Hopefully, most of you are on the FTA e-mail list, if you’re not; contact me via e-mail at sdelmain@cfl.rr.com

For our first couple of trials this year, we are going to try something new by having everyone who rides also observe.  Why, you may ask. 

Here’s our current situation in the FTA-small number of riders per event, plenty of complaints and issues with peer scoring, and a majority of riders wanting observers but a very small pool of volunteers.

Options:

1. Continue peer scoring.  This seems to have been pretty unpopular with most riders.

2. Have the host club provide 8 volunteer observers-this would effectively cut the number of paying riders at each event by about 1/3.  This could push up entry fees well above $30 assuming a normal number of riders at each event.  Irrespective of the rider fee, the club currently has too few active members to draw from for observing.  The small turnout for the trial set up days is an indication that we would not likely have enough observers at an event.  If membership and participation grows, we may be able to return to this model that the FTA has used in the past.  Last year we averaged around 30 riders a trial.

3. Try something different and see if it works.  The idea of everyone that participates also works is used in autocross events (cars), and it works well.  Everyone helps out so that all can have fun (or at least equally share in misery).  Hopefully the events will go faster, are scored fairer, and are more fun.  I expect there will be some unforeseen problems; we’ll deal with them as they come along.  I just ask that everyone gives it a fair chance for the first two trials and we’ll see if we want to continue for the rest of the season.

To recap the plan previously e-mailed out:

At signup, we’ll divide into 3 groups of 8 riders.  Within each group the riders will be numbered from 1 to 8.  A1….A8, B1…B8, and C1…C8.

A riders report to their section to observe. A1 goes to section 1, etc.

B riders start their first loop.

C riders start their first loop.

After one loop:

B riders report to their section to observe and relieve the A riders

A riders then start their first loop

C riders continue and start their second loop.

After two loops

C riders report to their section to observe and relieve the B riders

B riders start their second loop

A riders continue and start their second loop.

In short: A riders-observe, ride, ride

              B riders- ride, observe, ride

             C riders- ride, ride, observe

Once the third loop is complete, all will have ridden two loops and observed one loop. 

Hopefully, then we can all take a lunch break.  Afterwards A again reports to their section and the process repeats.

At the end of the day, all will ride 4 loops and observe two.  This should go pretty quickly since only 2/3 of the riders are on the course at any given loop and there is an observer at each section. 

Before the first trial, please take a little time and educate yourself on the rules.  They are posted on this website.  We will go over them at the rider’s meeting and we will help out new observers as much as possible.  It will be helpful to have the class you are riding indicated on the bike or your helmet.

Awards for this years trials will be a bit different as well. Overall, the feedback I have received is supportive for something other than just trophies.  Most of our core riders have more trophies than they want.  For podium finishers, they will have an option of:

            1. Trophy.

            2. gift certificate instead of trophy

            3. credit toward a future FTA trial, membership, or merchandise instead of trophy. 

Let’s get some big turnouts this year!  If you haven’t been riding for awhile, dust off the bike and show yourself!  If you are interested in getting started in trials, please come out to an event and see what it is like. 

Scott