Report: Bradford & DMC
By Barry Robinson on 15th Jun 16
IT was tough in the tropical heat that prevailed at Skyrakes Farm for the observers and the 67 Davy Cup Trial contestants as a blinding sun with little breeze blanketed Gargrave and moors high above the Airedale town.
Dave Pickles and his Bradford Motor Club team really tested the riders with a fairly average ten sections ranging right up the moor boundary wall which were cleaned by many, in all three classes.
However, the final four in the deep ravine at the top of Manor Farm wood did sting and only six hard course riders cleaned including Davy Cup winner Nathan Wrigglesworth.
John Sunter tried a high speed wall of death up the right hand turn at the top and got the first clean but one mistake would have been painful.
‘Sunt' lofted the Repsol front wheel a trifle too high on lap two and had to dab twice to get out of trouble.
Sam Johnson got of line on lap two and it took three dabs to get the Beta under control but his last visit was copybook.
Best by far was Oliver Sharp who wrestled what could have been his father's four-stroke up for a mere first lap dab. Sam Boocock and Gav Lowther posted the other cleans.
No rider cleaned the Clubman A route nor the Clubman B.
Alan Mudd logged 11 in Clubman, while Mark Chippendale more or else carried his Gas Gas to the ends flags.
The moors were bone dry and the rocks at the first two sections were hot enough to fry eggs.
The opener navigated a path through and over rocks while the second – 20 yards above – featured a one metre undercut step.
The grip was strong for all classes and Clubman B were ‘excused boots' and missed the hardware.
After a bracken bounded third section the fourth twisted and turned up and round rocks and almost out sight for observer Martin Jackson who was marking and planting more rocks around the Skyrakes Cairn above his head.
After the end of moor fifth section the action dived down into the north valley where eight sections climbed the rocky gradients.
Results
Expert: Nathan Wigglesworth (Sherco) 4 (Davy Cup), John Sunter (Montesa) 11, Phil Disney (Vertigo) 13.
Inter: Sam Johnson (Beta) 6 (Rodeo Cup), Oliver Sharp (Montesa) 7, Sam Boocock (Beta) 15.
Novice: Harry Lampkin (Vertigo) 9 (Excelsior Cup), Louis Haley (Montesa) 14, Tom Middleton (Beta) 30.
Youth B: Joe Faunthorpe (Beta) 22.
Clubman A Novice: Alan Mudd (Beta) 22, Brendan Suffell (Beta) 27, Shaun Hazlewood (Gas Gas) 27.
Youth A: Tom Lampkin (Beta) 44,
Youth B: Edward Earle (Beta) 30, Charlie Smith (Sherco) 35, Sam Lampkin (Beta) 75.
Clubman B Novice: Mark Chippendale (Gas Gas) 14, Nigel Sharp (Montesa)17, Mark Forster (Gas Gas) 20.
Youth A: Joe Tales (Beta) 31, Joe Holdsworth (Beta) 36.
Youth B: Josh Chew (Beta) 35, Harry McGloughlin (Beta) 87.
