World Trials Championship, Wagner Cup, USGP

When the event began each day, these gentlemen from the FIM (International Motorcycling Federation) were serious and focused.

L to R: Jean-Marc Crumière, Charly Demathieu, Jim Blackburn.

The periodical that does the most to keep motorcycle trials thriving in the USA (”… the ‘industry reporter’ and publication of record on Observed Trials since 1975′) is Trials Competition Newspaper.

The man who makes it all happen (on the left with Wiltz Wagner) is Shan Moore, Trials Comp’s publisher and editor. Watch for comprehensive coverage of the Wagner Cup in the June issue of Trials Comp.

Most spectators wouldn’t know but two former motorcycle trials World Champions were at the event, working as minders.

Left: World Champion (’73, ‘75) Martin Lampkin (UK) was a minder for his son, seven-time World Champion Dougie Lampkin.
Right: World Champion (’89-’91, ‘93-’95) Jordi Tarrés (Spain) was a minder for Youth class competitor Francesc Moret.

The Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM, International Motorcycling Federation) is the governing body of motorcycle competition.

After every Trials World Championship event, a team of FIM officials (the jury) meets with the local organizers to discuss all aspects of the event and give feedback.

The photo is from today’s meeting. Click to enlarge.

Update 4/28: L to R in the photo: Danilo Galeazzi, Francois St. Laurent (interpreter), Jean-Marc Crumiere, Wiltz Wagner, Beland Wagner, Steve Ahlers, Brian Behling, ??, Jordi Pratt, Miguel Cerrera, Dan Brown, Chuck Weir

The Wagner Cup has been part of all world championship trials events held in North America since 1975. The cup is named for Wiltz Wagner, a founding member of the North American Trials Council (NATC). Wiltz is widely considered to be “the father of American motorcycle trials.”

That’s Wiltz in the photo, second from left in the blue shirt, out on the loop today with Martin Belair (red shirt), Roger Ansell (right), and Roger’s wife (left).

The Wagner Cup, which features four bighorn sheep, is kept permanently at the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) headquarters in Ohio. The name of every North American world-round winner since 1975 is engraved on the cup.

Wiltz’s other hobby is medicine. Dr. Wagner “…is the V.K. Stoelting Professor Emeritus of Anesthesiology & Professor of Physiology, Biophysics, and Pediatrics at Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN.”

See more about Wiltz on the Rocky Mountain Trials Association history page.

The new TTC HQ building was the site of tonight’s dinner with officials from the FIM, NATC, and other motorcycle trials-related organizations.

Here’s a smiling fellow Minnesotan, Steve Ahlers, veteran organizer of three Wagner Cups at Spirit Mountain in Duluth, MN earlier this decade. (That’s RITC’s Bill Mathewson and Hub Brennan with him).

Steve remarked how much he enjoys coming to World Rounds, having no organizational responsibilities whatsoever.  He still volunteers, though. He’s checking a section on Saturday.

L to R: FIM’s Danilo Galeazzi, Steve Storz (Storz Performance, Inc.) and TTC’s Dan Brown at lunch today in the TTC lodge. Steve speaks Italian and Dan doesn’t so he was indispensible. I later caught them inspecting Section 15 (below).