M.C.C. OF WALES I.S.D.T. TEAM 1979 West GermanyThe 1979 Welsh team left Mid Wales on Sunday 2nd September in three vans, kindly provided by Zembrzuski Bros., Arthur Brick and Automobile Palace. With an overnight stop in Dover the party arrived at Alterkirchen, West Germany at midnight on Monday.The next four days was spent on machine preparation and acclimatizing the riders and party to local conditions. Saturday started with the weighing in of the machines with some difficulty with the noise test on two of the machines but eventually all was well. Our four riders and their machines were a credit to Wales at the weigh-in, looking very smart in green and black tracksuits. Sunday?s official opening ceremony was most impressive and once again the Welsh Team was smartly turned out in blue blazers and grey trousers.All riders started well on Monday morning with an uneventful first lap, but on the second lap AndreZembrzuski had the misfortune to smash the primary chain case on a rock which resulted in the complete loss of oil from the gearbox and the delay in fitting a new case was over 40 minutes. Tuesday route was over the same course only on the fast schedule which caused some of the team to lose a few minutes on each lap. The third day saw a new route and Dave Smith arrive at the end of the first lap with a badly swollen arm which needed urgent medical attention but was able to continue the trial approximately 50 minutes later. As a result of a heavy fall Alan Brick retired with a broken arm. Thursday was uneventful except for spoke trouble on Dave Smith?s Maico and backbrake troubles for Andre?s K.T.M. Friday saw the riders have second wind all having a trouble-free day. Saturdays single lap route was a welcome restbite for the riders who had no difficulties in reaching the finish. Ken Williams had a trouble-free ride for the whole week only losing two minutes to gain a silver medal while Dave and Andre finished to gain bronze medals. In view of the considerable troubles with two of the machines, not caused by lack of preparation, but faulty manufacture, the team finishing a creditable 18th place out of 49 club teams deserves all the credit due. With reliable machinery (if possible) the same riders would be capable of finishing in the first ten in the club team competition. in spite of being in competition with professional riders on worksmachines.My sincere thanks to all the helpers, supporters and clubs, firms and private individuals who sponsored our team effort and I trust that this support will continue in the future. My only wish was that the officials of the Cambrian Council, the Sports Council for Wales, the British Minister for Sport and indeed more members of the Auto Cycle Union could have been present to experience the magnitude of this event.Team Manager J.A. Bates
Report of ISDE Event in West Germay 1979.
Welsh Six-Day Team History.
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