Trial Report - Waterson's 24 March 2013
After a few cancellations due to severe weather and flooding, The Club was finally able to conduct its
first trial for the 2013 season and what a competition it was! Section setters put the new creek
terrain created by the flooding to great use, with two sections featuring deep loose creek gravel and
deep water holes that added many uninvited points to riders' scores throughout the day! A total of
24 riders endured the high humidity and technical sections to have a very enjoyable first ride of the
year.
Five novice sections weaved tightly in and around trees and logs adjacent to the creek entry. Darcy
Lahey riding his mini Gasser, rode like a champion all day trying to crack a clean lap, finally nailing it
on lap 5, for a great total score of a mere 10 points. I suspect the cooling dip in the creek with Dad at
the end of the trial may have been the highlight!
Six Senior Grade sections were well set, with two being at the far end of the creek in newly formed
gravel banks. Section 5 was a long meander that crossed the creek and featured everything from
deep water, tight turns in loose gravel, a steep drop off and step up, as well as a scary log crossing
which dropped away steeply on the blind side. Bit of a leap of faith required here! As mentioned
earlier, Section six, while deceivingly short and simple, had riders turning tightly through water holes
and deep soft gravel, very tricky to escape at least a few quick dabs to get through. It can be done!
Barry Caird showed great balance and an even throttle control to edge his Beta through, only
gathering 3 points on this difficult section all day.
Sections 1 to 4 were set up the 'Scottish Six Day' side gully from the main creek and proved equally
challenging! 'A' Grade competitors entertained in Section 1 trying to weave back and forth across
the steep banks of the gully, with sharp little steps at each approach. All riders then attacked the
Scottish gully strewn with large loose rocks and some larger fixed boulders. A very tight, off camber,
left hand turn on loose soil was tricky, but if you kept your wits, provided good traction. Yours truly
did his best to upset the environmentalists in the club, by not only 'clipping' a healthy young
eucalypt with his footpeg, but totally ripping it from the soil! Sorry Mark! Equally sadly, the grade
marker was ATTACHED to the sapling, giving me an instant 5 score for that section!! I got to see
Jessica, Andy, Sarah, Tim Stone and timothy Evans ride this gully and tricky exit with great finesse,
keeping their machines under total control for a clean section.
Section 3 was a sadistically tight, short, section that frustrated some riders all day. 'B' and 'A' Grade
competitors were challenged by a series of ultra tight off camber turns down into a deep gully with
an equally tight uphill exit around a large gum. With no room for error, a poor line selection early in
the turn, simply compounded and generally ended in tears. The brilliant exception I noted was
performed by Mick Casey, who having cut a fine line probably a little too close to the tree to allow
the next turn...simply jammed his shoulder into the solid gum to help pivot his Sherco into a perfect
left hand turn. I can recommend a very good reconstructive surgeon in Rocky if you need Mick! Most
competitors were resigned to scrape through with 2 and 3's to save any more serious damage while
the master, Barry Caird cleaned it twice and only gathered 1's each other lap! Very smooth and
composed to watch in action!
Section 4 commenced simply enough, lulling riders in into a sense of complacency!..until the exit!
While 'C' grade were let off with an welcomed escape route, 'B' and 'A' Grade riders had to negotiate
a steep downhill run under some control, execute a tight off camber downhill turn to cross a sharp
gully before the steep uphill exit run up and over a sizable log! 'A' Graders had the added difficulty of
crossing this log on an angle between two close trees! Many riders could not develop the
momentum required to successfully nail the log crossing...spinning their rear wheels wildly before
slipping back to gather 5 points. John Sophios and I provided enjoyment to the sadistic gallery of
onlookers, by likewise 'nearly' getting over the log only to find ourselves reversing at a great rate of
knots into one of the trees at each side! Hilarious...not! Barry attracted a 3 on lap one and cleaned it
every other lap thereafter! Again..poetry in motion!
