Skyraikes on the hills above Skipton was the venue for the Club's 5th Championship trial with 50 riders ready to tackle a variety of new and different sections plotted by Clerks of Course, John Maxfield and Dale Harrison ably assisted by visiting Aussie, Peter Furbank. A warm and sunny day helped to ease the severity of the uphill climbs and riders were well pleased with the quality of the sections. In discussion afterwards, John acknowledged the need to limit tight turns for preunit machines.
On the Premier route, winner on the day, John Maxfield dropped his only mark on section 7. Starting over a rock with sharp turn after before climbing the hillside across the camber, this section caught everyone except Chris Haigh, Tony Calvert and Yrjo Vesterinen.
Both routes on section 4 proved difficult: for the Premier route, a right hand turn up a narrow gulley followed by a left hand turn out further up the hillside through protruding rocks with only Chris Haigh, "Vesty" and John Maxfield clean. For the Clubmen, the start, a wider turn on grass before crossing the gulley and climbing the hillside still caused problems with the start turn cutting up as the day went on. Only John Wilson, Mark Feather and Maurice Brayford went clean. On the Premier route, section 5 was the main mark taker, a fairly straight climb over large rocks embedded in the hillside. Halfway up, a long steep rock slab followed by a hollow needed some speed to stop grounding on the top and trapping the front wheel in the hollow. Many stops were recorded including Pre unit winner, Chris Haigh who lost all his marks here. Best rides were John Maxfield on clean with Mick Clarke and Tony Calvert on 1.
For the Clubmen, section 4 had a gentle downhill start before ending with a climb between 2 massive rocks with limited visibility and no clear line to embedded stone outcrop at the top. Only Clubmen winner, Maurice Brayford, who finished the day without losing any marks, and Mark Feather went clean, with Richard Bainbridge next on 3. Dave Wear also had a good ride on his Royal Enfield, on 4.
Our thanks to the Landowner, Clerks of Course, Observers and Riders, and Barry Pickard for results and photos.
Report by Ian Livingstone
Results
Premier Route
Class A PreUnit Springers
1st Chris Haigh Velo 12 2nd Mick Clarke Ariel 18 3rd John Feather Ariel 84
Class D Cubs
1st John Maxfield 1 2nd Tony Calvert 8 3rd Owen Hardisty 16
Class G Twins
1st Will Harrison 64 Triumph Twin
Class F 2–Strokes
1st Yrjo Vesterinen 10 2nd Norman Shepherd 11 3rd Nigel Greenwood 14
All Bantams
Class S Specials
1st Robin Luscombe Cub23
2nd Mick Dorricot McD 35 3rd Keith Hobson McD 68
Clubman Route
Class H Vintage 2stroke
1st Eric Atkinson James 27
Class J PreUnit
Rigid/Springer under 347
1st Mark Feather C10 3
Class K Open Clubmen
1st Maurice Brayford DOT 0 2nd John Wilson B40 7
3rd Mick Whitlow Cub 9
4th Richard Bainbridge Cub 9
Class T PreUnit Springer
1st Dave Wear R.E. 10 2nd Colin Benson Ariel 23 3rd John Whitaker R.E. 67