Better than shopping
The Red Bull City Trial - Manchester
John Newman
Between them Dougie Lampkin and Adam Raga have won nineteen world trials championships. So they knew what they were talking about when they devised the city centre trial concept and suggested to Red Bull, those prolific sponsors of motor and extreme sports, that they move their idea to practical reality.
Having a ball!
Exchange Square in Manchester is the beating heart of consumer land. It's surrounded by the tall glittering Arndale Centre, the Printworks entertainment complex, Harvey Nicholls and Selfridges, and the original and beautiful Corn Exchange building. The last thing you would expect to come across in the middle of this would be a gaggle of two stroke trials machines and their slogan-bedecked riders, accompanied by Red Bull's marketing and exhibition profile.
Michael Brown, British Trial Champion with Jack Challoner and James Dabill
A blip of warm weather
But that's what greeted shoppers on a Saturday at the end of September, when we were all enjoying a blip of warm weather to ease us into Autumn.
I arrived well before the 11.30 start. I wanted to get a good look at the course and preparations before spectators lined the course, and decide the best locations for pictures. The 'security' stewards were easily spotted in yellow, and curious shoppers enquired as to what was happening. Reluctant blokes were then led away to tolerate the more important business of the day.
Crossing the tram roof
An impressive V shaped course had been laid out in the square that would test the courage and technical ability of the riders. There were eight professionals; all trials champions at world and UK level, including Michael Brown who has recently become the UK trials champion, plus four top youth riders who will soon be knocking at the professional door.
Up on the roof
They would start by swooping down two almost vertical slopes, then hop a series of flat railway wagons, leap the bike onto the roof of a tram, negotiate a very difficult zigzag of railways sleepers, balance the bike on top of two huge metal globes, bounce it round and then repeat the exercise the other way (the youth riders only had to negotiate a part of this). No problem.
Youth race action!
The concept was different and more exciting than the usual more relaxed way that trials are run, in that the event would be a series of head to head 'races' over four rounds, with points accumulated and a winner declared once these had been totted up at the finish.
Sleeper balancing
Part of the purpose of the event was to add to Red Bull's extensive archive of film for motor, motorcycle and extreme sport of every description. The main advantage for spectators was to be able to view, on a large screen, the whole of the course as each round progressed.
On the rails
When the competition did get under way it quickly began to appeal to the population passing by. Revving two strokes, excited commentary, funky music: trials as a show time, how could it be ignored? It was good to see and hear the gasps and response of people who were not motorcyclists and had no knowledge of our sport, being so thrilled by the spectacle of people doing 'impossible' manoeuvres on motorcycles.
Dougie Lampkin and Adam Raga confer
This is exhilarating entertainment, and a positive window on motorcycle sport. I hope Red Bull, Dougie and Adam have further plans to tour the city centre trial.
John Newman for Wemoto News
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