Trials… We’re constantly told that if you’re a great trials rider then you can smash any kind of dirt riding. Trials has seen a massive rise in popularity over the last few years, and this is due in part to it being cited as a key foundation discipline for world champ riders competing in everything from the Dakar Rally to the WEISS Hard Enduro series.
One name that has become synonymous with the world Trials stage is that of the awesome Emma Bristow. When we’re talking OGs of trials Emma Bristow is up there with the absolute legends of the sport, with 7…. yes that’s SEVEN…. world titles under her belt already!!
So what does it take to become a 7 time world trials champ? We chatted to the extraordinary Emma Bristow about her journey there.
Where did it all start for you?
At the age of four years old I had two uncles, a dad, a brother, three male cousins and one female cousin all older than me who all rode bikes. Every weekend the family would get together at the family farm and ride trials bikes. Everyone always looked like they were having so much fun so I think it was only natural that I would also ask for a bike and join in. I saw it as a choice, join in and ride or sit and watch, and I’m not much of a spectator as you might have guessed.
I think it was always about having fun because I was never put under pressure to learn or improve. I think I was shown how to pull away and stop and then left to it chasing my cousins and uncles around playing games like “follow the leader”. My dad isn’t from a biking family so he was limited in what he could teach me. I would watch my uncles in awe thinking I will never be as good as them. I had a healthy rivalry with my female cousin, Victoria. Victoria is a little older than me so if she learnt to do something new it would frustrate me and I would not be happy until I could do it too! I remember one day she turned up to the farm and could hop her front wheel! I was outraged and spent all day riding onto a big flat farm trailer and trying to hop my front wheel until I could ride onto it, make a full turn and ride back off like Victoria. It took me a day to teach myself and I will never forget the desire not to be outdone and the satisfaction when did it. So, I guess Victoria spurred me on in the early days and it was nice to have another girl to ride with! We still ride together for fun even now.
Was it your family that first drew you to trials riding specifically?
My family certainly got me hooked on bikes. Spending my weekends riding were the highlights of my childhood. I would wait all week for the weekend to arrive, watching the clock all day Friday whilst at school for the weekend to start so I could go play on my motorbike. Waking up on a Saturday morning was so exciting as I knew I’d have a full day of riding bikes ahead of me. In my early years I never had pressure, I was never made to ride sections or keep my feet up, instead, I would simply whizz around the farm and fields all day without a care in the world. I’d officially caught the ‘bike bug’ but at this point I never saw it as a career, only a social activity to share with your friends and family having fun and making happy memories together.
Who were some of your heroes growing up? Were they motorcycle riders?
I suppose growing up I would look at my uncles as heroes, but I couldn’t possibly say which one was the best just in case they’re reading this! As I started to take bit of an interest in trials generally, I suppose I was a Steve Colley fan as I rode a GasGas like him. I don’t remember much about following riders in particular when I was young but growing up seeing Laia Sanz dominate the women’s world championship was inspiring for me.
When did you start competing in Trials?
As I got older, I started to ride local club trials and it was suggested that as I was quite good and should go to the Girls British Trials Championship. So, in 2004 Dad took me to my first national event, Round 1 of the Women’s and Girls British Trials Championship. We didn’t have any experience between us, I probably hadn’t changed my air filter for 2 months, we had no idea what to expect but it was fun. This was my first ever Girls trial, and to my amazement, I won. We decided to compete in the rest of the championship, and I ended up winning the series to take my first ever British Championship title later that year.
It’s a similar story internationally; in 2006 a good friend of mine, Donna Fox, suggested I should go with her to Italy and ride the European Championship. I really wanted to go so we shared a van and I slept in a tent, I don’t think I had a great result but it was an amazing experience and one I wanted to enjoy more of. I have ridden the World Championship ever since. It’s been a difficult but exciting journey to turn what started out as fun into a professional career.
So, when did you turn professional?
In 2011 I decided against going to university and started to ride full time when I moved to join the Ossa motorcycles team. I rode Ossa for 2 years (2011–2012). Two valuable years where I learnt, not only to be a better rider but also a good mechanic. I could change a gearbox in 30 minutes, something I did at the 2011 SSDT on the side of the road. I listened to Nigel Birkett who supported me in the UK, and he tells it as it is. He told me I was weak and needed to get stronger physically. Nigel gave me exercises and it was the first time I felt someone outside of my family really believe in me and starting to push me to be better. I remain good friends with Nigel and his wife June but at the end of 2012 I went to test a Sherco in Spain. James had organised a professional contract with Sherco but I had never really liked his bike (he rode a Sherco already) and I wasn’t expecting to like the factory bike during the test. We were in Spain with Ossa talking about the 2013 season and we had organised a contract I was happy with. However, James insisted we still go to test the Sherco the following day. So, against my will we did. I first went to the factory to meet everyone and was then taken to test a special bike with their top mechanic at the time, Paxau. After five minutes on the bike I was shocked as I was expecting to hate it, but I didn’t, it felt amazing. I was so confused! I rode it well and Paxau told me I would be world champion with two years if I rode his bike - he was right by the way. I then broke down in tears on the top of a hill in Torello, Spain. I knew I had to tell Ossa and Nigel and June at Ossa UK that I was leaving. That night I made a phone call to Nigel and his wife June, I spoke to June first, we were both very upset but they understood my decision and have always been supportive even to this day. That was one of the least enjoyable phone calls of my life, but it opened lots of opportunity to me professionally.
What does your regular training schedule look like?
