The penultimate Pre-Unit Championship trial took place on Sunday at the normally bleak and rain soaked hill top at Roggerham Gate.
However the storm clouds kept away and the sun took a bow for the Yorkshire Classic event where the sections were designed to be pre65 friendly.
Ten section x 4 laps as usual had been set out by 'Tiger' Payne and son John.
Section one, a long standing favourite was in prime slippery condition and the 30 yard rut through the peat took marks of every Pre-Unit except Springer class winner Mick Clarke (Ariel) and Andy Webbe (BSA C10). Club stalwart John Feather took an early mud bath on the exit on his way to a rigid third place.
The next section to cause any trouble was the rocky turn of section 5 where rigid class winner Steve Rayner (Matchless) lost the first of his 8 marks total. The conquerers of section one remained clean here.
Section 8 was the decider. A cross camber drop into an uphill slippery gully took marks of every pre-unit even after a 'cheat' line was adopted on the edge of the gully where the grass soon turned to traction free mud.. Only John Maxfield, the best of the Non comp riders conquered this on every lap. Mick the pie man Clarke lost his only mark of the day here to leave clear daylight between himself and runner up Andy Greenbank (Ariel) on 12. Series leader Paul Jackson (Velo) found himself in third.
Andy Webbe lost 3 of his 4 here and Steve Rayner 6 of his 8, beating rigid championship leader Steve Cordon (Matchless) by 6 marks. David Haigh (Greeves) deserves credit here for his single dab exploits in an otherwise error strewn ride.
The only others to remain in single figures were John Maxfield 0 having a rare outing on his Bantam and Steve Thomas 1 also Bantam mounted beating Richard Bainbridge (Cub) 12 into 3rd in the Non Comp class.
The concensus at the bar of the Roggerham Gate Inn was that a good trial was enjoyed in better than expected weather and thanks must go to the observers for standing out in the cold wind.