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Martyn Ashton talking Trials


Ross McArthur

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13 minutes in he says there's something about trials that really lends itself to the media cause it really worked for mags, live shows and video yet I spoke to someone at British Cycling who told me they're not really that bothered about promoting it because its boring to watch and won't get any interest! 

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8 minutes ago, isitafox said:

13 minutes in he says there's something about trials that really lends itself to the media cause it really worked for mags, live shows and video yet I spoke to someone at British Cycling who told me they're not really that bothered about promoting it because its boring to watch and won't get any interest! 

Weird as actually you look at the coverage they mention within the cycling community, where people like Danny or Fabio are top names that most other bike disciplines know (due to their media) yet there is the response above from British Cycling? Though saying that, how much do you blur the trials vs MTB with those guys - as Martyn states Danny isn't a top 'proper trials' rider - is it a branding thing?

To me, it's always been a bit of an outsider type of riding which I kind of like.. but it doesn't really grow the sport.

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I'd like to go back to the 90's when they had the UCI events together over a weekend so you had cross country, 4X, downhill and trials all at the same venue. 

I used to love watching on Eurosport and it was easily entertaining enough to get people interested. 

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2 hours ago, isitafox said:

13 minutes in he says there's something about trials that really lends itself to the media cause it really worked for mags, live shows and video yet I spoke to someone at British Cycling who told me they're not really that bothered about promoting it because its boring to watch and won't get any interest! 

British cycling are only interested in competition riding and watching a trials competition for the most part is a bit like watching paint dry for the most part I imagine. Yes individual moves are impressive and in a photo lots of stuff will look cool but trials comps are boring and more recently just bloody confusing.

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Being confusing doesn't seem to stop certain track cycling disciplines getting a lot of viewers during the Olympics/Commonwealths/World Champs, so I'm not sure it's much different?  As a spectacle the UCI have been improving them too.  The last Worlds coming down to the last move of the last section being a case in point.  

I'm not a huge fan of the "bunch of shit dropped in a car park" vibe some of the World Cups have had, but when they've been done well (e.g. in France and Spain), the newer purpose built comp sections look really cool.

From what I heard at the AGM, the big issue BC used to have with trials is that everything they did was geared towards progression to the Olympics, and with trials not being an Olympic sport they didn't care.  HSBC took over as title sponsors and wanted to gear things more towards inclusivity and getting more people riding, so trials can be more of a 'thing' now.  It's consistently brought various rainbow jerseys back to the UK when other disciplines have tried and failed (despite extensive funding), or been tainted by on-going doping allegations.  The tide may be turning, but we'll see.

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3 hours ago, monkeyseemonkeydo said:

British cycling are only interested in competition riding and watching a trials competition for the most part is a bit like watching paint dry for the most part I imagine. Yes individual moves are impressive and in a photo lots of stuff will look cool but trials comps are boring and more recently just bloody confusing.

And yet billions of people watch football matches, in a lot of which nothing happens for 90 minutes.  I agree that competitions could be made more interesting, though. 

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It's like climbing. And interestingly climbing has recently gone through similar questions to become part of the Olympics. And similarly I'd imagine that if trials is to do the same it may be worth looking at that as an example.

I d say speed trials is a form that the sports form of trials could  it.

You could isolate aspects like high/ long jump elements I suppose but would be boring possibly?

 

Sorry for the long post, that was completely just nonsense 

But for me making it 'olympic' misses the point.

 

 

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17 minutes ago, sharn said:

 

That’s a charming essay and all, but what a steaming pile of horseshit. 
 

Horseshit being relevant, because ultimately bike trials comes from motorbike trials comes from horse trials (and maybe that comes from something else) which are, according to Collins’ dictionary, “a series of contests that test a competitor's skill and ability”. 
 

Of course “pure” trials is a sport, you’re overthinking and don’t sound as clever as you think you do. 

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Lol :) okay thanks

You're right, of course it's a sport.. What am i on about? I just never really saw it like that!

Of course there can be contests to test riders skills. I suppose competition and contest are different things? I used to love going to competitions, but i was never much good. But it sure was a test. Or a trial!

But can trials be an Olympic sport? 

I don't know.. I only just realised it was a sport! Lol :lol:

Edited by sharn
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3 minutes ago, sharn said:

Lol, yay hot topic :)

How much per click! 

Lol, I'll delete all that so as not to embarrass myself further ::angry:

Don't be silly! It's not personal we just don't agree.

JD is probably out of his mind on homebrew right now anyway, thinking about horses. 

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Haha, no absolutely right.. That was utter nonsense. I'll crawl back into my hole now lol

Anyway.. porthcawl ride listed in rides section. Come along and let's discuss further the philosophy and olympic future of trials! Maybe even if anyone knows Ashton personally let's get him out and he can tell us what its all about :) Though i imagine he no longer lives there. I remember seeing him on the sea front.. Legend.

I've resumed normality. Think there was something in those lentils..

 

 

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https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/sport/amp/olympics/41348585

 

This is interesting. The question crossed my mind; would there somehow need to be the ability to have a quantifiable world record in order that something become an Olympic sport? If so does that then force the 'sport' to become limited to a replicable course? 

Otherwise I just don't understand how it can span generations as an Olympic sport. Having such things as world records etc.

Then again, how can boxing have world records? 

I don't even know what makes any sport Olympic.

I'm surprised the egg n spoon race isn't.. I mean they teach it in school!! 

Can anyone enlighten me on how sports are chosen to become Olympic

 

 

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13 hours ago, sharn said:

It's like climbing. And interestingly climbing has recently gone through similar questions to become part of the Olympics. And similarly I'd imagine that if trials is to do the same it may be worth looking at that as an example.

Climbing is a little different though as they're trying to combine so many different styles of competitions into one thing, whereas there's only really one form of competitiive trials, especially as the Olympics are aligned with the UCI.  

That seems to be where most of the problem is in climbing as it unfairly advantages all the Russian nerds who spend all their time speed climbing, whereas most of the rest of the world don't care about speed.  If they just did a separate medal for each discipline I think it would all have washed over by now.

The way trials and climbing are the same though is that if you don't want to compete it doesn't really affect you.  If someone prefers going out into the woods and climbing some random boulders, the inclusion of climbing into the Olympics doesn't really change anything.  It's the same with trials - if you prefer just going out and riding street/some rocks somewhere, random machinations of 'governing bodies' doesn't really have an impact on things.

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