ellingtj

Almost as old school as they come. Started bike trials after watching the 'Dirt' video at the Malvern MTB festival in 1995. Just started hoping backwards (with SPDs on though) one day and the rest as they say is history. Living in Luton at this time and started hoping around with friends, Ian Grist (Dysons cycles/ Cyclife Dunstable) and Matt Wootten. Entered my first comp in early 1997 at Mid Essex gravel pits (EBTC) with Grist and Wootten. We did crap - should have ridden white route not blue. For a bit of old school trivia this was the first and only comp that Matt Tongue beat his brother Eddie. Was at Uni in Birmingham at this point and just did solo rides. In Sep 1997 Matt Tongue also started Uni in Birmingham so we became good mates. 98-99 lived in Reading on my year out and got to know some good guys down there. Final year of Uni (99-00, Electrical+Electronic engineering) was the year I started going to Matlock Quarry. Moved to Stratford upon Avon for first job and also lived in Leamington, trials really seemed to take off around 2001, had the first production Leeson 660. Back to Uni in Birmingham in 2003 until 2005 (Ph.D in optical physics), then lived in Banbury now in Faringdon to date. Ridden many trials, observed at everything from small comps (like the one we held at the NASS in 2000) up to the world champs. Competed (ok turned up and hopped around) at EBTC, YMSA and Nationals. General trials junkie, been to watch at the World Champs in France and Spain and always take my bike with me when visiting the in-laws in Vancouver.