2023 California Trials Invitational Results

Kit Palmer | May 3, 2023

GasGas USA’s Josh Roper chalked up his third win in a row at the fourth running of the California Trials Invitational. Last year, he battled 12-time AMA/NATC MotoTrials National Champion Pat Smage and several other trials standouts before taking the win. This year, however, Roper used his aggressive riding style to fight off young Belgian Emile Mattheeuws before he could, once again, lay claim to the top step of the podium.

Josh Roper at 2023 California Trials Invitational — **Josh Roper was the clear winner at the fourth annual California Trials Invitational on the KTM grounds in Murrieta, California.**

Photography by Kit Palmer

The California Trials Invitational is a relatively new event held at the KTM North America facility, aka RD Field (Roger DeCoster Field), in Murrieta, California, and hosted by GasGas, a brand well-known in the sport of trials. In 2020, at the height of the pandemic, GasGas hosted its own trials competition event on home turf (since all other trials competitions had been shut down) and it has been going strong ever since. This “made-for-the-media” non-points-paying competition is more about friendly rivalry and promoting the sport of trials than anything else.

The highly intimidating man-made two-loop six-section course was designed by 10-time Trials Champion and now GasGas employee Geoff Aaron, and he didn’t hold back, saying this year’s course matched the difficulty level of those you would see on the AMA NATC National circuit, which is held over natural terrain. By the several “fives” all the top-ranked pros delivered at one point or another throughout the day, it was apparent that Aaron wasn’t kidding.

Emile Matheeuws at 2023 California Trials Invitational — **Belgian National Champion Emile Matheeuws was impressive en route to second place.**

Alex Niederer at 2023 California Trials Invitational — **Alex Niederer rounded out the Men’s Pro podium.**

The competition is open to all brands of trials bikes, not just GasGas. And the event also showcased some of the sport’s top junior and women riders.

Roper started the event with four straight clean rides on his GasGas TXT Racing 300 until a score of five stopped him cold in section five. Collecting himself, Roper rode steady for the remainder of the event to claim the win by 18 points over Vertigo-mounted Matheeuws.

Murphy Aaron at 2023 California Trials Invitational — **Murphy Aaron, Geoff Aaron’s son, had to fight his way onto the top step of the Junior Pro podium.**

Ryon Land at 2023 California Trials Invitational — **Thirteen-year-old Ryon Land battled Aaron for the Junior win. He finished just two points behind Aaron for second place.**

“I started out with four cleans on the first four sections, so I was really excited about that,” Roper said. “Sections five and six turned out to be the most technical and I had a five in section five, but I managed to get through section six, which was pretty technical. Then on the second lap, I had one small mistake in section two and then in section five, I was able to get through with a one and then I was able to get through section six with a one as well, so I was really happy with that. I’m really happy with my riding.”

Beta’s Alex Niederer rounded out the Men’s Pro podium, seven points down on Matheeuws.

Madeleine Hoover at 2023 California Trials Invitational — **Madeleine Hoover out-dueled Kylee Sweeten for the Women’s Pro victory.**

Daniel Blanc-Gonnet (GG) and Cole Cullins (Beta) rounded out the top five.

In the Women’s Pro class, GasGas riders Madeleine Hoover and Kylee Sweeten battled it out for supremacy, with Hoover taking the victory, 14 points clear of Sweeten.

“Today went really well, and I’m really happy with my riding,” Hoover said. “Congratulations to Kylee Sweeten on second place and I’m really happy with my win.”

It came down the wire in the Junior Pro division, where 14-year-old Murphy Aaron and 13-year-old Ryon Land went at it for the win, and it won’t be the last time these two will go at it in their trials-riding careers, either. This time, Aaron (GG) came out on top, edging Land (Vertigo) by just two points, 13-15.

“My day went pretty good,” Aaron said. “A couple of mistakes but we got the win. It was warm and it was getting slick, but it was good.” CN