2014 photo report of the Spanish World Trial at Arnedo
on 7th September 2014
I'm a little embarrassed to say that I have never been to a Spanish World Trial before. I have been to the Andorran trial a few times, which I suppose is pretty close, but had never quite made it to a World Trial in the home of modern day Trials.
So, I had to do something about this and made plans many months ago that the Spanish Arnedo trial would be the one we would travel to and be my real induction into modern day Spanish trials. I had heard about the buzz, the crowds and the cheering and this along with the great weather was a real lure, dragging me there.
This would also be the trial where the great Toni Bou would possibly win the championship for the 8th time making him the most successful Trials rider in the history of the sport. If there was one trial I had to get to in 2014 it had to be this one.
Knowing the date well in advance I made a plan to visit some great figures in the history of trial for my web. Surprisingly it all went smooth, apart from one, but that will work out in the long term when we are a lot less busy :).
So a 5 day trip to Barcelona was planned and we headed out there lightly packed thinking we had it all under control. The great interviews with the prominent figures of trial will feature soon but first a 5 hour drive from Barcelona was needed to the tiny village of Gravalos, half an hour from Arnedo.
After the boring motorway start, the roads started to become more interesting for my 1.1 litre Fiat, which was without doubt one of the poorest engines I have ever experienced. This was probably just down to the lack of CC more than anything else. Eventually Gravalos appeared in the distance.
So, I had to do something about this and made plans many months ago that the Spanish Arnedo trial would be the one we would travel to and be my real induction into modern day Spanish trials. I had heard about the buzz, the crowds and the cheering and this along with the great weather was a real lure, dragging me there.
This would also be the trial where the great Toni Bou would possibly win the championship for the 8th time making him the most successful Trials rider in the history of the sport. If there was one trial I had to get to in 2014 it had to be this one.
Knowing the date well in advance I made a plan to visit some great figures in the history of trial for my web. Surprisingly it all went smooth, apart from one, but that will work out in the long term when we are a lot less busy :).
So a 5 day trip to Barcelona was planned and we headed out there lightly packed thinking we had it all under control. The great interviews with the prominent figures of trial will feature soon but first a 5 hour drive from Barcelona was needed to the tiny village of Gravalos, half an hour from Arnedo.
After the boring motorway start, the roads started to become more interesting for my 1.1 litre Fiat, which was without doubt one of the poorest engines I have ever experienced. This was probably just down to the lack of CC more than anything else. Eventually Gravalos appeared in the distance.
2014 photo report of the Spanish World Trial at Arnedo
7th September 2014
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2014 photo report of the Spanish World Trial at Arnedo
7th September 2014
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Gravalos is a very old traditional stone village set on a hill top
2014 photo report of the Spanish World Trial at Arnedo
7th September 2014
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2014 photo report of the Spanish World Trial at Arnedo
7th September 2014
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When we arrived, some sort of festival seemed to be under way.
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Driving up to the top of the hill and around the ruined church on the summit we saw many old homes built into the rock.
2014 photo report of the Spanish World Trial at Arnedo
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2014 photo report of the Spanish World Trial at Arnedo
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2014 photo report of the Spanish World Trial at Arnedo
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2014 photo report of the Spanish World Trial at Arnedo
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2014 photo report of the Spanish World Trial at Arnedo
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2014 photo report of the Spanish World Trial at Arnedo
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At the end of the short summit trip we went down hill into the little village and tried to get through the narrow gaps.
2014 photo report of the Spanish World Trial at Arnedo
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2014 photo report of the Spanish World Trial at Arnedo
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Time to check in at the hotel. Many English people were here also who were involved in the trial.
2014 photo report of the Spanish World Trial at Arnedo
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2014 photo report of the Spanish World Trial at Arnedo
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After a short siesta back at the hotel my wife and I walked to the centre of the village to find out what was happening and have a beer of course.
This bike photo means a lot to me. In 97 I came to the Andorran trial on my Honda CBR 1000 in red and white. My father was passenger. He is a tall man and sat way above me getting the win in his face. We travelled at pretty high speed and the wind was so great that it would push back his head and this got very painful for him after 100 miles of fast motorway going. He then had a genius idea. He found some rope and tied a loop from the belt on his trousers to the opening on his full face helmet. It tightened it so that his head couldn't go back with the wind. This meant some funny moments when we stopped for petrol as he would have to get on and off the bike doubled up like the hunch back of Notre Dame.
This bike photo means a lot to me. In 97 I came to the Andorran trial on my Honda CBR 1000 in red and white. My father was passenger. He is a tall man and sat way above me getting the win in his face. We travelled at pretty high speed and the wind was so great that it would push back his head and this got very painful for him after 100 miles of fast motorway going. He then had a genius idea. He found some rope and tied a loop from the belt on his trousers to the opening on his full face helmet. It tightened it so that his head couldn't go back with the wind. This meant some funny moments when we stopped for petrol as he would have to get on and off the bike doubled up like the hunch back of Notre Dame.
2014 photo report of the Spanish World Trial at Arnedo
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2014 photo report of the Spanish World Trial at Arnedo
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The next morning we had an 8.30 am start to the paddock to check things out and get some nice photos . You can see by the long shadows it was fairly early.
2014 photo report of the Spanish World Trial at Arnedo
There was a little activity at the RFME tent with many riders already out practising.GELABERT MIQUEL set out. He was in for 2nd place today. Pols talking to his girlfriend and would come 8th today.
2014 photo report of the Spanish World Trial at Arnedo
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2014 photo report of the Spanish World Trial at Arnedo
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Now onto Ossa. I love the scooter :).
2014 photo report of the Spanish World Trial at Arnedo
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2014 photo report of the Spanish World Trial at Arnedo
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2014 photo report of the Spanish World Trial at Arnedo
Ossa is now merged with GasGas. The competition element is still based at the old factory but the production is on the line next to the GasGas models at the GasGas Unicef factory. Ossa and GasGas were told by the Catalan government that if they wanted credit lines to remain open they had to merge. No choice, but they are getting along fine.
Here is from left to right - Paco Roldan, competition boss. The amazingly talented and flamboyant rider Billy Bolt. Ossa boss Joan Gurt.
Billy rides the youth class and would come in at 11 place today.
Here is from left to right - Paco Roldan, competition boss. The amazingly talented and flamboyant rider Billy Bolt. Ossa boss Joan Gurt.
Billy rides the youth class and would come in at 11 place today.
2014 photo report of the Spanish World Trial at Arnedo
Ossa have one factory rider Billy Bolt. Here is his bike ready for day 2.
2014 photo report of the Spanish World Trial at Arnedo
2014 photo report of the Spanish World Trial at Arnedo
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2014 photo report of the Spanish World Trial at Arnedo
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2014 photo report of the Spanish World Trial at Arnedo
2014 photo report of the Spanish World Trial at Arnedo
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2014 photo report of the Spanish World Trial at Arnedo
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