Up Steep and Physical

Trials Nationals Christchurch

maddix park mx

 

Several members of the Tauranga Trials group spent Labour Weekend competing at the 3 Day National Trials Event organized by the Pioneer Club at venues in the wider Christchurch area.  The New Zealand Champion title went, as expected, to Jake Whittacker (pictured), which makes him the Australasian Champ as he currently holds the Australian title as well.

Day One was out towards Lyttleton with sections set in natural bush, steep gullies and under pine trees.  Day Two involved going up and down and over limestone rocks and hillsides in the Rangiora area. This terrain was very steep and there were plenty of bikes tumbling down hills. In fact, most competitors let their bikes drop at some point.

Day Three was a bit of a mix but with a rocky creek similar to the Graylings’ Oropi property that the Tauranga group regularly uses. “That was my best day,” says Warwick Merriman, “I finished 6th.”  “Overall,” he added, “the riding was quite physical but the good dry weather made it easier.  I rode up a class in the Intermediate grade.  Little old me was riding against 6 footers 20 years younger.  Nowadays, I tend to chicken out when it gets a bit dangerous, so I am pretty happy with my 9th place out of 22”. 

Jim Lowe-Pattie was the top local rider with his 2nd place in the A Grade class. This was his first year in this grade – he won the Intermediate title in 2009.

Nigel Shilton, who took 3rd place in the Clubman’s class tells us “It was an excellent weekend, the riding competitive and the points very tight.  Even though we didn’t bring back any titles, all the Tauranga members performed well. No-one disgraced themselves”.

Wendy McLeod, there to support her husband Paul (3rd Presidents Grade) and son Ben (3rd Juniors), agrees.  She was also very impressed with the fantastic organizational job done by the host club. “It was very friendly, professional, and well managed and everything ran smoothly”, she commented.

Results from other local riders include Phil Shilton (5th in the A grade), John Haynes (4th Intermediate), Gary Sanson (7th Intermediate), Peter Blaymires (18th Intermediate), Gabbie Gundry (5th Juniors), Lisa Shilton and Francis Sydenham.  The Tauranga group worked in with the Hamilton Club and hired a truck to take 19 bikes down to Christchurch.

Warwick says that there was a great turnout of riders with about 140 people at the prize-giving. The South Island won the Inter-Island Challenge.

Trials riding is slowly becoming more popular.  Rider numbers are increasing by about 3% per year. The MNZ Trials Co-ordinator took advantage of the assembled riders to discuss the issue of  the grading of riders. This will be sorted for next year when the event will be held in the North Island and hosted in the Waikato area by the Hamilton Club.

For full results, go to http://www.mnz.co.nz/download/2010_NZ_MotoTrials_Champs_FinalResults.pdf  

and for Andy McGechan’s report , go to www.bikesportnz.com 26th October or www.mnz.co.nz .

 
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