One cloudy day (yesterday), in Sotteville-sur-Mer  in Normandy was a motorcycle trial competition. Part of the French round of trial competition, it was an interesting day. Motorcycle trial is not a very popular motorcycle sport, like MotoGP or SuperBike, or even motocross, but it has a good number of followers.
Trial is an amazing sport. It's extremely technical, and the contestants need to be able to keep their balance, since a foot on the ground is a penalty point. I spent a few hours watching riders jump impossibly high obstacles, flipping their bikes around corners on the front wheel. It's amazing to watch, and I can say only one word: RESPECT. It's not easy....
Here are a few photos I took.... enjoy:
It may look like normal for a motocrosser, but they have to do this from standstill... not easy.
The riders need to stay completely in the front, shifting their weight. Notice that there's no saddle..they don't sit..
They need to maintain a perfect balance. No foot is allowed on the ground.
Intense concentration.... not speed.
It's not just young folks who race, but also older chaps..
Jumps can be amazing and impressive. A jump, and heavy on the brakes, flipping the bike into the corner.
Everything becomes an obstacle, rocks, trees, tires..
The color of the jersey determines their level; blue was expert.
Maintaining balance is not easy on these kind of surfaces..
... and that concludes a quick look at a trial competition in the back country... not bad.
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