A healthy entry of forty four riders turned out for the latest Dead Easy Trial run by Manchester 17 MCC, at Over Alderly near Macclesfield. This is only the second time this venue has been used, and once again proved perfect for a trial of this nature. The setting is an old sand quarry that is now grassed over, so the ten sections to be ridden four times, consisted of turns up and down banks, a mixture of grass and sand, with some interesting muddy slots, together with tight turns around trees. For once, the sun shone and no rain fell.
Over the course of the day, the ground dried out rapidly meaning many of the sections were even easier than intended, as in the morning conditions were much greasier when the sections were set. Even so, only two riders went clean on the harder route, and only one rider clean on the easy route. Nick Gregory and young Scott Hipwell were the two who didn’t lose marks, with Scott riding Dad Kev’s old monoshock Yamaha for a change from his Gasser, and really enjoying his ride.
A key member of the organising team, Steve Cocker, had to endure a lot of leg pull prior to the trial about his latest mount, a Pre 65 Cotton, but he had the last laugh, loving riding the bike and only lost four marks in the process. Another interesting old bike was the 360cc Dot, ridden by veteran Maurice Brayford, who journeyed down from Lancashire, had a good ride only casting away a stray dab. Must be something about these older bikes!
On the Easy route, youngster Kane Littlehales rode round clean, with Ted Mackman on his Oset , and veteran Phil Granby both on one mark lost. A full complement of Observers for a change made such a difference and really made the trial flow.
At the end of the trial, many smiling faces told the story with clearly these types of events filling a niche in the Trials world which now has to cater for a wide spread of abilities and experience. Thanks to the Land Owners, the Organisers, the Observers, and to the riders for supporting the event.
pdf Download Full Results (76 KB)
Report : Roger Townsend