Next May Australia will play host to an army of Trials Professionals. There's the big names of course - Bou, Raga, Fujinami, Cabestany, Fajardo, Brown, Gubian, Challoner, Dabill, Grattarola. Then there's another two entire classes of riders, the Junior and Youth, plus their extended teams. These people ride Trials as a job, day in, day out. They know the rules. They know the procedures. They are trials professionals. How then, does a comparatively amateur group of people run an event and remain in control?
Over the weekend just gone ten people from around the country gathered in Bendigo to listen to the FIM Trial Commission Director, Mr David Willoughby. David was in Bendigo to host an FIM officials seminar, which covered the rules and regulations to be used at the Mt Tarrengower event. The seminar also went on to open the eyes of the ten people as to what else was required - not just to run the event next May, but to get the event back the next year, and the next.
The key to holding a successful event is professionalism. Professionalism in every aspect: officials, communications, section layout, site organisation, signage, catering, car parking and decision making are just a few areas. There are plenty more. And we have to be successful across the different 'faces' of the event as well: the riders, the teams, the officials, the public, the township, the various governing bodies. If any one of these groups feel the event is unsuccessful, they wont support a repeat event the following year.
Clearly the pre-event organisation is a massive undertaking, and the Australian Trials community have a duty to support two men in particular for this task - Colin Scott and Gary Grealy. Both Col and Gary have a lot of experience in international trials events: traveling overseas with the Australian Trial des Nations team, riding in the Scottish Six Days Trial, and of course organising the International Super Trial at Sedgwick a few years back.
For the event itself, there are a lot of officials involved - Jury members, Clerk of the Course, Technical Steward, Environment Steward, Timekeeper, FMN (MA) Delegate, and more - with plenty of rules and procedures to be followed. Being professional in these things is the job of the ten people who after this weekend, now hold an FIM International Official's Licence. But in reality, the tasks performed by these people are background tasks. Their roles are mostly involved in things that happen before the event gets underway. The most important role at the event, the person who makes THE most important decision affecting the riders, is the Observer.
Think about that. As an Observer at a World Trials Championship event, your decision may mean the difference between a podium finish, or not. It could be the difference between a World Championship, or second place. This is a mightily important role. This is a role that requires the utmost professionalism, for the entire event. And if we - the Australian Trials community - don't get this right in May, we may well be hopping aboard an international flight to see future WTC events.
Following the officials seminar, David held an Observer's briefing where the officials group were joined by another fifteen men and women. This was a new thing for the FIM; observer's seminars are not normally held. In Europe, David's advice to new observers and officials is "next weekend, just pop down to Belgium and see how an event is run." Obviously things are a bit different in Australia, thus the extra seminar. David covered all the rules that Observers need to be aware of, such as bib colours and what the different colours mean; who can access different areas of the section; some of the things that riders may 'try on'; the penalties that can be applied; and some of the differences between our events and the WTC events.
According to David Willoughby, we need four observers for every section. We need an observer, who also shows the score to the public. We need a timekeeper and whistleblower at the start of the section. We need a person to punch the card and write the score on the backup score sheet and score board at the end of the section. We need another person to control the spectators and operate the radio. According to David, who has seen a lot of WTC rounds, we simply can't do it with less than four people per section.
Sixty people each day, one hundred and twenty for the weekend. We're not asking that people observe for both days; observe for one day and be a spectator for the other. Be a part of Australian trials history at its first-ever World Trials Championship event. Help make the event a success; help ensure that it's back again the next year, and the next, so your kids and future generations will have the opportunity to see world-class riders in their backyard.
To be a part of the WTC 2012 observer's team, please contact your State co-ordinator:
Victoria - Col Scott (mont4rt@yahoo.com.au)
NSW/ACT - Trevor Bennett (trialben@homemail.com.au)
Queensland - Robert Eyres (admin@redds.com.au)
South Australia - Andrew Warnest (andtan@aapt.net.au)
Tasmania - Peter Bayles
Western Australia - Simon Price (simon@beta.id.au)
Next May, Australia will play host to an army of Trials Professionals. There's the big names of course - Bou, Raga, Fujinami, Cabestany, Fajardo, Brown, Gubian, Challoner, Dabill, Grattarola. Then there's another two entire classes of riders, the Junior and Youth, plus their extended teams. These people ride Trials as a job, day in, day out. They know the rules. They know the procedures. They are trials professionals. How then, does a comparatively amateur group of people run an event and remain in control?
