Report: Kia Twinshock Championship
By John Watson on 3rd Aug 16
Northallerton DMC dispelled the wet weather syndrome of last season and hit a glorious weekend for the fifth round of the hugely popular KIA National Twinshock Trials Championship held at Timberholme Farm, Laskill, Chopgate.
With many families staying overnight, the car park resembled a ‘Seventies love in', but at 2pm Saturday, all riders were set away around the splendid scenery of Bilsdale to tackle two laps of 20 steady, but tricky sections including woodland, hill climbs and rocky gullies set by course architect Bill Pye and his helpers, easing the hundred rider entry into a contest catering for eight different class of machinery.
With some mouth watering machines on display, and the added attraction of road race star Rod McElna riding Saturday, and ex Speedway ace Eric Boocock on Sunday, plus grass track star Max Clift riding both days, the weekend was off to a great start.
Riding talent becomes secondary in a trial of this nature, but it was soon obvious that Ossie Byers, Jordan Allanson, Dave Wardell, Ian Peperdy and Will Jones were in superb form and not there to admire the bikes, although they all suffered a few hang on moments to remain clean for the day.
Colin Ward, the elder and Colin Jr, lost one each, as did Richard Allen and Roy Palmer, Phil Edwards and Gary Younghusband.
Palmer proved in exceptional form on a Kawasaki that many have never seen ridden as well since Jack Galloway was in his prime. Steve Bird and Mick Johnson were in with a shout on two marks and Joe Buckworth, recapturing his youth aboard his SWM, was on on three.
Stuart Edgar, all the way from Edinburgh, hit gearbox trouble on his B40 and rode the full day by riding with his foot on the gear lever to hold it in gear and still finished the day on just three marks lost. Respect for that ride and also to the two little tiddler Fantics.
Just 80cc, but when they hit the hill climb on full chat, travelling top speed of about ten miles an hour they could be heard in the next valley - Great fun.
Sunday saw 15 new sections to be ridden three times. Peperdy's clean sheet went at the second hazard with one lost, Allanson had a ‘mare' with a couple of early fives and Byers needed three on the difficult seventh.
This grabbed marks from most of the entry - A rocky stream bed with slippy bank exit for Clubmen. Only Pre 65 winner Edwards, Steve Mycock and Wilkinson cleaned every visit with cracking rides.
Big Mike Kendra and Jon Colclough were next on one lost and Ward Jr added two here, as did Johnson, with McIntyre five lost.
Jones' clean sheet slipped away on the very last section as a great battle developed between Ossa versus Bultaco in the Historic Spanish class as George Daykin, Ossa, took the win on most cleans rule from Kia's Gerry Minshall.
Peperdy dominated the Expert Pre 65 class with an outstanding ride to win from local lad Mick Watson who found the big gutsy Triumph a handful and Richard Allen edged the Expert Twinshock Class on most cleans from Jones and Wardell held on to head a three way tie in Clubman Twinshock from Mycock and Wilkinson
No wonder this trial pulls the entry in. A great weekend of sport enjoyed by everyone and it is on to the eagerly awaited Round six run by Cumberland County MCC on August 14.
Results
100cc Class: Paul Norman (Fantic) 9, Lee Granby (Fantic) 12.
Clubman Historic Spanish: George Daykin (Ossa) 14,, Gerry Minshall (Bultaco) 14, Max Clift (Bantam) 24.
Clubman mono: Mick Johnson (Yamaha) 5, Colin Ward Jnr (Yamaha) 5, Paul McIntyre (Honda) 10.
Clubman Pre 65: Phil Edwards ( Bantam) 2, Ossie Byers (D.O.T.) 3, Steve Lace (Tiger Cub) 7.
Clubman Twinshock: Dave Wardell (Fantic) 3, S Mycock (Honda) 3, Dave Wilkinson (Honda) 3.
Expert Historic Spanish: Gary Younghusband (Bultaco) 3, Dave Bell (Merlin) 4, Richard Taylor (Montesa) 10.
Expert Mono: Colin Ward (yamaha) 1, Steve Bird (Yamaha) 2, Richard Faulkner (Yamaha) 7.
Expert Pre 65: Ian Peperdy (BSA) 2, