1st April 2017, Andrew Clement’s, 497a Wiremu Road, Opunake

Results

Taranaki did the 3rd and 4th rounds of the NI Mototrials champs this year. There was some problems getting a steward. In the end Phil Stevenson from Manawatu volunteered to do it. The steward isn’t allowed to ride in the event so Phil had to stand around in the rain all day watching other people ride. Phil said it was very boring. It was really good of him to do it. Without Phil the event wouldn’t have been able to take place.

A few weekends ago dad arranged for Luke Thompson to be my minder for the Taranaki rounds of the North Island Champs. Luke is quite a good minder. He’s a lot better at picking lines than me and it helped to have a vote of confidence on some of the bigger stuff. I probably let him down a little bit. For instance, on section one. There was two rocks that were side by side and you rode up on the first one and then you had to lift the front wheel sideways to the other rock and the back wheel would follow. I couldn’t convince myself to do it on the first two laps but, on the third, I did it and it was super easy.

There were other sections like that. A bank on eight, and half of twelve which was in a creek. I just didn’t give them a good enough go.

Luckily not all the sections were a disaster. On section 9 I had to go up a bank that was on an angle so, if I didn’t get it, I had no place to put my feet down and I would end up falling down a very long and steep hill. Kevin Pinfold didn’t think that I was going to make it and positioned himself at the top to try and catch the bike when I failed. As I lined myself up I was freaking out about the possibility of falling down the hill. I gave it everything and Kevin had to scramble backwards as I just about ran him over as I flew past him. I aced it, with maybe even a bit to spare.

Overall the day was a bit of a disaster. I had fallen and hurt my wrist while practising in the morning and maybe that was part of it. I actually got off to a good start on the first lap but, while everyone else improved, I went backwards. Round two was pretty bad but I was still making basic errors on Rnd three. Rnd two, section five I mucked up a sort of floating turn off a rock and fell over. Rnd three, section seven I was cleaning the river section but had got a little fast and out of control. I should have paused and taken a dab, or even just slowed down a bit. Instead my front wheel tucked under, and I dove head-first into the stream.

And then, on section eight, I got a little bit off-line and didn’t give it enough up the bank and bailed out. This section was a little scary for me but I’d made it through the last two laps and I should have done so again.

Through all of this Luke was upbeat, if a little frustrated at times. Like I said earlier, I feel like I let him down a little.

26 Feburary 2017, Ken Allen, O’Shea Road, Pirongia

Results

It was a pleasant surprise to see Paul Wheatley on Sunday morning.

Kevin Pinfold showed me some lines on the first lap.

At the end of the first lap Mark Sidebotham cleaned my carburettor.

My favourite section was number four. It went up and over some rocks, around a few tight corners, and up a bank. I liked the look of it and felt I should have been able to flow through it if I got it right. However, I struggled with it. On the last lap I was clearing it and had done most of the tricky stuff when I stalled the bike.

Ten was definitely my least favourite section. It was the one my mum was observing on. I kept trying to clean it over these roots when I should have just taken a dab (or three).

I feel that I should have been able to clear sections two, three, five, six, eight, and nine.

Jason Day was great. He pushed Kevin Gundry and Kevin Pinfold into third and fourth place respectively and was only two points behind Yellow winner Andrew Clement. I finished at the bottom of the class, exactly ten points behind Gabrielle Gundry.

25th Feburary 2017, Ray Skinners, The Forgotten Farm, 222A Peach Hill Rd, Ramarama

Results

I stayed with Paul’s parents on Friday night. Mum and dad, on their way to the Whangamata Enduro, dropped me off at the Richardsons new house. On Saturday morning Brett kindly dropped me off at Ray Skinners. It was the same venue as last years Auckland round. I was excited because it was my first time time riding Intermediate A. Yellow is a significant step up from Green. Daniel Herbert and Jason Day have also moved up to Yellow this year.

The sections weren’t particularly daunting but there were just too many obstacles strung together. Any one obstacle was doable but I just couldn’t transition from one part of the section to the other as easily as I needed to. It quickly became a struggle and my lack of fitness started to tell. By the last section of the day I was so tired that I couldn’t even hold on to the bike going up a hill and I fell off when I should have had an easy three.

I did have one moment of glory when I cleaned section two on the first round. It was my only clean over the weekend.

My favourite section was six even though I never completed it. It was easily the hardest section for me. The first part went over some rocks and up a couple of banks. It was tricky but I always managed to get through this with a few dabs. The last hard part of the section was a treacherously greasy bank, only a couple of meters high, that I should have been able to easily get up with a bit of a run-up. Unfortunately, between me and that steep and slippery bank,  there was a bike length or more of small boulders. I just couldn’t do it. By the time I got to the base of the bank I was at a standstill. The last time I rode it (lap 3) I gave it a really good go with lots of throttle and a bit of clutch and almost made it to the top. I had my front wheel over but just didn’t get my feet down quickly enough to enable me to push the rest of the way. This is exactly the type of section that I’d like to practice on. I would like to think that, given another go, I might have made it.

I came last. But at least I finished. One more five and I would not have scored any points in the VCS classes (Womens, and Junior). Gabrielle and I both received time penalties and I was pretty happy to finish just 12 points behind her. Without time penalties it would have only been an eight point deficit.

It was a hard day but I enjoyed it.

Results

Mum and I were almost late getting to the event. We got there with just enough time to sign in and get the bikes out. Mum says that I’ve been there before, but I don’t remember the property.

It was a pleasant surprise to see Phil Stevenson there. He usually just goes to MOMCC events.

The first lap was full of twos and threes. Mostly because I’m not good enough at reading the sections. The second lap wasn’t so bad except that, sadly, on two of the sections, I got fives. Really stupid fives! Also on the 2nd lap I realised I had no back brakes, which always makes things interesting. Actually it wasn’t so bad. There was only one downhill I was slightly worried about and it just  cost me one point over the day.

I didn’t see it but Kevin Tither hurt his knee. He finished the day but wasn’t exactly ecstatic about it. My laps vaguely improved through the day. Not as much as I would like but it’s better than a few months ago.

I haven’t decided whether five or eight was my favourite section. Either way they are different from my usual favourites. I never cleared five and I got a ‘five’ on eight.

1st September 2013 – on my GasGas 50. A very long time ago.

1st September 2013 – on my GasGas 50. A very long time ago.

1st September 2013 – on my GasGas 50. A very long time ago.

1st September 2013 – AJ on his GasGas 70. A very long time ago.

The 2017 WaimiHARD Enduro, Saturday 14th January 2017

On Friday I stepped on a sticky-up bit of Hazel and Paul’s tent and scraped some skin on that really tender bit of my foot. That really set me up well for Saturday. Also, Daniel Refoy is way better at doing push-bike wheelstands than me which is kind of annoying.

The start was OK. I just waited for everyone to go in front so that I didn’t get in anyone’s way. Everyone was falling off on the first hill becuase they were all trying to get past each other and just getting stuck and falling off. I just waited for the easier line to clear and went up there but some guy went in front of me and got stuck so while I was waiting for him to move Deidre Grey tried to get past and fell on top of me just as the guy got unstuck. It cost us both at least a minute longer than it should have.

The first lap was a mission. I couldn’t get over any of the logs. I fell off on all the slightly long or steep hill climbs and I swear I found every single tree root on the track. I also had some trouble with one of the downhills. It was near the start of the day and I was freaked out. I got Paul to ride my bike down. On the second lap I rode down. It was a bit freaky but it was ok.

After about 3 hours (actually 02:39:30) when I finally got back to the pits I was exhausted and really didn’t feel like going out for a second lap but Hazel said that, if I went out again, she would jump straight into the swimming hole which, by the way, is freezing.

The second lap was much better than the first one because I’d gotten used to the bike and knew I had to go a bit harder. Looking back I probably should have gone over the tyres at the end but, at the time, I was exhausted and didn’t really feel like falling off in front of everyone.

The swim capped off a good day.

Results

At the start of the day Mum and I went to John Lawtons so he could fix my back brake. We got to the event via the Paekakariki Hill Road which has an amazing view.

Mum and I only just got to the event in time to sign on and get the bikes out of the van. The event was at Glover’s. Mum said we’d been there before but I couldn’t remember.

Section 7 was slightly out of the norm but was a really cool idea. It was a hill climb but instead of the normal flags they’d put numbers ranging from 3 to 0 in diferent colours for the various grades.

Emily is a relatively new rider but on her first attempt she got to the blue zero. The thrill of achievement quickly turned to concern as she realized that she then had to get back down.

At the start of the day, on section 3, a new guy (who I think Mark Sidebotham bought along) had quite a big crash and got a footpeg in his leg.

On my second lap my front brake started playing up a bit but I wasn’t too worried until I got to section 6 where, at the start of the section, there was a fairly steep downhill and, half-way down, you had to do a sharp right corner to stay in the section. My front brakes decided it would be a good time to stop working so I ran into a tree instead of making the corner. When we got back to the van Mark Sidebotham fixed my brake for me.

At the end of the day I finished just behind Mark, which was fair, since he’d fixed my bike.

Thursday 24th March 2016 – 249 km – 5:41 Awahuri – Waikawa Bay Holiday Park
Friday 3:34 272 km Waikawa Bay Holiday Park to Overtons Road
Saturday 2:08 168 km Overtons Road to Coronation Park
Sunday 323km 4:14 Coronation Park to Berwick Lodge
Monday 49.9km 46 min Berwick Lodge to Niven’s house (via clubrooms)
Tuesday 3:14 277km Niven’s to 56 Howards Dr, Lake Hayes Estate 9304
Wednesday
Thursday 7:10 564 km 56 hOWARDS Drive to Ikamatua Hotel
Friday 3:00 245km Ikamatua Hotel to Nelson
Saturday 7:21 353 km Nelson to 117 Green Road