I begin most of my days with a 5km run but my training differs depending on the time of the year. For example, I like to try at be at my absolute best for the World Championship season and so in the run up to the GPs I really put everything into it as I like to know I couldn’t have done anymore. I will go for my morning run, then go out riding for a few hours in the morning, stop for lunch, go back out riding for a couple of hours or work on my bike if it needs some love and then have a quick rest to wait for James to finish work, ready to go out again in the evening. I love riding on a nice summer’s evening when the fields are being harvested. On top of this I try to travel to different places to ride different types of terrain across Yorkshire and Derbyshire at least once or twice a week. But it’s impossible to ride like this all year, you’d burn out. Some people say I do too much, as during this time of the year, I rarely give myself a day off. Perhaps a morning if I’m tired, but never a full day. The thing is this is what I’ve always done and I don’t want to change what seems to work for me.
In the winter we have less competition, I try to take a couple of weeks off to relax but then I’ll be back at it. I take the odd weekend off and one day a week off. Then I will generally do 3-4 hours a day riding through the week and travel for one full day a week of intense training at other locations away from home.
In January/February I will usually spend some time training in Spain. It’s just so much easier out there. It’s warm and dry compared to the UK and this just makes life easier as I don’t have to spend so much time as a mechanic and no muddy boots to deal with daily. It’s also good to be out there as the terrain is drier, the rocks are grippier and it just means you can work on improving your level. Plus, when I’m away I treat it as a kind of boot camp where I will work as hard as possible without distraction.
Most of my training is do at home. I am lucky to have land thanks to my grandad and James has built me some fantastic training areas over the years. He is always trying to improve it for me as its far more fun when you have new things to ride over. I will find some photos of me riding at home so you can see where I ride but there are also plenty of training videos I post on my Instagram account of riding at home.
When I’m not home my trials club have a good place to practice in Scarborough and there are other places like Back Cowm Quarry and lots of other locations to ride across Yorkshire and Derbyshire. Most places take me a good 2-3 hours to get to but it’s worth it.
What bike do you currently compete on?
I currently have a 300cc Sherco 2stroke trials bike. I have been riding Sherco since 2013 so all of my 7 World Trial Championships have been won with Sherco. Sherco is a French brand established in 1999 and is still a family owned business. They produce the best trials and enduro machines and now have MX models and 50cc road bikes. Plus they are very pretty blue and yellow machines, what’s not to like!? 😊
Where is your favourite place in the world to ride trials?
This is difficult as trials has taken me to some amazing places all around the world. I’ve been to most of Europe, Japan, America even Guatemala for the Latin American Championship which I won in 2019. Guatemala was like nothing I have ever seen before. First of all the traffic in the city was ridiculous it took 2 hours to do a couple of miles, but the people were so welcoming. The paddock was on the edge of a village next to what looked like shacks but were the locals’ houses. It was so nice to show the local girls that we can ride bikes too and not only can we ride we can be as good as the boys. There is a photo of me with a couple of the girls from a shack next to our position in the paddock. At first they were very shy but by the end of the weekend they warmed to me and came for a photo so I left them a present.
As for my favourite, it’s a close one because I like to ride in Japan as the fans are so encouraging and enthusiastic, but it’s the same in USA only louder. I think I will have to say the USA was one of my favourite GPs, in Arizona, about 3 hours from Las Vegas. I loved it because the rocks were huge and grippy which made for a fantastic trial and the fans create such a cool atmosphere. Even in the restaurants in the evening the fans will give you a clap and sounds “good job today Emma” when they see me.
There definitely seems to be a rise in the popularity of trials riding right now. Why do you think that is?
There are certainly a lot of women and girls riding now which is nice to see in the UK as we even have our own British Championship series which caters for all levels. I think it might be because it is accessible with a lot of clubs in all areas of the UK and it can be done on a low budget.
Any tips for someone wanting to get into trials riding who hasn’t tried trials before?
I think the best thing to do would be to go and visit a local club event on a Sunday to watch and talk to some riders. You will find the trials community very friendly and most people are happy to help and give advice if you need it. Then you will see what it’s all about. If you are lucky enough to join a club that has land you can practise on that would be even better as you can work on your skills whenever you like. To find a list of local clubs you can look on the acu.org.uk website. I am sure there will be at least one trials club within an hour of most people in the UK.
So, you’ve just won your 7th world trials title!!! What was going through your mind before your last run of this year’s final event to win the world title?
To be honest I just wanted to win again, I knew I only really needed to finish in order to secure enough championship points to take my 7th world trials title, however, winning the final trial of the year would take the shine off it for me so I was focussed as ever. I try not to think about anything else other than what I’m facing next and what I’m doing in that moment. Even when I have a big win it never feels easy until the job is done, and I think that is what keeps me on my toes and at the front of the pack.
What does it take to become a world champion trials rider?
Not sure where to begin with this one. I think the number one thing you need to do is surround yourself with supportive people as you’re going to need them. There are going to be lots of low points on the way to your success and having a strong team and supportive family to help you through the tough times is essential. It’s going to be hard work with lots of hours training alone so I’d say commitment and dedication but also sacrifice. There are plenty of things you’ll miss out on like nights out, parties, family events and weddings etc. but there will be a lot of cool experiences along the way too.
Where do you go from here? What are your plans for the future?
Well I have a contract with Sherco up to the end of 2021 so I will be competing in another year for the World Trials Championship and hoping to make it 8 world championships which will be the most championships won in a row in the women’s series. I think I’d then like to try and reach 10 World Trial Championships and perhaps try some extreme enduro races as I was successful racing enduro indoors a few years back now.
Do you own a motorcycle road license or is it all about off road for you?
I do actually have a full motorcycle road license but I only use it for some of our competitions like the Scottish Six Days Trial which also includes lots of road stages between the off-road sections. I don’t think I’ve ridden a road bike since I passed my test many years ago. Who knows maybe one day I’ll go for a ride on the open road but no plans to at the moment.
