Section Setting
(A Basic Guide to Consistent Section Setting)
The #1 reason why a new rider doesn’t come back after
riding an event, or why long time club members quit coming to the events is
because the sections are too hard or dangerous. Our club level sections
should be fun. They don’t have to be
killer.
There is only one person
who has any control over how the sections are set…and that is you, the
Trials Marshal.
After polling riders and Trials Marshals from all
across the country, we have come up with this guide to help Trials Marshals set
consistently fun, challenging, non-lethal sections…with the emphasis on
FUN.
The
1. The loop is not a section.
It’s ok to make it a fun trail ride, but ensure that it is easily rideable by ALL classes.
It should also be easily rideable by spectator riders
who may be riding enduro type bikes.
2. Ideally the loop should go from the end of one
section to the beginning of the next, with an easily ridden trail around each
section.
3.
Allow plenty of staging parking at
the beginning of each section so that the section start gate is not blocked.
The Sections: Ideally there should be (8), but no more than (10)
sections per loop.
Sections should have a smooth "flow" from
the start gate to the end gate and make clear sense. Try to avoid too
many obtuse splits in a section.
A section should have at least (2), but no more than
(3) obstacles for each class.
More than 3 obstacles and the sections get too long. Instead of having 5
obstacles in a section, split the section into 2 sections.
A section should always be at least (3) feet
wide at all points.
Section
boundaries should be natural boundaries wherever possible. The perfect section
would need only the start, and end gates marked, with the intended line defined
by trees, rocks, rivers or other natural boundaries. This is, of course, rarely
possible, so ribbon must be used, red on the right…blue on the left, with
yellow inside the section if necessary to define individual class lines.
The boundary ribbon should be placed so that it is
difficult for an in bounds motorcycle to displace it. Try to not attach
ribbons or split markers to objects that can be easily displaced such as small
rocks. Place the ribbons as low as possible so they cannot be snagged by
the bike or rider.
Sections should be designed so that they can be easily
observed and scored, preferably by a single observer/scorer, and so that the
observer/scorer can be located near the end gate of the section allowing that
riders to quickly present themselves to the observer to have their card
punched.
Section Difficulty:
If you think a Section may be too hard…it is! Err on the side of easy…not hard! Think
SAFETY!
Section difficulty should be aimed at the riders who
routinely finish in the MIDDLE of the class. Not the top
riders in the class. This will
give the class a decent challenge and keep it fun. Those at the bottom of the
class will have something to practice for, but will not be so
difficult or dangerous as to scare them away. If those at the top of the
class decide they need more challenge, they can and should move up to the next
class. After all this is why we have classes. The sections should
not be expected to get harder to keep the best rider of each class
challenged. A rider should be expected to move up through the classes to
get the challenge they need.
This is NOT National competition. A "club" Trial should be inclusive, fun and
a good time to learn. Ideally the winner of each class should “win”
with (5) to (10) points. The goal here is (1) point per section for a
mid class rider. This puts the middle of the class in the (20)
to (25) point range (1 point per section) and the bottom of the class in the
(40) to (50) point range for the whole meet. If those at the top of
the class find the sections too easy they will be more likely to move up a
class if they are winning with 10 points than if they are winning with 35
points. However, if the class winner is winning with 35 points, he will
never move up, and the bottom of the class may have 85 points. That is
never fun, and indicates the sections are too hard or dangerous, both of which
will cause riders to quit coming.
If
possible, Trials Marshals should be riders who are Intermediate class riders
and above. Ideally there should be one lower class and one upper class
Marshal for each meet. CAUTION:
Upper class riders tend to forget what it was like to ride the lower class
sections.
A Trials Marshal should test ride all of the sections
he sets, from his own class down, to ensure their rideability. A Trials Marshal should be able to ride ALL
of the sections for the class that he/she normally rides, getting ideally
(1) but no more than (2) points per section. If you get a (3), the
section is too hard. When test riding a section, you should NEVER EVER
get a (5).
A Trials Marshal should be able to easily ride the
sections for classes below the class he/she normally rides.
It can be difficult, but not impossible for a Trials
Marshal to set sections for the classes above the class that he normally
rides. Experience will help, but a Trials Marshal should ride the
sections for classes above his level, without necessarily riding the actual
obstacles. This can give a good idea as to whether they are rideable.
Here
are some guide lines a Trials Marshal can use to set consistent sections.
***Hint
#1***
Points
are rarely taken on big stuff. Points are more often taken on odd turns
and off cambers that require the riders to actually use “technique”.
You’d be surprised how often an “Upper” class rider can easily clean a big
obstacle, but cannot make a simple full lock turn. You can jazz up a section and make it fun by
making it more technical rather than thinking the stuff has to be big.
***Hint
#2***
An
obstacle can be made much more interesting by simply adding a turn. So,
obstacles do not have to be big. Include both left and right
turns
between the obstacles throughout the section, so that the class line is not
just one straight path from obstacle to obstacle.
A
good turn can “be” an obstacle.
It’s ok to have a turn that requires lower class riders to make a “planned dab”
to get through it. It’s ok
to
clean the debris out of a turn to make it more rideable.
***Hint
#3***
Big
drop offs or jump offs do not get points.....they only break bikes! Avoid
them!!
***Hint
#4***
Most riders will usually attempt to ride
what is set for them. Few will often “Take a 5”, even if they should,
which is why they get hurt and quit coming.
***Hint
#5***
Riders
like choices. Make the section lines
wide enough so that there are multiple possible lines that they could try. There are a few rides who like to just play follow
the leader all day, but there’s always someone looking for a line that might
work better, so give them choices.
LOWER
CLASSES:
1.
NOVICE – If able, ride sections
sitting down. 1st gear, no clutch, no brake.
EASILY CLEAN all sections.
NO
vertical “up” walls or drop offs higher than ANKLE high. Ensure there are adequate dabs on both
sides!
SPORTSMAN - Ride sections standing up, 1st
gear, no clutch. NO drop offs or vertical “up” walls higher than MID
CALF.
Ensure
there are adequate dabs on both sides!
3.
INTERMEDIATE - no hopping or
trick riding. NO drop offs or vertical “up” walls higher than KNEE
HIGH. Ensure there are adequate dabs on at least one side!
UPPER
CLASSES:
4. ADVANCED – Some hopping and trick riding encouraged in 25% of
sections. NO drop offs or vertical “up” walls higher than MID THIGH.
5.
EXPERT - Hopping or trick riding
encouraged in at least 50% of sections. NO drop offs or vertical “up”
walls higher than HIP HIGH.
6.
CHAMP - Discretion with respect to
safety of bike and rider should be used. Dangerous is never fun.
Use common sense, but most of the time you cannot set sections that these guys
cannot figure out how to ride.
Section setting can be a
fun rewarding experience. If everyone tries to set sections, adhering to
the above guide lines, we will have more consistent sections within a meet, and
also from meet to meet, with a higher probability that a rider will have fun
and return next time.
Hint
#6
At
the end of the day, it is way better to hear, “It was a little easy, but it was
fun!”
Instead
of hearing, “This is nuts! What were
they thinking?”
