Round 7 of the AMCA winter championship took place at the Walsall club’s MX track off Hobs Hole Lane, Aldridge on Sunday. A fine morning brought out 42 riders to try their skill over the course of 4 laps of 10 sections. Once again the course setters had tried to make the sections different, bringing in new logs and concrete sleepers and described by one rider as “really nice technical sections”.
Guest rider Ben Morris, riding a Gas Gas, led the experts home losing just 4 marks followed by Beta rider, Pete Ruscoe on 9 and Ben Rolls on 13. This puts Pete in the lead in the overall championship with 72 points, pushing Graham Jones into second place on 67 with Ben Rolls hot on his heels with 66 points.
Rob Badland, now riding for the fairly new Cannock Chase Trials Club won the Clubman class on 16 just beating Sutton Coldfield club rider, Tom Hanks, by 2 marks. The tyre on the hill followed by a narrow gap between 2 rocks proved Tom’s undoing as he only cleaned this section once. Harry Hall had a steady ride and finished 3rd, close behind on 19. Having missed two rounds of the championship Rob is still in second place with 75 points while Tom Hanks retains the lead with 84 points.
Guest riders took the top three places in the Non Expert class with Simon Jackson on 2, Gary Ankritt on 10 and Paul Hadlington on 13. Of the AMCMA riders Andy Clark, on his Beta, just managed to beat Gas Gas mounted Pete Thompson by 1 clean, both riders being on 14 marks. Championship places are close in the non expert class with Pete Thompson on top with 74 points and Andy Clark second on 72. Bruce Bolton is now a little way behind on 66. Its all to ride for chaps and every round counts.
Two of the five Beginners completed the course. Jak Hanks continued to improve losing just 14 marks while Dave Hodson, the other beginner to finish lost 27.
Kevin Hall took his 240 Fantic round for a loss of 22, with Mitchell Reynolds coming second on 46. Both riders found the long climb out of section 9 tricky as did all the clubmen who had to ride the hard route on it.
Luckily the weather stayed fine, though very windy, and it did not rain till everyone was safely on their way home.
Results and future dates are listed on the blog.