2017 PRESIDENTS ANNOUNCEMENT – JULY

June was not a month for STRA competition, but it was a month for STRA riders competing.  Not in our club series, but at the national level.

In June, the AMA/NATC Mototrial USA National Championship concluded with the eastern portion of the series taking place in Cleveland, Ohio and Exeter, Rhode Island.

The STRA had a showing of thirteen riders participating in at least one of the events.  For national ranking, Alex Niederer completed the series maintaining his 5th place ranking in the Pro division.  Alex displayed a lot of poise with the ranking being challenged to the very last event.   Andreas Niederer took a hard won second place in the Expert division.  Aaron Thistle finished seventh and Alan Shirley eighth in the Expert division.   Maddie Hoover handily won the number one ranking in the inaugural Women’s Pro Division.

The east coast series saw Ray Peters dominate the Senior Expert Sportsman class. Laura Peters took forth in the Women’s Sportsman class.  Keith Spudic placed eleventh competing in only the Ohio events in the Senior 40 Sportsman class.  Mark Sturtevant finished fourth in the Senior 50 Sportsman class and our part time STRA rider from North Carolina, Joe Palrang, finished fifth.  Steve Glinski, believe it or not, rode the first part of the Ohio series on a modern bike!   He did not complete the event, relating to me he was “not used to power, suspension and brakes” as his beloved vintage trials bike does not possess such.   We will all look forward to seeing Steve at our next STRA event on his new ride!  Finally, Larry Holbert was by far the top rider in the Twin Shock class, earning the champion number one plate for the east coast.

Clearly, the national event had a great showing of STRA riders.  For myself, I must say it was a great experience to take part in the Ohio event and it created a wonderful memory.  I would encourage all who have not participated in an AMA/NATC National event to considerate it for the upcoming year (especially since the STRA will be hosting one of the eastern series events).

The next level of competition for a select few of our STRA riders, namely Alex and Andreas Niederer, Maddie Hoover and Laura Peters, is a FIM World Trials Championship round in Kingman, Arizona on July 29 and 30.  We wish them the best in this endeavor.   I would like to recognize Alan Shirley who organized a fundraiser ride June 3rd at the “Chert Pit” in Ringgold, Georgia, raising $200 for each rider to support this endeavor.  Way to go, Alan!

While the STRA Championship Series is on its traditional summer break and Nationals are complete and a world level is only for a select few of our riders, there are still a number of organized trials events in the area.   Just look in the Schedule section of this website and browse through the links for regional clubs and venues in the South East that support the STRA.

To conclude this June president’s message, I would like to congratulate all the participants who competed in the AMA/NATC National Series.  You represented yourselves and the association well, helping to make the STRA “One of the Premier Trials Clubs in the USA.”

Keep riding and check out those other club venues until we meet again on September 16th in Prattville, Alabama for rounds 9 and 10 of the STRA Championship Series.

Douglas