Delayed from January due to bad weather, Round 1 took place on Sunday up on the hills above Bingley with 64 riders taking part. Lady Lane is an excellent venue for a Championship Trial with its abundance of randomly placed rocky outcrops through which the Clerks of Course, Colin Pawson and Andy Tomlinson had created routes to test the skills of all riders. Only John Maxfield went clean for the day on the Premier route with Tony Calvert dropping a single 5 on the section 3, a steep downhill and uphill with no run up to the climb. Yrjo Vesterinen and Norman Shepherd were the only other cleans.
Making a welcome appearance, Chris Gascoigne took the 2-stroke Premier award on 3 marks, losing 1 at each of the toughest secions for the Premier route, 3, 8 and 9. Section 8 had a very difficult start over and around very large rocks which were catching everyone with many stopping as they mounted the final step before dropping onto the final ascent up a long rock path where direction and balance were critical. Only George Emmott and Norman Shepherd joined John and Tony on clean. The least rocky Section 9 was the sting in the tail for all Premier riders, taking marks from all but John and Tony. Down a bracken covered hillside and back up onto an easy downhill path with a very tight turn over rocks, where positioning was critical and up a grassy bank to the finish. George Emmott on 1, with Mick Clarke and Steve Thomas on 2 were the best of the other Premier riders here.
On the Clubman route, sections 8, 9 and 10 took the most marks, section 10 being the stream, previously used with the exit up the bank, but now continuing up the narrow stream bed with rocks and bankside to negotiate which cut up as the day went on. Best rides came from Mark Feather, Colin Benson and Phil Holey on 1, with Gordon Imrie and John Wilson on 3. Whilst eased routes of section 8 saw a number of cleans, section 9 was only conquered by Paul Jackson, Steve Cordon and Eric Boocock.
An excellent trial with every section taking marks from the entry. Our thanks to the Landowner, Clerks of Course, Observers and Riders for helping out with observing, and Barry for results and photos. The expected rain held off but that and Easter Sunday may have had its effect on attendance.
Report by Ian Livingstone
Results
Premier Route
Class A Pre-Unit Springers
1st Chris Haigh Velo - 20 2nd David Emmott Tri - 24 3rd Mick Clarke Ariel – 24
Class D Cubs
1st John Maxfield – 0 2nd Tony Calvert – 5 3rd Andrew Scott – 16
Class E Unit over 250
1st Neil Buckley R/E – 35 2nd Andrew Sharp C15 – 47
Class G Twins
1st George Emmott – 26 2nd Will Harrison – 42 Triumph Twins
Class F 2 – Strokes
1st Chris Gascoigne F/B – 3 2nd Yrjo Vesterinen Bantam – 6
3rd Norman Shepherd Bantam – 10
Class S Specials
1st Michael Dorricott McD - 42
Clubman Route
Class H Vintage 2-stroke
1st Eric Atkinson James – 22
Class J Pre-Unit Rigid/Springer under 347
1st Mark Feather C10 – 11 2nd Chris Bacon C10 – 30
Class K Open Clubmen
1st John Wilson B40 – 4 2nd Steve Cordon Bant – 5 3rd Eric Boocock Cub – 9
Class T Pre-Unit Springer
1st Gordon Imrie Ariel – 7 2nd Colin Benson Ariel – 11 3rd Paul Jackson Velo - 13