Right, we’re back in action with the regular Trials Central column following a week’s holiday in south west Ireland on my VFR which began in Fort William at the World Trial GP.
I did produce my last column from inside the media centre (was going to call it the press tent) following the first day of the weekend, and whilst I was not there on Sunday, judging by reports the second day was as good as the first, though perhaps not quite as good with the weather.
It’s difficult to judge how many spectators there were in attendance over the two days, but obviously nowhere near as many as the organisers would have liked. However, the venue can hardly be bettered for an event of this magnitude, it’s just a shame it’s not a bit further south. AS I said in that last column, it was a fabulous event and everybody involved with the organisation in any shape or form must be congratulated.
Sunday morning of the trial I headed south by bike to Stranraer to catch the ferry to Belfast, then on down to Cashel to meet my holidaying pals who went over from Holyhead. We both arrived in the southern Irish town within a minute of each other, though my 397 miles for the day was way more than theirs
The week was a touring holiday of the south west coast before travelling back to the Dublin area for the Skerries road race meeting – an event that has previously featured in this column. The last thing I expected at Skerries was to meet trialing friends but almost the first person we bumped into was Manxman Ian Murphy who I had seen a few days earlier in Scotland and who is clerk of the course for the Manx Two Day as well as having been at the helm of world trials. He was mechanicing for a rider and we passed a few minutes chatting about things as you do.
Then two days later in the Man O War pub, Ray Baxter and his two daughters, Saskia and Aelish turned up and we ended up having a right old chin wag about the past. Ray was a sidecar driver in the days when I used to drive an outfit, while Saskia rides a solo with great competence. Aelish is the regular passenger to Jake Kelly in the Isle of Man where the chair scene is still flourishing.
Talking of the sidecar boys, this coming weekend round eight of the ChallengeLusky.com/ACU British Sidecar Championship series takes place on Saturday the 17th in the Lake District, organised by the Lakes Motor Trial Association, which is the first time that sidecars will have been seen in the Lakes for 30 years. Their arrival is eagerly awaited by local trials enthusiasts and a decent turnout of interested spectators is expected. However, the turnout of sidecar crews is disappointing with only 15 having entered. Running late rounds of championships is always a risk, but at least 20 were expected.
However, the following day’s National Twinshock Team Trial, over the same course and organised by the same team has been reasonably well supported with 18, four man teams having entered. That should also prove entertaining as there are some mighty good twinshock riders taking part.
As far as I can recall, it’s 11 years since I last rode the Bradford Club’s Allan Jefferies trial, so with the years marching on, it was the Jefferies that was this weekend’s event for Team Rappers. A fantastic trial, 44 classic rocky beck sections with the odd hard route thrown in, over a mighty long course which must have been over 30 miles judging by the amount of fuel used. Setting out such a big event is a massive undertaking and those who did it produced a brilliant trial.
There was not one single section beyond my capabilities of getting a three, even at my advancing age, and although I came away with a massive score, there was a great deal of satisfaction at having enjoyed another Jefferies. The first one that I rode was way back in the very late 'sixties, possibly very early 'seventies, when I travelled up north with Brian Higgins and Geoff Parken who were the south western stars of the day, and of course my very good friend Ian Haydon once won the Jefferies, something unheard of back then for a Devonian to beat the Tykes on their own ground.
It’s great that the trial is still running with a very enthusiastic and capable crew at the helm. Well done guys.