After a scorching week of weather it had to be Saturday, the day of the Manchester 17 Club’s latest Dead Easy trial, when it broke. The rain got worse as the day progressed which, together with school holidays, had a depressing effect on the entries. Thirty five solos and five sidecars braved the weather to tackle the four laps of ten sections at picturesque Perryfoot Farm in the heart of the Peak District. A superb venue, it is only the second time it has been used for a Dead Easy trial.
The first four sections were laid out on the limestone and grassy banks alongside the main feature, a long piece of superb woodland. Despite being exposed, these sections rode well all day and didn’t cause too many problems on either route. Similarly with the first three sections in the woods but the final three told a very different picture. They comprised of drops into gullies containing leaf mould, with climbs and turns around trees with the odd rock for good measure. Not dangerous, just hard work if off line, made worse by the deteriorating weather.
On the Easy route Chris Bush took the win, a really good ride considering the conditions and the fact Chris hasn’t been riding very long. He pipped Arthur Tomkinson by three marks finishing on sixteen and nineteen marks respectively.
To keep in single figures on the Harder Route was some achievement and just two riders did that, Matt Cooper on his Gas Gas who lost three marks, and regular supporter Rob Mycock on his Majesty who lost five. Both riders lost their totals on the infamous last three sections.
An increase in the number of sidecars to five was encouraging. On the Easy Route, Jon Stanley and Laura Gillie lost twenty three marks, a good ride in the conditions. On the Harder Route Toby Eyre and passenger Kiri had a superb ride to take the win. Riding their newly acquired Gas Gas outfit and being newcomers to this aspect of the sport, they lost thirty marks, ahead of the experienced Carl Baker and Wayne Kershaw who dropped forty two marks. Well done to all the sidecar crews.
Big thanks to the riders for their support on an awful day, and all those who helped and made the event possible.
Report: Roger Townsend