Australian Oceania Moto Trial team announced

[nipper]

Congratulations to the riders selected.

Jack is a worthy selection and must be over the moon after the great runner up position he achieved in the National Titles in October.

It must be a pleasant surprise to Boyd and Garen.

Boyd, eighth placed Australian.

Garen,seventh place Australian.

Really to make this a contest, is there an agreement with Motorcycling New Zealand that they also send a team that does NOT reflect the ability and strength of their countrys most capable riders !!!!!!!!

Motorcyclng Australia, or one of the Trials commissioners could inform us of the criteria needed for selection to represent your country in an International event.

I am very interested in other members of the Trials communities view, of most all Australian team selections, that they are never our best riders.

[David Lahey]

It might have something to do with the fact that the riders are chosen from those who are willing to ride in that event.
I would say that not every top Australian rider would want to drive to Brisbane and back at Easter time especially when there are other well-run trials events that might be lots closer to where they live.
I also suspect that the Kiwis who make up the team are similarly situated in that the riders are chosen from those who are willing to do the travelling and may not necessarily be the highest ranked riders in their classes.

[Axel]

I can supply the answer to this one.

It has been stated in a previous announcement on this website headed "Seasons Greetings from the MA Mototrials Commissioners" dated 21.12.07. The following quote:

"News on this website that Motorcycling Australia, and the MA Moto Trials Commissioners are keen to hear from potential Team members. A couple of points to remember is that there is no funding available for the host Nations team, and ideally the Expert would not be a 2008 TdN team member".

Now, considering the 4 TDN members for 2007 were chosen from maybe the top 7 riders, any rider hoping for TDN selection would be foolish to apply for the Oceania team position, wouldn't they?

I am not sure what the reasoning behind this would be. I would think that if one wants to win a teams event you would use your best riders, and give the team the best chance of success.

Perhaps the reasoning is, this gives some lower level riders the experience at international events? If so, does anyone agree or disagree with this logic?

[nipper]

Axel, thanks for the information Trevor Bennett submitted in that report, I was unaware of it.

David you are probably right , none of the higher placed finishers in Open division would have applied for the Oceanea Team if it jeoprodised their chance of a TDN Team spot.

For Australia to hold this Oceania Challenge and have no funding available for Team members to help with costs really is the pits and shows the lack of support Trials receives for MA.

Why bother having the event.

Im pretty sure the New Zealand team will be thinking their trip over a waste of time.
I look forward to seeing the NZ team members selected to participate.

An International event is not a place to gain some experience.
To be even considered to represent your country in a team your experience and results of your talents should already be recognised.

The Masters division riders are certainly not TDN hopefuls, so was Garen the only applicant ?
If so, why so.

Jack parents obviously are footing the costs for him to travel to Queensland and participate. Knowing his parents this would be a chore done without hesitation, but it a sad reflection again on the lack of funding to our branch of motorcycling.

Good on Boyd and Garen if they were the highest placed applicants,Im certainly not doing a bash on either of these two great individuals, but lets not beat around the bush, why is Trials always being short changed in its support from MA to the extent that our best riders are excluded from a home International event on a wish and promise of a TDN HOPEFUL selection.

[Warren Laugesen]

For your interest the Kiwi team this year is:

Master, Kevin Pinfold who is undoutably our best riders in this group with many years experience and recently come down from National A Grade to B Grade as his bones are not what they used to be.
Expert, Wayne Thompson currnetly ranked 6th in NZ and as all others are unavailable or injured he is a very capable rider.
Junior, Nick Oliver our next top up and coming rider now in his first year of National Expert Grade and always improving rapidly.

Just remember that the funding for this event does not come from MA at all and comes direct from the FIM Oceania fund of which thier is little to go around. If it wasnt for the good will of the Host Nations helping with Bikes, travel and accommodation for the
visiters then it would cost the travelling team alot of personal money as the allocated amount basically covers flights and insurance only. We have tried hard this year to get the amount increased for trials but with no joy.

[nipper]

Thanks Warren for taking the time to give the NZ team members.
The funding available through FIM was another factor you have enlightened us of.
Goodwill between the two countrys has always been paramount to making any Trans Tasman event succeed, and thankfully its a plentiful commodity.
Hopefully we will have a good contest at this weekends event.