Upper Midwest Trials Association

See the Results page for last weekend’s events, along with year-to-date points.

Steve Kirschner reminds us that the year-end results are based on your best 10 finishes out of a total 14 events. The top three spots in many of the classes are still up for grabs so there’s a lot hanging on the final event of the year in Faribault on Oct. 27. Gregg Mellberg is the TM.

I’ve posted podium photos for both Saturday and Sunday events in Duluth.

WOTA’s Craig Gernhardt has submitted this article on the event to Trials Competition and Trials Action.

Magic on Spirit Mountain for Belair & Villand

October 12-13

Duluth, MN USA

by Craig Gernhardt

US Montesa Importer Martin Belair on his Montesa COTA 315R (what else would he ride?) and Team Sherco/Ryan Young Products Brad Villand on his factory Sherco 2.9 topped the Expert and Champion classes both days at the now famed Spirit Mountain Trials Complex.

Wisconsin Observed Trials Association’s rounds 11 and 12 were held on Spirit Mountain in conjunction with Upper Midwest Trials Association using the 2002 USA WorldRound venue as the arena. The final events of the year had the most difficult obstacles any rider could imagine, not to mention more rain! The event’s TrialsMaster David Deck organized the loop and sections giving local club riders a thrill and a few spills. Including Mr. Belair!

UMTA does all the work, WOTA riders do the 400 mile drive to get to the event. With over 50 riders on Saturday this was by far the largest turnout of the year. It could have been larger had Illinois not held a Trials at Polo on Sunday.

In the Championship class on Saturday Villand bested Montesa pilot Dan Hofstrand and Beta rider Steve Alhers but not with-out a little work. Saturday’s section 10 provided Alhers much delight in cleaning the section the kids couldn’t. In the end it wasn’t nearly enough to beat Villand. Villand has a way of taking on each section and will not give up. As the conditions were on Saturday with the rain, a five happens sometimes, but he grinds out threes in sections without giving in. Mentally strong as a rider, Brad keeps his cool knowing a trials can be lost if you don’t stay focused. He knows you can’t win if you give up either. With the 2 wins Villand secured another Wisconsin State Championship title passing Bill’s Cycle Ranch/Rock River Motorsports-sponsored Noel Smage. His two wins also has Villand ahead of Hofstrand for the Minnesota series by 3 points. Minnesota still has one more event left at Fairbault on October 27th.

In the Expert class on Saturday, Minnesotan Martin Belair used his many years of experience to top a couple of southeastern Wisconsin riders, Torque Center/Rock River Motorsports-sponsored Jeff Lois and Al’s Salvage Yard-sponsored Paul Philbrick both who ride Sherco 2.9s. Close all day, every section counted. The class with 11 riders, the largest class, rode some of the most slippery uphill rock sections ever seen at a local event. Many sections were near the world round sections using portions of the obstacles. Lois, who finished a strong second both days, clinched his second straight Expert Wisconsin State Championship. On Sunday the finishing order for the two top classes were same except for 3rd place in Expert went to Griff Wigley. Ben Winterer’s fourth and fifth place finishes in Duluth combined with Ken Storm’s no-show catapulted Ben past Ken by 13 points. The last event will decide the season championship.

Other class winners included Dave Hofstrand in Advanced, Todd Holste in Intermediate, James Anderson in Novice, Nick Neby in Youth, and of course Trialsmaster David Deck in Vintage class on Sunday.

Jim Winterer wrote:

“The pits for the two-day at Spirit Mountain will be in the parking lot at the bottom of the hill, not at the top. There’s going to be a ski swap meet or something going on that weekend at the top of the hill, so they’ve asked us not to ride or park up there. Just stay on the loop trail and all will be fine.”

Steve Ahlers re: Directions:

From Wisconsin: Hwy 53 to I-35 south, I-35 south to Grand Av, Grand Av to 88th Av West.

From Twin Cities: I-35 North past the usual Spirit Mt exit about 1 mile and exit on Cody St, Cody to 63rd, right on 63rd to Grand Av, right on Grand to 88th.

From Canada: You can’t get here from there. You have to go someplace first and ask directions.

I’ve posted Jim Winterer’s essay on the first day at the Iron Range OHV.

It’s also linked via the Links page.

See all the details on the Storm’s Ranch weekend via the Results page, including podium photos. Link to the Vintage Series pics on the Photos page.

The Star Tribune has an article in Saturday’s paper on the new OHV park: Recreation area on Iron Range opens today