Over the weekend ten people from around the country gathered in Bendigo to listen to the FIM Trial Commission Director, Mr David Willoughby (pictured, left). David was in Bendigo to host an FIM officials seminar, which covered the rules and regulations to be used at the Mt Tarrengower event. The seminar also went on to open the eyes of the ten people as to what else was required - not just to run the event next May, but to get the event back the next year, and the next.
The key to holding a successful event is professionalism. Professionalism in every aspect: officials, communications, section layout, site organisation, signage, catering, car parking and decision making are just a few areas. There are plenty more. And we have to be successful across the different 'faces' of the event as well: the riders, the teams, the officials, the public, the township, the various governing bodies. If any one of these groups feel the event is unsuccessful, they wont support a repeat event the following year.
Clearly the pre-event organisation is a massive undertaking, and the Australian Trials community have a duty to support two men in particular for this task - Colin Scott and Gary Grealy. Both Col and Gary have a lot of experience in international trials events: traveling overseas with the Australian Trial des Nations team, riding in the Scottish Six Days Trial, and of course organising the International Super Trial at Sedgwick a few years back.
Officials seminar participants
For the event itself, there are a lot of officials involved - Jury members, Clerk of the Course, Technical Steward, Environment Steward, Timekeeper, FMN (MA) Delegate, and more - with plenty of rules and procedures to be followed. Being professional in these things is the job of the ten people who after this weekend, now hold an FIM International Official's Licence. But in reality, the tasks performed by these people are background tasks. Their roles are mostly involved in things that happen before the event gets underway. The most important role at the event, the person who makes THE most important decision affecting the riders, is the Observer.
Think about that. As an Observer at a World Trials Championship event, your decision may mean the difference between a podium finish, or not. It could be the difference between a World Championship, or second place. This is a mightily important role. An Observer's decision is considered a "statement of fact" by the FIM, and cannot be appealed against. This is a role that requires the utmost professionalism, for the entire event. And if we - the Australian Trials community - don't get this right in May, we may well be hopping aboard an international flight to see future WTC events.
Following the officials seminar, David held an Observer's briefing where the officials group were joined by another fifteen men and women. This was a new thing for the FIM; observer's seminars are not normally held. In Europe, David's advice to new observers and officials is "next weekend, just pop down to Belgium and see how an event is run." Obviously things are a bit different in Australia, thus the extra seminar.
David covered all the rules that Observers need to be aware of, such as bib colours and what the different colours mean; who can access different areas of the section; some of the things that riders may 'try on'; the penalties that can be applied; and some of the differences between our events and the WTC events. If there was a key point for me, it was to remain in control. Set the rules, enforce the rules, and the day will run smoothly.
David covered all the rules that Observers need to be aware of, such as bib colours and what the different colours mean; who can access different areas of the section; some of the things that riders may 'try on'; the penalties that can be applied; and some of the differences between our events and the WTC events. If there was a key point for me, it was to remain in control. Set the rules, enforce the rules, and the day will run smoothly.
Observer's seminar participants
According to David Willoughby, we need four observers for every section. We need an observer, who also shows the score to the public. We need a timekeeper and whistleblower at the start of the section. We need a person to punch the card and write the score on the backup score sheet and score board at the end of the section. We need another person to control the spectators and operate the radio. According to David, who has seen a lot of WTC rounds, we simply can't do it with less than four people per section, as we will too easily lose control.
Of course, it's not all just "work" - there are benefits of being an Observer! You are guaranteed to see EVERY rider, in ALL classes, TWICE per day. You will go home with a bunch of memorabilia, some fantastic memories, and the knowledge that you were a part of Australian Trials history!
Sixty people each day, one hundred and twenty for the weekend. We're not asking that people observe for both days; observe for one day and be a spectator for the other. Be a part of Australian trials history at its first-ever World Trials Championship event. Help make the event a success; help ensure that it's back again the next year, and the next, so your kids and future generations will have the opportunity to see world-class riders in their backyard.
To be a part of the WTC 2012 observer's team, please contact your State co-ordinator:
Victoria - Col Scott (mont4rt@yahoo.com.au)
NSW/ACT - Trevor Bennett (trialben@homemail.com.au)
Queensland - Robert Eyres (admin@redds.com.au)
South Australia - Andrew Warnest (andtan@aapt.net.au)
Tasmania - Peter Bayles
Western Australia - Simon Price (simon@beta.id.au)
Colin Scott, David White (MA), David Willoughby (FIM) & Noel Muller (Parks Victoria) at the site.