Martyn Clinches NATC Title
T
wo hurricanes couldn't stop
the Florida Trials Asso-
ciation (FTA) from hosting the
final rounds of the 2024 AMA/
NATC MotoTrials USA National
Championship Series, presented
by Trial Store USA, at Promise
Ranch, the same location as the
2023 season opener. Over the
October 26-27 weekend, U.S.
Montesa Honda's Toby Martyn
was able to secure the points
lead and take the win and the
title amid some very tight and
technical section riding.
Less than a month prior to the
event, Promise Ranch in Center
Hill, Florida, experienced fallout
from both Hurricane Helene and
Hurricane Milton. Members of
the FTA ended up re-marking
the 24 sections three separate
times, as winds and rains from
the storms destroyed the layout
of the competition sections.
Alex Niederer, Beta USA pro
rider and current president of
the FTA, had heard the reviews
from riders throughout the
season and decided to take the
competition challenge to a new
level. Alex had also recently an
-
nounced his retirement from the
Pro class, so this event would be
his final ride at the top level. The
focus on section design was
technicality: most of the sec-
tions for the weekend required
very precise riding with very
little margin for error, with a few
throwing in some big hits for fla-
vor. The property typically drains
any rainfall rather quickly, but
a few of the sections were still
partially underwater because of
the storms.
Starting bright and early Satur
-
day morning, FactoryOne Sher-
co's Pat Smage had an unfortu-
nate start to the day, taking full
points in section two on a rather
tricky rocky splatter. Both Smage
and his bike were unscathed,
but the mood was set. A hand
-
WIND
IN THE
P46
Honda/Montesa rider
Toby Martyn topped
the charts on day
one and went on to
secure the 2024 AMA/
NATC MotoTrials
Championship.
PHOTOS:
STEPHANIE VETTERLY
