Photos/Article >> Chris Leighfield Trials School and Trial
Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2015 1:51 pm
Article by Ian Johnson
While ferreting through some old photographic stuff, I found a box of slides. I have some memory of the time they were taken but it is a bit hazy as it was 40 years ago. Unfortunately, like me the slides have lost their edge and a lot of clarity. If some of these details are wrong, I am certainly open to correction.
The slides were taken at a Chris Leighfield Trials School, which was held on Saturday the 17th March 1975 and there are also some from a trial which was held the next day (note the bibs we had to wear). The Trials School and the trial were both held at the old Mount Sugarloaf venue near Newcastle. The Hunter Valley Light Cycle Club organised both the Trial School and the Trial.
The Sugarloaf venue was well used with Hunter Valley Light Cycle Club and Maitland Motorcycle Club both holding trials there. Kingsley Waters was the main driving force for the Maitland trials and sometimes trials were held at Sugarloaf on consecutive weekends.
This will be bringing back memories for many older trials riders. As a beginner to competition, I loved it and I seem to remember Peter Paice always winning on 8 - 12 points with Frank Hull coming second. Mal Robinson was an A grader riding a Suzuki RL250, as was Murray Johansen. In those days, all riders rode the same section. Splits are essential these days but back then they weren’t necessary.
I have converted the slides to digital files but unfortunately they haven’t aged that well. The slides feature a young Greg Nordsvan who is still riding today and who competed at the recent Aussie Titles.
You will see a young and very keen Tim English, now living in Qld and who also competed at the recent Aussie Titles. Tim had just bought a new TY250B and after the Trials School, he cleaned up C Grade in two consecutive trials at Mount Sugarloaf to progress to B grade. He is seen getting his trophy.
There is a shot of Murray Johansen riding in the trial on his Suzuki RL250. He is in a section which had 2 subsections, which was rare but a lot of fun. We must have been thinking of the SSDT.
Many may remember Joe Psarros, the guy riding without a shirt - as he often did! If you hear crazy stories about Joe, they are all true as I was there or nearby for a lot of them.
Don Everingham, Peter Finch, Phil Rogers, are there and readers may recognise people I have forgotten.
Other readers may drool over Chris’ Ossa and it certainly left an impression, it was immaculate. Our Bultaco alloy guards were all wrecked and replaced with plastic while Chris’ guards shone bright. The bike ran and sounded beautiful as well, so machine preparation was obviously a big part of his trials success.
I remember reading an article on Trials Australia by Peter Paice I think, and he asked “Old trials riders, where are they?” This is my fifth time coming back to the sport and some of the old trials riders are still around.
Anyway, I hope these shots are of interest.
Feet up
Ian Johnson
---
Full photo gallery available here: http://trials.com.au/photos/1975-chris-leighfield-trials-school-3148
While ferreting through some old photographic stuff, I found a box of slides. I have some memory of the time they were taken but it is a bit hazy as it was 40 years ago. Unfortunately, like me the slides have lost their edge and a lot of clarity. If some of these details are wrong, I am certainly open to correction.
The slides were taken at a Chris Leighfield Trials School, which was held on Saturday the 17th March 1975 and there are also some from a trial which was held the next day (note the bibs we had to wear). The Trials School and the trial were both held at the old Mount Sugarloaf venue near Newcastle. The Hunter Valley Light Cycle Club organised both the Trial School and the Trial.
- 01 S2 Chris Leighfieldbb.jpg (189.88 KiB) Viewed 9759 times
The Sugarloaf venue was well used with Hunter Valley Light Cycle Club and Maitland Motorcycle Club both holding trials there. Kingsley Waters was the main driving force for the Maitland trials and sometimes trials were held at Sugarloaf on consecutive weekends.
This will be bringing back memories for many older trials riders. As a beginner to competition, I loved it and I seem to remember Peter Paice always winning on 8 - 12 points with Frank Hull coming second. Mal Robinson was an A grader riding a Suzuki RL250, as was Murray Johansen. In those days, all riders rode the same section. Splits are essential these days but back then they weren’t necessary.
I have converted the slides to digital files but unfortunately they haven’t aged that well. The slides feature a young Greg Nordsvan who is still riding today and who competed at the recent Aussie Titles.
You will see a young and very keen Tim English, now living in Qld and who also competed at the recent Aussie Titles. Tim had just bought a new TY250B and after the Trials School, he cleaned up C Grade in two consecutive trials at Mount Sugarloaf to progress to B grade. He is seen getting his trophy.
There is a shot of Murray Johansen riding in the trial on his Suzuki RL250. He is in a section which had 2 subsections, which was rare but a lot of fun. We must have been thinking of the SSDT.
- 09 S2 Joe Psarrosb.jpg (239.48 KiB) Viewed 9759 times
Many may remember Joe Psarros, the guy riding without a shirt - as he often did! If you hear crazy stories about Joe, they are all true as I was there or nearby for a lot of them.
Don Everingham, Peter Finch, Phil Rogers, are there and readers may recognise people I have forgotten.
Other readers may drool over Chris’ Ossa and it certainly left an impression, it was immaculate. Our Bultaco alloy guards were all wrecked and replaced with plastic while Chris’ guards shone bright. The bike ran and sounded beautiful as well, so machine preparation was obviously a big part of his trials success.
I remember reading an article on Trials Australia by Peter Paice I think, and he asked “Old trials riders, where are they?” This is my fifth time coming back to the sport and some of the old trials riders are still around.
Anyway, I hope these shots are of interest.
Feet up
Ian Johnson
---
Full photo gallery available here: http://trials.com.au/photos/1975-chris-leighfield-trials-school-3148