...and the 2012 Australian Titles were in good hands.
The cream of Australian and New Zealand riders in most divisions made their way to Western Australia for the National championships for a two day showdown.
Steve Holzhauser reports...
Steve Scragg, ably assisted by his very competent wife Diane and the whole WA trials community, again held an event that was too good to miss.
Organisation first class, the layout of facilities compact, and the sections loop was easily negiotiated by foot for the many spectators, and was a breeze for the riders.
Best of all was the great big score board in the tent that keeps both riders and spectators in touch with what is happening out on the course.
The weatherman was predicting scattered showers for both days and he was right: scattered light rain on Saturday made the going a little more interesting for a while until sections dried off a bit, but it was Sunday that saw the slower- or later-finishing riders get a real taste of wet sections which lifted the heart rate and quite a few of the last lap totals.
Home town boy and the current top Aussie rider for the last two years, Neil Price would have been feeling comforted after his win over Jake Whittaker the previous weekend at the Western Australian Championships and having home ground advantage was another point in his favour leading into this weekend's event.
Kyle Middleton from NSW, who has been training very well and has been getting valuable tuition from Jordi Pasquet both here in Australia and at Jordi's home in Spain was primed to come over to the West and test his vastly improving skills against both Jake, Neil and the Zarzcinski brothers Colin and Kevin.
From the first lap it was all Jake; he immediately stamped his authority on the weekend's results, bringing in an openning lap of 12 marks and then following that up on his second loop with a clean score card - unbelievable riding if you were fortunate enough to have been there to have witnessed his superb riding skills.
Colin's first lap of 14 was next best ahead of Kyle on 17 and Neil had a disasterous opening round of 28, which really saw his dream of achieving his first National title slip right away. Kyle then put together some great rides to bring in a lap of 8, which was 6 marks better than Colin's second lap which moved him into second position after day 1.
The second day saw Jake again halve his nearest competetors scores on both laps to have a much deserved win, giving him three Australian Titles in a row.
Kyle was runner up and the first Aussie home; he is now Australia's number 1 gun.
Kristie McKinnon again showed why she is Australia's very best woman rider with some superb riding on display over the two days. Steffanie Downes from New Zealand was over here to show she too is continuing to improve and displayed some great rides and was right up there with Kristie on the second day.
Brooke Luscombe's performance has now moved her to be Australia's number 2 woman rider. These two women are certainly gathering a strong following of female riders that are now really starting to swell the ranks in both women's junior and senior divisions throughout Australia.
Ina Halls and Adina Reed are another two young women that are like a pair of fox terriers - neither will give an inch if it means picking up a point in the great contest between them that we saw over the two days.
Now for the courage award.
Adina had a bit of a rough and tumble with her footpeg during lap 2 on Day 1 which saw her grit her teeth and ride out the first day. After handing in her completed 3rd lap card she then headed up to the medicos (hospital) to get 26 stitches in a very nasty puncture wound to her upper thigh. As the results show, she was back again on Sunday morning to keep an eye on Ina and the rest of the girls and finish the second day dispite great discomfort.
In the Sports Women class, it was all Bev Anderson who took the win after a very nervous first lap, and wasn't she a happy girl . Estelle Boorer found it a tough couple of days but she did ride out the two full days and still had plenty of smiles for everyone on completing the event.
Whitney Luft from Queensland gave a very good showing of her ever improving riding ability to become the Australian Womens Junior Champion. With the support and encouragement she has received from a very young age from her dad and her brother, I can see this strong and determined young women charging right to the top of the senior riders ranks and representing her country in the not too distant future. Nicole Casey was another familiar face I saw that put in some very good rides over the course of the day. Her Dad never too far away, was there helping guide her both days.
After seeing Jonno Chellas only a couple of weeks ago have a supurb ride to win the New South Wales Youth Championship, it was a big surprise to see Grant Fox from New Zealand have such a comfortable win. That was made even more telling with Grant's second day winning margin making him the Australian Youth Champion. Again two local boys from up my way put in an excellent show to tie on points after two hard days. A count back for the number 3 and 4 spot in Australia was required with Drew Anderson from NSW gaining 3rd placing over Jim Reed from Queensland.
