When the Hertz FIM Trial World Championship returns to Neunkirchen for the TrialGP of Germany – round four of the 2024 series – on 5-7 July, the riders, their teams and the large turn-out of fans this event typically attracts will have little idea of the behind-the-scenes work that has gone into preparing the venue by organising club MSC Freier Grund e.V. im ADAC

  • TrialGP of Germany champions sustainability cause
  • Volunteer team working hand-in-hand with nature
  • Former scrapyard transformed into Trial haven

Situated less than thirty-five kilometres east of the city of Cologne, Neunkirchen last featured on the TrialGP calendar in 2022. Proving just how incredibly environmentally sustainable Trial is, in the intervening two years any evidence that the venue was used for a major motorsport event had virtually disappeared as nature moved in to reclaim it.

While this is, of course, great news for the environment it does mean that the dedicated team behind the TrialGP of Germany has had to work overtime to prepare the venue with around twenty hard-working volunteers taking four days to uncover sections and return the site to a standard befitting a round of the Hertz FIM Trial World Championship.

Adding to the workload, sections will also be laid out in two new sites this year. Previously favoured by driving instructors for teaching learner drivers, Verkehrsübungsplatz has more recently been used as a Trial practice area and a number of new sections have been plotted between an area of asphalt and the forest.

The second area presented a much bigger challenge. Formerly home to a scrapyard, over a two-year period the government-owned site has been extensively cleared and cleaned with all the metal removed. The volunteers then moved into the surrounding forest where even more waste was collected before being disposed of.
To minimise the environmental impact, much of the cleaning-up process was done by hand with heavy machinery only used on the asphalted areas.

This huge effort has been supported by nearby metalworking specialists PWS Presswerk Struthütten. ISO-certified with around two-hundred employees, PWS has allowed event organisers to utilise its infrastructure with regard to environmental issues including waste management and sewage.

All the work has been carried out in keeping with guidelines established by the FIM International Sustainability Commission (CID) as detailed in the FIM Environmental Code. Updated every year, the Code is an essential tool for FIM event organisers and, among other areas, lays down a clear framework for the protection of ground and cleaning issues associated with hosting major events.

Daniel Jud, who is overseeing the event organisation, said: “The anticipation for the 2024 Hertz FIM Trial World Championship in Neunkirchen is huge! I am particularly excited that we have been able to bring this outstanding event to our home region – Siegerland – for the second time. We have worked hard to create the best conditions for riders and spectators and we are proud of the work we have done to clear the old scrapyard and improve the environment. It is an honour to host the world’s best Trial riders and I am sure that together we will create an unforgettable weekend that everyone involved will remember for a long time.”

Kattia Juárez, Director of the FIM Sustainability Commission, declared: “One of my favourite things to do is observe outdoor Trial, where the riders enjoy natural obstacles in a completely natural setting. It’s a privilege to be able to practice our sport in such amazing locations, but we rarely see what goes on behind the scenes – the dedication of our volunteers, the hard work in cleaning and setting up the sections under the sun and sometimes the rain. However, all of this is driven by passion and a strong sense of community spirit.

“Events like the one in Neunkirchen move me and make me proud of this sport. The actions taken to prepare the site by cleaning the forest and hillside and then witness the recovery and growth of nature after the event add value to our programme, especially in the recent signing of the Sport for Nature framework. Through our sport we can do so much for our world and I invite you to enjoy Trial and, every time you watch an event, think about the clubs and volunteers behind the scenes and all the effort made.”

The points-scoring action from Neunkirchen gets under way at 09:00 local time on 6 July and will be streamed LIVE on FIM-MOTO-TV from 12:30 local time. A season pass – covering all seven rounds and the FIM Trial des Nations – is available priced at €34.90.

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