Image: Colin BullockRound two of the RT Keedwell ACU British Trials Championship will definitely be held on the same date, Easter Sunday, April 16th and it will still be in the English Lake District. It’s all thanks to the Westmorland Club who stepped in at the last minute to rescue round two of the UK’s most prestigious trials championship.
The venue will be Tow Tops, High Newton, going to Fell Green, Bootle. Tow Tops is about half a mile from the top of Lindale Hill between Levens and Newby Bridge on the A590 and is where the club ran a Youth A/B/C/D championships round a few years ago. The venue will be signposted from the very top of Lindale Hill. There will be a twelve-section course which provides magnificent views over the enormous expanse of Morecambe Bay. Start time will be 9.30 am when the Expert Class will lead things off.
Dan Thorpe started his bid to reclaim the Experts title in superb form at the opening round at Hookwoods. He had one of those days where it all went right from the start posting three laps that not even James Fry was able to match on the day. Fry had to settle for second with Jonny Starmer third. It was all pretty close for the final podium places so it should be a good year for close competition in the class.
There have been plenty of rider changes in the Youth A group with lots of good youngsters coming up from the B series. Two of the newcomers made an instant impact with Billy Green first and Olly Smith third. With Josh Hanlon second and Duncan Maccoll fourth it looks like being a good battle between the more and less experienced pairings.
Hookwoods gave us a real tight battle in the main Championship class. Jack price took his first victory but it was close as he only snuck past a resurgent Michael Brown on the last two sections of the day. Only one mark separated them at the finish and Jack Sheppard was only one further mark back in third. In fact, Sheppard, could also have taken victory had it not been for a maximum score on the final of the day’s hazards. Look out also for the brothers Dan and Jack Peace. The older of the two, Dan took a fine fifth at round one with Jack sixth in his first full Championship round
There should be plenty to see this weekend at the Westmorland club event.