Loughborough Trials Club

loughboroughSam's the Man but the winner is Breakthrough Breast Cancer Charity

The weekend of 17/18th August saw the small Loughborough club hold the second running of the Susan Harris Memorial Trial in memory of a great supporter of trials across the Midlands.
Last year's inaugural event raised £1250 for the Breakthrough Breast Cancer Charity and the cheque was handed over at the start of this year's proceedings by Susan's daughter Natalie, one of the hard working group behind Loughborough Trials Club.
As an added bonus this year had both a Saturday "fun" event as well as the main event on Sunday with an overnight camping and social supported by a large group of riders.
With a band of National level riders turning up on both days the course plotters had a task to make the sections sort a winner amongst the very good riders while providing a great day for the main "clubman" entry. On the Saturday young Aaron Marklew took a single mark victory over Sam Gent but Luke Walker was left to rue a slack 5 that dropped him to third just 2 in front of Adam Brown. On the 50/50 route Ian Margetts brought his T/S Fantic home on half the points of Guy Bradley while Ryan Lawson picked up third.
The middle Yellow route was the domain of the O/40 boys with Andy Butt just getting a 2 mark victory on Tim Gent while TY Mono mounted Jim York collected third.
The easy White route was just that with three rider returning clean sheets, Roy Fuller, Keith Radley and Mick Tyler all kept their feet up with Mick leading home his regular riding partner Dave Cole who dropped 4, Mick's smile meant lights were not needed at the B-B-Q later! It was also a welcome sight to see Keith back on a bike after his own health issues, another of the small group that help keep Loughborough Trials Club going.
In the main event on Sunday normal service was resumed with Sam Gent and Luke Walker leading the way, another costly 5 for Luke gave Sam the initiative needed to take victory with Aaron coming in a strong third with Adam having to settle for forth for the second day running. The 50/50 route again saw Ian Margetts victorious on his Fantic but this time Guy Bradley had to settle for third as Mick Thurman slipped into second. It was good to see some faces who don't normally get out at Loughborough events with the Riley boys Martin and Tom in their own three way battle with Dave Brown for 4th.
With 30 riders on the middle Yellow route it was always going to be tight at the top but Nick Oakley on a TY Twinshock, Jez Bray on a Dot and Mick Ash on a James taking the first three spots gave this route a feeling of yesteryear! Andy Butt in 4th and Nigel Wilson in 5th did their bit for modern bike sales before Mick Spencer on his Francis Barnett in 6th rounded off the "classics"
On the White easy route Michael Smalley rolled back the years to keep a clean sheet with Russ Green dropping a single mark and Dave Cole making amends for Saturday by claiming third.
A fantastic event which will hopefully match last year's charity efforts was held in great conditions with great rider support and the club can now get back to normality with an East Midland Centre Championship event on 15th September.