Two local Vernon athletes have carved out a name for themselves in the niche sport of motorcycle trials racing.
Katie McGeachy and Emily Roberts were recently selected to represent Team Canada at the 2025 Trials des Nations moto competition, hosted in Italy, Sept. 20-21.
The Trials des Nations has been dubbed the "most important" motorcycle trails competition in the world, with national teams competing against one another.
Trials racing is unique. It relies on balance, control and fine throttling skills of the engine-powered bike.
McGeachy is a newcomer to the sport, having officially gotten into it in 2022.
"I started dirt biking, and trial riding had kind of been that thing that you see people jump up really high and go over these cool obstacles, so that is what initially intrigued me," she told The Morning Star. "So I hopped on my first bike, and I was obsessed."
MGeachy explained that the trials bikes are meant to go over obstacles. A course is set up and anyone that "got kind of an obsessive" personality loves it, as you practice it until you are "blue in the face."
Roberts was a street biker for years, having just moved to a trial bike a few years ago.
"I got my trial bike, absolutely fell in love with it, and it was there that I met Katie," Roberts told The Morning Star. "We have been best friends ever since."
Dave Rhodes, a local bike distributor from the Vernon area, was a key reason why both Roberts and McGeachy could compete in the sport.
"He supplies all the bikes for us and has kindly given us tips, motivation, and support, and we learned a lot from him," McGeachy said.
Roberts added that he is "one of the best and one of our ambassadors for trial riding here."
There is a lack of infrastructure in the Okanagan area for specific trial riding, which forces the two athletes to put "a lot of miles" on the road.
"In Vernon it is quite minimal for trial courses, so we travel a lot," Roberts said.
The duo competed at the Canadian Trials event in November down in Victoria. Just three female athletes were selected, two of which being Roberts and McGeachy, a fantastic feat for the North Okanagan area.
Again, just three females are competing for Canada.
"We don't have many trials riding here, and so the majority of athletes selected to these teams tend to skew from the Lower Mainland or Island," said Roberts. "To see us making Team Canada is pretty cool."
The 2025 event will be McGeachy's second, after having competed in 2023, and Roberts' first. However, they could use some help getting to Europe in September. The Canadian government does not fund the trial team, as they do not consider it a sport.
"We are really independent riders and we do all the fundraising on our own," said Roberts. "We find ways to fundraise, through community events."
You can support the team by donating to their GoFundMe: gofundme.com/f/fuel-canadas-2025-trial-des-nations-dream-team.
"We are working really, really hard and it's a fun sport," McGeachy explained. "We are some of the best ambassadors and I think it would be great to get more awareness out there for it."
If anyone鈥檚 interested on learning more about trial bikes, they can contact Rhodes at outlawtrials.com.
