CATCH UP Costa Rica
Following on from the feature in the last issue of Trial Magazine on the 2018 Jurassic 3 Day Trial in Costa Rica I spoke over the phone on many occasions to one of the main men from the organising team, Felipe Koberg. As happens so often in my job it appears that we met at the Scottish Six Days Trial! Felipe was riding, and he had asked me for some pictures from the 2018 event; fortunately, I had taken a few. We have spoken many times on the telephone over the last couple of months, and so began the partnership with the magazine to help the super enthusiastic club to promote the new event for 2019. What made the job easier was the fact that Felipe was once again competing in the Scottish Six Days Trial, giving us a chance to catch up in person. With so much interest in the event, it was time to ask Felipe some questions about the 2019 Jurassic 3 Day Trial in Costa Rica.
Where did the idea of the Jurassic 3-Day Trial come from?
The Jurassic 3 Days idea started after my second ride in the SSDT. I was amazed that in 2018 I was the only Latin American riding. After speaking with many riders on my return home, I realised that there was an opportunity in my country to run such an event.
Before I started to ride in trials 12 years ago, I was a hardcore enduro rider for 18 years. My first event was in Nandayure, a rural area located in the heart of the Nicoya Peninsula, considered today to be the largest Blue Zone in the world. This enduro ‘Enduro Nandayure’ brings more than 1000 riders every year and is regarded as the best in the region.
Last year they asked me to open the gates before the event since there are many private farms to ride through. I rode my trials machine, and it reminded me after so many years that there was an opportunity for a top trials event. The local organizers of Enduro Nandayure, Felo and Jhosman, are long-time friends; they loved the idea and started helping to locate the best sections, understanding what we wanted which obviously was inspired by the SSDT.
Gustavo Jop who started trials riding ten years ago rode with me in the 2017 SSDT and supported the idea, becoming a great advisor and accompanying me many times on the long journey of finding the best routes and best sections.
Competing in the 2018 Scottish Six Days Trial, did this help with the Jurassic 3 Day Trial idea?
Yes, definitely. My first Scottish in 2017 was relatively easy because every day the weather was great. Many riders told me that we were lucky and that with the typical weather it would have been a totally different story. This made me come back in 2018 to prove that they were wrong! It turns out that the weather was terrible and the conditions were different than the previous year.
Over the six days, I saw riders from the previous year which I had made contact with, and I also made new friends. Many riders helped me sort out any problems I had; the friendship was fantastic. I now have friends from Ireland, Scotland, England, France, Spain, Switzerland, etc. We all share the same passion for life!
Carlos Casas helped to bring riders to Costa Rica?
Carlos Casas is considered the ‘Trial Ambassador’ in Europe. His great attitude, his openness, his tips, etc. made me understand that he is a true gentleman.
After the Enduro Nandayure in July 2018, I immediately called Carlos and asked him what he thought of my Jurassic 3 Day Trial idea. Initially, only Carlos agreed to visit us, but then he asked me if he could bring a friend. After that it made me realise that we could ask some of my friends I had met in the Scottish, and I started making phone calls to them. It turns out that all of them decided to come; I could not believe the response. All of a sudden we had 12 guys coming from Ireland, Spain, France, Cataluna, Guatemala;
I would call Carlos and ask him what he thought of this guy and the other, and for all of them he said yes call them all. The only problem was the supply of trials motorcycles which limited the invited riders.
For the travel arrangements for riders, you have formed a partnership with DHL?
Logistically travel is not the problem, it’s the supply of motorcycles. There will be a certain amount of machines available for rent. We realised that the best solution would be to create a partnership with a major logistics and freight company so riders could bring their machines. Therefore we have created two types of package where riders can choose the one that suits them the best, according to a budget or a faster time required for transporting motorcycles. For example, the basic package starting at 1,725 Euros includes the special shipping metal crate, return ocean freight and customs process, hotels, meals, local transportation, inscription, fuel and food support throughout the three days, including the official J3DT shirt & award ceremony. This option takes about 65 days from when the machine is delivered to the drop-off location and then returned home.
For the second option, the price is 1,995 Euros, where the return shipping is done by air and approximately 15 days for everything. For this option, we have been in negotiations with DHL, a partner of the event for logistics and freight, where we have a special shipping price. Everything else on the package, other than shipping, remains the same as the first option. For options, once the rider processes and pays the inscription, a special unassembled shipping metal crate would be sent to the specified address with the instructions on how to assemble and properly pack the motorcycle for it to be safe for the journey. Once it is ready, the package must be delivered to an authorized location in the main cities in Europe. Other locations on different continents are also available, and if riders are interested they must contact the organisers at desk@JurassicTrial.com.
There are other options available according to the rider’s requirements, we offer a variety of packages in case the rider wants to bring his family along for example. They may wish to visit other locations in the country and plan various activities like visiting the white beaches, white water rafting, volcanos, whale watching, surfing classes, snorkelling or diving, etc. We can offer the support of a tailor-made trial/vacation in order to maximise the experience.
The 2018 adventure was more of a promotion and a preparation for 2019?
Since this is our first three-day event, we decided that it should be carefully done with the advice of experts on this type of event in the trials world. After knowing that we had the support of the European riders to come, we decided to make a replica of what the first event would be like to understand what we need to improve and make it one of the best experiences in the world. The Jurassic 3-Day trial will offer two routes of around 60 hazards, a low to intermediate level and an advanced level.
What attracts you to the Scottish Six Days Trial?
I have always been very passionate about trials and life’s challenges; I had heard about the Scottish Six days Trial as being the most difficult and demanding in the world. After my twin sister passed away in 2015, I decided to live my life differently, going a step further and fulfilling my dreams. In 2016, I contacted SSDT organisers, and I was accepted in 2017. The feeling of accomplishment in the first year was amazing, but 2018 was magical since I had to overcome many problems; I loved the challenge.
As a supporter and partner of this event Trial Magazine will be following the preparation for this competition with a full report from the 2019 Jurassic 3-Day Trial. Follow Jurassic 3-Day Trial on Facebook or Jurassic Trial on Instagram and the web www.JurassicTrial.com for the latest news from Costa Rica.