarchy came last Saturday night, although they will be aware of the level of the event we once again organized. It will be interesting to see how things play out, they have made their choice and over the next few years UK trial fans will be able to decide for themselves whether it was the right choice or not.
We’ve done our bit for the Trial and will continue to do so, with or without the support of the ACU, it’s a shame we have come this far, but unfortunately we have.
The good news is that we continue to receive great support from all our partners, media, riders, industry and fans who buy tickets and we are already planning what will replace the DL12 Indoor Trial in the future.
So, watch this space!
Good for you in sports
Dougie Lampkin MBE – 12 time World Champion
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Lots of questions regarding what’s happening in the Industry these days – no updates on KTM, although some teams appear to be going ahead as usual – It will be interesting to see what happens with Vertigo now they have new owners, also the situation at Gas Gas must be cause for concern. – Not that we have any worries with the two brands we sell, incredible to think that Beta has been making bikes since the turn of the century – “It’s ALL IN THE FAMILY”
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Quiz today – Who? When? and where??
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Check out these old USA Results – a few Cannucks in that event but lots of DNF’s. Lane Leavitt was on top form back then. ( This is how Results should be printed like in the UK)
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And finally – we got a skiff of snow yesterday!!
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