ISDE UPDATE -NO MEDALS

[Larry Perkins]

Amen, Ted.  

Today's riders consist of too many primadonnas.  The American riders are especially this way.  It would be one thing if they actually did well at that game(ISDE) but we traditionally are at the best average.  As a team Americans have very rarely finished at the front at the ISDE or the ISDT.  

Bad conditions are that way for everybody.  Deal with it or quit the game and don't whine.  Unsafe doesn't float either.  When did motorized sports get safe?  I never raced the motorcycle as an adult that I didn't go into it with the knowledge that I could die.  I don't dwell on that I just go in prepared; physically, with the best of protection, and as tight as possible with the guy upstairs.  

I believe we should rethink who we send to the ISDE.  I am a firm believer that if what you do long term doesn't work you should try something else.  Our lack of success in this venue should make us look in a different direction.  

Okay, Ted that should take the heat off you and send the hornets my way.  Thanks for not being afraid to tell us the Emperor is wearing no clothes.

Larry P

[t20sl]

Ron:  I should have mentioned that I have ridden about a dozen 2 days over the years.  As far as I remember, no time in the final is the same as a DNF.  Way back in the day, I got over 60 minutes ahead of schedule and got onto the morning course along with about a dozen hot shoes. Followed arrows all the way.  We had gotten ahead of the course markers (pathfinders) and missed final checkpoint.  Guess what?  Disqualified for being too fast!  Riders after nuber 10 had no problem.  I know I don't have all the facts but everyone should have boycotted or be prepared for the outcome.  Many of us have ridden terible events with *%#%$% trail layout and marking but in my opinion that's part of the sport.  Complain at the end or help layout the next event.  Ted

[firstturn]

Ted,
  What I am talking about is the "out come".  I don't know the rules of FIM and how they affect a riders metal if someone doesn't ride the final MX event.  Do you?
  Thats why I said some past riders of the 6 day may help with the rules.

Ron Carbaugh

[TGTech]

It has been 24 years since I last rode an ISD?, so things may have changed since then. But as I recall, if you don't ride the final test, you get a time penalty that then is applied to your score.

The thing I can't understand about this situation, is why it was not handled at the final Jury meeting. That is where all the dice hit the table, and things are worked out, so why wasn't this? From all that I've read, this whole issue must have come up after the event was all said and done, and nobody had a clue that the medals were going to be held up.

As for the course preparation, that was all well and good, when the event was about just team competition, but now it'a all about money, just like motocross. With sponsors footing the bill for the teams, if the sponsors can't get their nickle's worth, then it isn't worth going. My guess, is that since the riders wouldn't have control of their finishes, due to the course conditions, it was in their best interests to not have the event held.

There is one other issue that we haven't hashed out. Keep in mind, that at this year's event, four people died during the event. Admittedly, they didn't all die as a direct result of the competition, but never the less, there were tradgedies. If the dust was making the final test too dangerous, it may have been in the best interest of the riders, to not hold the final test. That should have been the decision of the Clerk of the Course though, not the riders.

I'm sure there were lots of issues, and it may take a long time for all of them to be brought to light. It is sad though, that the event had deteriorated from the pinacle of off road competition to just another commercially driven event.

Dane

[firstturn]

Just somewhat of a update?
Seems that the last day had a lot more action than just on the track.  I talked with a friend that his daughter attended and she said that the had the smaller class final and then the Spanish riders protested.  Someone from England lined up to race and I guess the fight broke out.
  This was learned during a brief call so well see what happened and what the final fall out is on the medals.

Ron Carbaugh

[firstturn]

Just to follow through on something I started:

AMA wins appeal for U.S. ISDE team
October 29, 2004 – The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) has announced that 23 members of the U.S. team to the International Six Days Enduro (ISDE) will receive finishers medals they were denied by organizers of the event, which was held in Poland in September.

The decision to award the medals follows a successful appeal by the AMA to an International Disciplinary Court of the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), international sanctioning body for motorcycle competition.

The American riders were among many Class II and Class III competitors -- nearly two-thirds of all ISDE participants -- who chose not to ride the motocross course on the event's final day because the track's dusty conditions were judged by riders and team officials to be unsafe.

Requests from Team USA and others to cancel the motocross event for safety reasons were denied. Competitors first were informed that failing to ride the final moto would carry a penalty of one minute for each lap not ridden; later, it was announced that medals would not be awarded to riders who did not finish the course.

The Disciplinary Court sided with the AMA, overturning the decision by organizers to withhold the medals and eliminating any time penalties for failing to ride the motocross test. The court noted that "an unusual accumulation of adverse circumstances" was the responsibility of the organizer, and therefore the U.S. team should be awarded their medals, and be included in the final results.



Ron Carbaugh