Glenn Pincham recovered from a heat exhaustion induced 'Off' with assistance from our newly
appointed Club Paramedic, Steve Paton, to finish in third place in 'B' Grade! Steve recovered from a
serious case of 'wish I had of replaced my badly worn chain coz now its wrapped tightly up against
my engine case and I can't move'!! with help from Tim Stone (1st 'B' Grade) to finish mid field in 'C'
Grade. Diehard Award for the day must surely go to Mr Mark Casswell, who's SWM clutch cable
decided it didn't really need that little knobby bit at the end. After dismantling most of the bike to
gain access, and finding he had a spare cable, he was soon back in the fray to finish the trial and be
only just pipped by David Lahey who took out 1st place in Twinshock.
The Rocky Trials Club AGM was conducted after the competition with the 2013 Committee
appointed. The club sincerely thanks the outgoing Committee for all their hard work and welcomes
our new Secretary: Angela McCarthy, President: Drew Wickerson, Vice-President: Don Jones,
Treasurer: David Lahey, and Publicity Officers: Tim Stone and Brian Crozier. The Committee has 'hit
the ground running'...although in my case..not quite quick enough or far enough to avoid a job!
Highlights of General Business discussed included changes to Championship scoring system that now
allocates 5pts for 1st place, 4 pts for 2nd, 3 pts for 3rd, 2pts for finishing and 1pt for starting a trial.
The aim is tighten up scoring. In addition, only a competitor's best 7 trials results are considered
towards the championship out of the nine competitive trials we conduct each year. This will make it
fairer for riders who are forced to miss a trial due to shift work or illness for example.
Twinshock machines will now form part of a new class (yet to be named...although 'old
clunkers/bangers' seemed a tad 'degrading!!' for these lovingly restored machines Mr Caswell!!) that
will include all machines manufactured pre 1998...This will provide more competitors in a class and
encourage riders who may have older trials bikes to come along and ride.
The proposed RTC Competition Calendar has now been accepted and is as follows:
Trial 1
Trial 2
Trial 3
Trial 4
Trial 5
Trial 6
Trial 7
Trial 8
Trial 9
Trial 10
24 March
14 April
28 April
25/26 May
16 June
21 July
11 August
1 Sept
22 Sept
26/27 Oct
Waterson's property
Rockhampton
Gladstone
Rockhampton: Seeonee Park
Gladstone
Rockhampton
Gladstone
Rockhampton
Gladstone
Rockhampton: Seeonee Park - Christmas breakup.
Members attending the two day trial at Seeonee Park are encouraged to nominate an (optional)
team of four riders, suitable themed and attired!, for a bit of fun. Each team members result will
contribute to the teams overall score and we will dream up some great prizes for best placing team,
best themed costume etc. Team members can be from any combination of grades, although one
from each grade may produce a better overall team score! In addition, the large pizza ovens at
Seeonee Park will be fired up for the Saturday night and everyone is encouraged to bring along what
they need to make their own Pizzas, or bring ready-made pizzas to cook.
A full record of the minutes of the AGM will be made available on the RTC Facebook page.
Results for RTC trial at Waterson’s property, Calliope 24 March 2013.
Novice
Darcy Lahey
10
C Grade
Samantha Sophios
Glen Hunt
Stephen Paton
DNF
46
33
Aaron Blake
32
David Allen
23
Tim Evans
16
3rd
Riley Hunt
12
2nd
Les Stevens
11
1st
B Grade
Peter Smith
86
Mick Casey
80
Brian Crozier
79
Andy McDonald
78
Jessica Chivers
76
Hunter Pincham
71
Sarah Chivers
62
Glenn Pincham
61
3rd
Nicole Casey
41
2nd
Tim Stone
34
1st
Mark Casswell
51
2nd
David Lahey
29
1st
John Sophios
76
3rd
Drew Wickerson
46
2nd
Barry Caird
14
1st
Twin Shock
A Grade
Due to low numbers – it has been proposed and agreed that Twin Shock bikes can nominate and ride in selected class – and are NO longer restricted to ride B Grade lines.
Hopefully this will encourage other riders to bring the older bikes along.