The first round of the 2017 YMSA national trials championship sponsored by KIA TRIANGLE CHESTERFIELD, was held at a very cold and snowy Dudwood farm last Sunday.A high quality entry from all over the country were greeted by 12 sections which were to be ridden 3 times. Before the start a vote was taken with the result that all YMSA trials will now be stop permitted.
Six muddy sections were set in the wood and the remainder up the rocky stream.Barry Burton and his team of section setters got it about right,all the sections were cleanable but could also take a 5 from anyone.The wood sections quickly became very difficult but later in the trial they became more grippy,the stream sections remained constant throughout the day.
Oliver smith started the year in great form on his new gas gas taking a convincing win in A class,riding the same route as the experts his loss of 36 put him in fourth overall.Gus oblein on his SPJ sponsored sherco put in a solid ride in his first A class event to claim runner up spot.In B class Dan Slack riding his MRS sherco continued his winning ways with the best ride of the day on the yellow route,the high point being a clean second lap, losing 9 marks overall to take the win from Mitch Brightmore on 37 and Ryan Brown on 61 claiming the last podium place in his first ride at a YMSA event making his long journey from north Yorkshire worthwhile.Ash Brightmore once again was an easy winner in C class with a score of 57 with Alfie Ray Turner taking second after a tough day.
D class had only one finisher,Max Dance who battled the snow and the mud to claim a deserved win.After a run of victories for the girls in youth novice the lads finally claimed top spot with Josh Brown taking a narrow victory from Daisy Parsons by just 6 marks,Libby Tett completed the podium positions in 3rd.In the adult expert class world championship regular Dec Bullock made a successful return to the YMSA with a narrow win from british expert champion Tom Minta,the margin 10 to 13 the trial was decided when Tom had an unlucky 5 on section 5 on his last lap.Sam Yeomans took his gas gas into 3rd place.Adult intermediate,riding the same route as youth B,was once again won by south midlander Chris Tett riding his beta for a loss of 45,he was followed home by Leicestershires' Matt Dixon also beta mounted with local man Lawrence Wright in 3rd on his gas gas.Adult novice riding the same route as youth C saw another win for team Brightmore this time dad chris coming out on top with a loss of only 12,this being the best ride of the day on that route,Leicestershire veteran Ian Margetts,ossa,just edged second place by a single dab from Mark Gregory,this class looks like being the closest over the next rounds of the championship.
The very popular novice easy route,following green flags was again a battle of the old and the new,this time the winner was Matt Spink on his beta closely followed by the twinshock Honda of Ash Hallows,third place was taken by former youth novice champion,Kieran Mcdaid riding a nicely restored fantic.The next round of the 2017 championship will be at Burycliffe quarry on the 19th march,hopefully with some kinder weather !
A CLASS – OLIVER SMITH GAS GAS 36
GUS OBLEIN SPJ SHERCO 82
B CLASS – DAN SLACK MRS SHERCO 9
MITCH BRIGHTMORE GAS GAS 37
RYAN BROWN BETA 61
C CLASS – ASH BRIGHTMORE BETA 57
ALFIE RAY TURNER BETA 142
D CLASS – MAX DANCE BETA 93
YOUTH NOV – JOSH BROWN BETA 79
DAISY PARSONS BETA 85
LIBBY TETT BETA 105
EXPERT - DEC BULLOCK BETA 10
TOM MINTA GAS GAS 13
SAM YEOMANS GAS GAS 35
INTER - CHRIS TETT BETA 45
MATT DIXON BETA 67
LAWRENCE WRIGHT GAS GAS 71
NOVICE – CHRIS BRIGHTMORE HONDA 12
IAN MARGETTS OSSA 34
MARK GREGORY GAS GAS 35
GREEN - MATT SPING BETA 2
ASH HALLOWS HONDA 6
KIERAN MCDAID FANTIC 10