http://www.ambmag.com.au - 39Format
In 2014, a Women’s UCI Observed
Trials competition would feature
six sections, each with several
obstacles numbered in the order you
have to clear them. Unlike XCO and
DH disciplines, nobody is allowed
to ride or practise on the course
beforehand, although competitors
can walk through to get a better look
at the obstacles.
Riders are allowed two minutes and
30 seconds to get through a section,
and must complete three laps of the
six sections in less than two hours.
Scoring
In one sense, trials riding is a little
like golf, in that the person with
the fewest points at the end wins.
In each section riders can gather a
maximum of five points before they
have to move on to the next one.
Competitors are given a point for
every ‘dab’ (that’s using any part of
your body to support you, usually a
foot down on the ground), although If
you put both feet down at the same
time it’s five points and you have to
leave the section.
In another sense, trials riding is
a bit like chess in that there are
strict time controls on your moves.
Once you hit the two minute 30 time
allocation for any section, you’re
given a point, then another point for
every 15 seconds after that.
tacticS
In women’s competition, all riders
are on the course at the same time,
with up to 15 riders and six sections,
it’s easy to get caught in a traffic
jam, eating into your time limit.
Competitors are constantly watching
other riders and the six sections to
determine the best order to attempt
the course.
Trials isn’t just about cleaning each
section in time. A bit like playing
cards, you can sharpen your odds
if you keep an eye on what’s on the
table. Riders monitor each other’s
points to see how many dabs they
have and how much time they’re
taking. If you have a few points up
your sleeve, for example, you might
choose to put a foot down and take a
one point penalty rather than risk a
manoeuvre that could leave you with
two feet on the ground – a five point
penalty. In top level competition
riders have ‘minders’, usually a
coach or a friend, who keeps an eye
on other riders on the course so
competitors can focus more on their
riding. Minders give their athletes
the lowdown – and usually a drink –
as they move between sections.
Competing
in Trials
‘If you ride in places where there are a lot of
people, where you’re going to be seen, you’ll get
moved on. I hardly ever go to practise in the city
anymore,’ says Janine.I wonder if this makes trials something
of an underground sport; a sport that’s
misunderstood, perhaps to its detriment. Janine
agrees it’s probably one of the things that work
against growing trials’ popularity, but there are
others as well.‘If someone with no experience grabbed a
mountain bike and tried it out, by that afternoon
they’d be able to ride down hills, around corners,
and they can have a great time from one ride,’
she says.
‘If they tried trials the next morning it’s not like
they’ll be hopping on the back wheel by that
afternoon. The amount of time you have to put
in to learn the techniques – even the basic ones- is immense. You have to have a lot of patience,
and a lot of time, and people don’t necessarily
have that. But if you stick to it, the rewards and
satisfaction, balance and co-ordination, and the
all-round fitness are just amazing,’ she says.
It’s also really mentally challenging, you have
to stick at it, you have to keep going, and battle
with your mind to overcome fear of crashing and
worse: fear of failure.‘People who are determined and have that
mental strength to keep trooping are the ones
who ride trials,’ says Janine.‘I’d love it to grow, it’d be awesome for the sport.
I think potential for the sport is massive. Danny
Macaskill has been able to bring trials to the
public. He’s not a competition rider, but he’s
been clever enough to integrate freestyle riding
and BMX with trials and it’s been a great success- but it’d be great to see the competition side
grow a lot larger,’ she says.
‘I think the format of the competitions are too
complex to follow (she’s right, see Competing
in Trials box). It’s normal for trials riders, but
we’ve got to make it simpler so it’s accessible to
everyone. Once we do that it’s going to get more
popular.’For example?‘How simple is downhill!? You start at the top,
finish at the bottom, the person who goes the
fastest wins. And BMX, you start here, you finish
there, the first one across the line wins. Trials is
like a test match. We trials freaks can watch it all
day, but then a lot of people love 20/20s. We need
to find a happy medium.’Women in trialS
Trials gives a lot to those persistent enough to
gain some skill in the sport, not least a huge
sense of achievement. On one hand it’s a wonder
so few women take it up. On the other hand,
it can take some serious work to override the
survival instinct that might tell you not to jump
off a ledge, or ride along the top of a fence two
inches wide.While living a long way from the world’s trials
hubs in Europe has been hard when it comes to
making it to events, Janine’s isolation has had
its advantages. She’s learnt to ride like a guy
because she didn’t know any different.‘I’m probably the strongest female rider in the
world at the moment because I’ve been on my
little island here riding with the men from day
one, watching them and trying to emulate the
good male riders. Their technique and strength
is how I’ve always tried to ride, so I’ve got a
bit of a male riding style. In trials, if you’ve got
strength, the better you’re going to go.’Privateer
After a long chat Janine’s still in her car waiting
to go home, and it’s getting late. My last question
is about how tough it was starting out all those
years ago, funding overseas trips – most trials
World Cups are in Europe – and fitting training in
around work.
‘To be fair it still is really tough,’ she says.‘I fund 90 to 95 per cent of my trips myself.
Now that I’ve got a bit of a network over there
and can team up and travel with other riders,
it’s a bit easier, but the way I’m going now,
if I keep funding this myself without finding