Results Rd7 Peak Classic Trials Club Championship Burrycliffe Quarry, Sunday 25Th August

[old trials fanatic]

What a difference a venue makes. With round 6 barely a month ago at Bracken Rocks made much more difficult than envisaged by the clerk of the course, Paul Beswick, when he laid them out the previous day due to torrential overnight rain turning the course into a quagmire the course at Burycliffe Quarry was almost unaffected by the downpours of Saturday. The outcome was 10 sections ridden 4 times over and around the sandstone outcrop that comprises this ever popular Classic Trials venue. Riders came from far and wide with entrants from as far afield an Corby, Hull, Stockport and Skipton as well as the usual more local suspects.

Yet again we were fortunate to have all 10 sections manned by volunteer observers which also contributed to make the event so enjoyable. Competing in trials is so much better when you don’t have to observe each other so we thank all the observers for helping us to have such an enjoyable day out in the beautiful Derbyshire Peak District.

So back to the main event Round 7 of this years Club Championship. With the Championship now just over half way through there are some clear leaders appearing in each and every class so the pressure is on to maintain their advantage. Some of the riders managed to increase their advantage, some maintained it and some sadly lost their Championship leads.

One of those who managed to increase his advantage in the Expert Twinshock Class was Ian Margetts on his Fantic who despite an early 5 on the tricky section 10, a drop over rocks into a dell with a snaking climb out over a grassy bank interspersed with some daunting sandstone boulders. Ian was understandably worried about a recent knee injury and had his knee strapped and braced and this probably resulted in the maximum on the first lap on this section. However this must have really fired him up because he only put his foot down once more on section 9, a climb over some slimy rocks, which resulted in the loss of just 6 marks in total. Local ace Rob Carson out on a TY250 twinshock for a change was snapping at Ians heels but had to settle for second place with a score of 7. Steve Hitchcock rounded off the top three in this category on his Honda with a score of 8. Close stuff guys and it could have gone either way. All three riders were most complimentary on a technical course that really made you think and concentration along with consistency was the key to a good result.

Now to the Classic Expert Twinshock category and current Championship leader Anthony Sprinks, Bultaco, had to settle with second place on 28 marks as Rob Mycock also Bultaco mounted was on top form on the day and took the win with a loss of just 15 which included a 5 on section 1 without which his result would have been even more commanding. Nice ride Rob. Another Bultaco rider Gary Shield had a day of highs and lows which resulted in him securing third place with a loss of 51 even so Gary said he had an enjoyable day and found it difficult adjusting from riding his Beta mono in modern events then jumping onto his Bultaco for Classic ones and it took him a couple of laps to acclimatise to the joys of a Bultaco.

David Pattison extended his Championship lead with a strong first place in the Twinshock Intermediate class at one with his Bultaco losing just 5 marks. Sporting a great tan was Chris Riley who made the long journey from Yorkshire to take second on his Fantic for a loss of 11 ahead of Nick Burton also Fantic mounted in third on 13 marks.

The only rider on the day to stay clean was Kevin Scott out as usual on his gleaming Triumph Tiger Cub who easily won the Classic Intermediate British Bike route with Paul Beswick, James, following him home in second on 2 and Johnathan Harrison on another pristine Tiger cub that would have probably won awards in a Concours competition never mind a trial who lost just 3marks. Classic Intermediate Twinshock was just as competitive with John Morley, Honda, securing the top spot on 8 marks closely followed by Dave Cole on his Suzuki Beamish losing 10 marks and Peter Austin, Bultaco, on 14 in Third. Nice to see the classes so hotly contested.

Which brings us to the Clubman classes and the British Bike section was again won by Championship leader Arthur Tomkinson on his very original Greeves Scottish who only lost 11 keeping Dave Pickering on his Francis Barnett in second on 20 followed in third by 12 year old Harry Lyons out again on uncle Colin Frays BSA Bantam who lost 33 marks. Amazing this class had the oldest competitor, Arthur, and the youngest, Harry, fighting it out for Championship glory. Great stuff.

Last but by no means least Clubman Twinshock was won by Philip Higgins on his OSSA for a loss of just 15 marks from Tony Fray, Yamaha, on 17 and in third Mike Watson on his Fantic who with a loss of 21 points kept Championship leader Glynn Ridgeway in fourth. I have a feeling this category will go right down to the wire.

So the Championship rolls on to round 8 which will be at Carsons Farm on 29^th September when battle will recommence for those elusive Championship points. Fingers crossed for a full turnout of observers again along with an impressive turnout of riders supporting the Club. Thank you one and all to the riders, observers and land owner Barry Burton for their contribution to such a successful event.

Expert Twinshock

1^st Ian Margetts Fantic 6 marks

2^nd Rob Carson Yamaha 7 marks

3^rd Steve Hitchock Honda 8 marks

Expert Pre95 Air Cooled Mono

1^st Andrew Weston Yamaha 48 marks

Classic Expert British Bike

1^st Peter Carson Bantam 1 mark

2^nd Mike Sanderson Cub 63 marks

Classic Expert Twinshock

1^st Rob Mycock Bultaco 15 marks

2^nd Tony Sprinks Bultaco 28 marks

3^rd Gary Shield Bultaco 51 marks

Classic Expert Pre95 Air Cooled Mono

1^st Gary Martin Yamaha 31 marks

Intermediate British Bike

1^st Colin Fray Dot 16 marks

Intermediate Twinshock

1^st David Pattison Bultaco 5 marks

2^nd Chris Riley Fantic 11 marks

3^rd Nick Burton Fantic 13 marks

Classic Intermediate British Bike

1^st Kevin Scott Cub 0 marks

2^nd Paul Beswick James 2 marks

3^rd Johnathan Harrison Cub 3 marks

Classic Intermediate Twinshock

1^st John Morley Honda 8 marks

2^nd Dave Cole Suzuki 10 marks

3^rd Peter Austin Bultaco 14 marks

Clubman British Bike

1^st Arthur Tomkinson Greeves 11 marks

2^nd Dave Pickering Francis Barnett 20 marks

3^rd Harry Lyons Bantam 33 marks

Clubman Twinshock

1^st Phillip Higgins OSSA 15 marks

2^nd Tony Fray Yamaha 17 marks

3^rd Mike Watson Fantic 21 marks