The Open Juniors was another class that I had an interest in, and watched closely over the weekend. Two of the boys from up my way Isaac Luft and James Wager have been battling it out for a while now and I did think it would be one of these two young riders that would be bringing home the bacon... that was until I saw that young Liam Draper from New Zealand had entered. I met this young boy 2 years ago in New Zealand as a 13 year old and he really reminded me of a young Jake Whittaker at the same age. Liam showed great ability riding intermediate class, (our B grade) even back then and knowing he spends lots of time now riding with Jake, his weekend result in winning the Australian Open Juniors title was not surprising. I'm sure we will be hearing his name more in the next few years.
After being away from competitive riding for a while it was terrific to see Mal and Sharon Chapman make the trip over to the West and again have a shot at the Nationals. Pitting Brendon Johnston and Mal Chapman together in the Post Classic nearly always ensures the result will not be known till the last lap card is handed in and that's what happened again this year, with Brendon coming from behind to secure the win.
The Classic class, although a very limited field saw Geoff Lewis put his beautiful old machine around and over and up some very challenging terrain to secure a much deserved win.
In Masters, another New Zealand rider, Karl Clark who has been a competitor in our Nationals in previous years in the Open Solo, came across the ditch this year and seriously kicked some butt with a very tidy ride over the 2 days, but really showed his authority on day 2 easily taking home the title. Great ride Karl, well done.
A nice field of sidecars gave the spectators a showing of the wizardry and balls these fellows show as they aim their spaceships at obstacles a solo bike has difficultly in overcoming. Justin Gough and Maurice together with Justin's young fellow helping Dad out with lots of encouragement, overcame a first day shake-up by Shultzy to bring home a very comfortable winning margin at Trials end.
An amazing ride by Connor Hogan has given him a much deserved win in the 7 to 12 year age division - what a great winning double for both his dad Brendon and Connor.
I was at a few of the sections the home town boys, Team Patane were at during the Trial, and they were really putting in a great effort working together to get some good results.
The new three Veterans age related divisions had attracted a quality field and saw Brenton Hogan top the list in the 40-49 grouping.
Steve Johnston rode very well to take the 50-59 division.
In the over 60's yours-truly took the win after a very demanding two days ride.
The Veterans division which has had a major overhaul with the dropping of the venables age related handicap system and the implementation of three age specific groups made its debut.
This year saw the running of the new format that was introduced to increase rider participation in Veterans at C grade level abilities.
This year's results have shown what a vast contrast there is in the capabilities of 40 year olds to 65 year olds when you are presented with a set of sections that I and many other season Veterans I spoke with considered were way off the mark in their degree of difficulty, clearly.
Veteran riders from last year under the venables system and this year under the 3 new age catagories are required to rider a C grade course with easier and harder elements required at this C level and is clearly stipulated in the MoMs Australian Titles guide lines.
With many riders on day 1 - and I am talking about seasoned riders from all States - electing to not attempt the C grade sections that were on offer and electing to be punched a 5, it was clear sections were way too demanding and beyond the C grade level rider's capabilities.
After the Day 1 difficulties, for Day 2 it was said sections had been toned down, but this proved not to be the case.
I have not attempted to negotiate sections with this high degree of difficulty for many years. I feel sorry for other C grade Veterans, they felt they had been short-changed as riders who had have travelled vast distances to support the Veterans class and find they cannot even get to attempt to ride some of the sections.
The only riders to bring in scores that are normally befitting to a very competant C grade rider at an Australian Championship event were 3 or 4 riders who are still actively competing and winning State Championships on B grade lines in the Masters class.
Please review the scores and see for yourself.
Never the less I feel with a course set to the guidelines of true Veterans abilities, this new format should achieve what Colin Scott and the other commissioners have set out to do in implementing this change.
In saying this, I must stress that I thoroughly enjoyed my two days of competiting in a very challenging and exhausting event - certainly a welcome change to have to dig so deep and find some skills I thought had gone.
A big thanks to Don and Deb Murray at Moto Central for ongoing support to Australian Trials, and many individuals they give a helping hand too, right across Australia.
A very big thank must go to Joel Reed from many of us from Northern NSW and Southern Queensland for his efforts in delivering and returning a dozen bikes over to the Nationals, really was most appreciated.
Well done the Western Australia Trials community for another very successful Australian Titles
Steve Holzhauser