2003 AMA US National Championship Indoor Mototrial
Cow Palace
few seconds, but that was what
decided the inaugural AMA U.S.
National Championship Indoor Mototrial held at the Cow Palace in San
Francisco. But then, nothing was traditional about this event. In fact, there
was no tradition to draw from, since
STORY AND PHOTOS BY SHAN MOORE/
TRIALS COMPETITION NEWSPAPER
SAN FRANCISCO, CA, JAN. 11
rials events are traditionally
_ decided by points - or the lack
T
thereof
-
and not by a matter of a
this was the first event of its kind in
the United States.
A crowd of over 3000 watched
Geoff Aaron edge his newly signed
Gas Gas teammate Ryon Bell of
Canada by less than five seconds to
add the first-ever U.S. Indoor Championship to his impressive list of
titles.
The new format used for this event
is an attempt, spearheaded by promoter Ted Gansberger, to bring U.S.
Trials into the mainstream - a chance
for spectators who are not willing to
trek through the elements to watch
an outdoor event to see the top riders
in North America in the comfort of a
stadium environment. It was a night
BRIEFLY•••
AMA director of amateur sports. Roger Ansel. was on hand for the event. Said Ansel: "The
AMA wants to see (the indoor series) succeed. To me it's an extension of the outdoor series it's the professional end of trials in the United States· and the world. for that matter. We're really excited to have it here and to be a part of it. It's a national championship event. and we're
going to expand it in the future. We want to take it to at least five events all around the country...
"I've never done an event where more people who weren't involved wanted it to work so badly,"
added promoter Ted Gansberger. Gansberger. who is an experienced outdoor world and
national trials promoter. plans to expand the series to 2-3 events next year.
Approximately 45 ATA club members. friends. industry people and well·wishers helped move,
assemble and remove the seven man made sections used for the event. At 8 a.m. on Saturday moming. welders. grinders and front-end loaders were going at full blast to move and erect
the sections by the 3 p.m. deadline. At 7 p.m .. the show went off without a hitch. A moment after
the cork was popped on the victory champagne. Gansberger and crew began the disassembly
process. The entire course was gone by 6 a.m. Sunday.
4
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FEBRUARY 5, 2003'
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