Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

V.O.T.E. FINDS INDIAN DUNES WET By John W. Adcox VALENCIA, CAL., Oct. 31, 1971 Each and every trials held by the Valley Observed Trials Enthusiasts this year has been unique. Unique in areas chosen for the trials and unique in the method of staging the trials. This trials was no exception with a new scoring system being tested. It works, and works very well. The method is similar to that used in European trials which consists of cards being carried by each rider and after the completion of a section, the checker then punches a 0, I, 3 or 5 on the card. After a loop is completed, the old card is turned in and a new one obtained. A very neat and clean method with no room for complain ts. It does require more effort on' the part of checkers and sometimes it requires two checkers on one section. The good points more than offset the bad ones and I hope more clubs will pick up the system. Another unique point to this trials was a sore point to most of the riders me included. It seems that all riders from Master to Beginner were required to start on section 1. After 2% hours, I had completed three sections out of my required 12. Bad News for all concerned! A better method would have the Masters start on section 5, Experts on 3 and Amateurs on 2. and so on to keep the lines to a minimum. One consolation did arise however, after one loop the riders were spread out enough that no problem was encountered in getting to each section and no lines to wait in. The Masters and Experts rode sections 1 through 18 four times. Some are of the opinion that the Masters should ride more or at least harder sections than the Experts. But the clubs continue to make one class, out of two classes and put Masters-Experts together. The Amateurs found 12 well laid out sections to be ridden three times. The Beginners had a very short day of'it as they rode the same sections as the Kids, only 6 sections two times. At a previous trials, a time limit was imposed and no one knew if it was going to be enforced or not - [T WAS - and it caused some confusion in scoring. At the riders meeting, vote made it clear that there was a time limit and it was going to be enforced. No problems this time. As far as the spectators and competitors were concerned, section 1 offered something for everyone including a bath for a few. The section started by crossing a stream 10-18 inches deep, up on the opposite bank then back into the stream. Following downstream a few feet there came the obstacle, a small foot bridge about five feet across. From a foot and a half of water you had to pick the front wheel up and hop onto the bridge then down into the stream on the other side and a quick righ t to exit the section. More than a few took their Sunday bath a little early being completely submerged in the stream. Section 10 seemed like old home week to those familiar with billclimbing, starting out with a short righ t tum then up a long steep hill. Once at the top (if you made it) a right tum brought you down a deeply rutted steep road, still not out of the section a 90-degree left turn near the base of the hill completed the section. A very basic section, 12, offered a challenge to even the top Masters, most riders took threes and there were only a couple of cleans. The main obstacle was a sharp righ t tum off camber which was just a natural three getter. The Experts have one less competitor to worry about in their ranks. Mark Miriani's win gave him three transfer points, enough to put him into the Master class. Mark now becomes the youngest Master since Jim Wilson five years ago. Mark is just 15 Congratulations Mark. Jim Redenbaugh took a close second by one point, 148, to Mark's 147. Third went 10 Martin Belair with 154. [n the Master class, it was Rich Bledsoe (now a rider for the Spanish round of the European Trials Championship) with the win at 75 points lost. Second place belongs to T. Griffiths at 92; with 98, Kevan Walker was third. The 250cc Amateur class was won by Mark Auman by having few~r cleans than second place John Bourdeau, both with 23 points. Marland Whaley lost 26 for third. The 125cc Amateurs saw Bernie Schreiber win it with a loss of 43 to second place Rich Hansen's 45. Third went to John Adcox with 53 points lost. The Beginners had Larry Dunlap there for the win with a loss of five points. Second place went to Jerry Wiencek with six points. The Kids class was won by Archibald with only one poin t lost, Randy Rader lost two for second. (Results on page 24) CHAMPIONSHIP TRIALS Riders from Northern and Southern California, Oregon, Nevada plus the current World Trials Champion, Mick Andres from England (above) will be on hand Nov. 21 at Harris Ranch, just outside of Hollister, Calif., to contest the P.I.T.S. 4th Annual Championship Trials. This event will carry special importance because it will be the second round of the California State Championship. The first round was held on Oct. 16 in Southern California with a local rider, John Walters, edging out the Bay Area's Steve Darrow for first place in the Expert class. These two along with many more riders will be looking forward to renewing the many individual contests. More information is available by calling 415/362-2564. All you had to do was climb onto a bridge coming out of a stream... ..... en M N ~ Z ~ w Z W ..J U > U

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