Ken
06-19-2005, 10:25 AM
Going into the Test of Metal this year was quite different for me. For the past 5 years I was a helper at the Test, set up the checkers, no real pressure or responsibility, Robin haD all that on his shoulders.
Roll around to a conversation between Robin and myself this past January. Robin tells me that he's looking to offload the majority of section design, set up and running of the Test to someone else, due to the fact that he's graduating this year, and wouldn't have the time to put into making the Test of Metal as big as it usually is.
Ok, I"ll do it, I've organized enough comps throughout the past 7 years, it's just another comp on a "little" larger scale. I knew I was going to have some big shoes to fill by doing this, but decided early that I wasn't even going to try and do that, but instead change it a little.
Instead of huge, grandiose sections that Squamish (and Robin) have been famous for, my plan was to scale it down a bit, make the sections more technical, a tad harder in some area's, all the while trying to keep the sections fun and the atmosphere casual.
With the location we had this year, I knew we could make some cool sections and take advantage of the crowds that were on site hanging around for the XC race finishers. Just a note, for everyone who doesn't know, The Test of Metal is a 65 km point to point XC mtb race, that is now in it's 10th year. The race is a mass start of a limit of 800 riders, the race sold out in 3 days, that's how popular it is. It draws big names in the XC world, I only know a few, Alison Sydor won the womens field. Yesterday's race also drew a Pro NHL player, The Canucks Trevor Linden was out racing, finishing in a very respectable time....Anyways back to trials.
Gotta thank some people who helped immensely with set up and throughout the day. Firstly Robin for keeping us going in the right direction leading up to and during the comp, helping in section design were Dylan Korba and Dave (jenga blocks) Herr. Mike Mohr, Glen Greensides and Bryan Couture the forklift, heavy machinery operators were huge and a pleasure to work with. Sue Macrae and Cait Braun for doing registration, pleasantly taking all your money. All the guys who stepped up to check, lots of them without me even asking! Dave Lloyd, Brett McCullough, Kevin Lui, Chris Jenkins, Ryan Lynne, Korba, Jenga Dave, Angi Hopper (great trials name), Mike Baia, Arizona Al Signore, Kelly Laurie, Peter Czajko, Jarett? or Jared? from Seattle, sorry can't remember your full name, and one other who's name totally escapes me. The sponsors, Cycles-Simtra, Monty BC, Test of Metal. If I've forgotten anyone I'm sorry. You guys were all huge in keeping things running smoothly.
Oh, the comp itself, I"ll let the riders give more detail on sections, I"ll just throw out a few highlights.
It rained...so of course difficult sections were even more difficult. Beginner/Sport riders encountered lots of slippery logs, a slippery car trunk and hood they had to deal with, a large log teeter totter to get over that most did fairly easily. The pond section wasn't too forgiving for quite a few beginner riders. The balance line for beginners through the pond was "quite easy" under ideal condidtions, with everything wet, and the slope into and out of the pond, it was more difficult for quite a few, lots of riders got wet, and not just from the rain.
Expert/Pro Had lots of huge UPS and big gaps to deal with. A large hook onto the back of a wet minivan for Pro's claimed a few fives, a upward sloped Itadori style log was doable when dry, with the rain it was terribly difficult. Pro's had a about a 9 1/2 foot drop into the pond,off the edge of a cable spool, onto a tire, most elected to drop into the water and then go over the tire, which the crowd seemed to appreciate!
A log ride section in the pond not only showed off some great balance by some of the Pro's, but also some very creative ways of getting through them. Each pro seemed to find a different way of getting through that section. The way we taped these pond sections was we left it so the 12-18" deep water fair game, so you could go in the water if you wanted to. Experts had to drop about 3 ft onto a log in the pond, then ride up the log, finishing by upping (from the log) onto a spool at the end.
Pro was won by John Webster, with Jeff Anderson in second and Dangerous Dave in 3rd...
Official results coming...
Roll around to a conversation between Robin and myself this past January. Robin tells me that he's looking to offload the majority of section design, set up and running of the Test to someone else, due to the fact that he's graduating this year, and wouldn't have the time to put into making the Test of Metal as big as it usually is.
Ok, I"ll do it, I've organized enough comps throughout the past 7 years, it's just another comp on a "little" larger scale. I knew I was going to have some big shoes to fill by doing this, but decided early that I wasn't even going to try and do that, but instead change it a little.
Instead of huge, grandiose sections that Squamish (and Robin) have been famous for, my plan was to scale it down a bit, make the sections more technical, a tad harder in some area's, all the while trying to keep the sections fun and the atmosphere casual.
With the location we had this year, I knew we could make some cool sections and take advantage of the crowds that were on site hanging around for the XC race finishers. Just a note, for everyone who doesn't know, The Test of Metal is a 65 km point to point XC mtb race, that is now in it's 10th year. The race is a mass start of a limit of 800 riders, the race sold out in 3 days, that's how popular it is. It draws big names in the XC world, I only know a few, Alison Sydor won the womens field. Yesterday's race also drew a Pro NHL player, The Canucks Trevor Linden was out racing, finishing in a very respectable time....Anyways back to trials.
Gotta thank some people who helped immensely with set up and throughout the day. Firstly Robin for keeping us going in the right direction leading up to and during the comp, helping in section design were Dylan Korba and Dave (jenga blocks) Herr. Mike Mohr, Glen Greensides and Bryan Couture the forklift, heavy machinery operators were huge and a pleasure to work with. Sue Macrae and Cait Braun for doing registration, pleasantly taking all your money. All the guys who stepped up to check, lots of them without me even asking! Dave Lloyd, Brett McCullough, Kevin Lui, Chris Jenkins, Ryan Lynne, Korba, Jenga Dave, Angi Hopper (great trials name), Mike Baia, Arizona Al Signore, Kelly Laurie, Peter Czajko, Jarett? or Jared? from Seattle, sorry can't remember your full name, and one other who's name totally escapes me. The sponsors, Cycles-Simtra, Monty BC, Test of Metal. If I've forgotten anyone I'm sorry. You guys were all huge in keeping things running smoothly.
Oh, the comp itself, I"ll let the riders give more detail on sections, I"ll just throw out a few highlights.
It rained...so of course difficult sections were even more difficult. Beginner/Sport riders encountered lots of slippery logs, a slippery car trunk and hood they had to deal with, a large log teeter totter to get over that most did fairly easily. The pond section wasn't too forgiving for quite a few beginner riders. The balance line for beginners through the pond was "quite easy" under ideal condidtions, with everything wet, and the slope into and out of the pond, it was more difficult for quite a few, lots of riders got wet, and not just from the rain.
Expert/Pro Had lots of huge UPS and big gaps to deal with. A large hook onto the back of a wet minivan for Pro's claimed a few fives, a upward sloped Itadori style log was doable when dry, with the rain it was terribly difficult. Pro's had a about a 9 1/2 foot drop into the pond,off the edge of a cable spool, onto a tire, most elected to drop into the water and then go over the tire, which the crowd seemed to appreciate!
A log ride section in the pond not only showed off some great balance by some of the Pro's, but also some very creative ways of getting through them. Each pro seemed to find a different way of getting through that section. The way we taped these pond sections was we left it so the 12-18" deep water fair game, so you could go in the water if you wanted to. Experts had to drop about 3 ft onto a log in the pond, then ride up the log, finishing by upping (from the log) onto a spool at the end.
Pro was won by John Webster, with Jeff Anderson in second and Dangerous Dave in 3rd...
Official results coming...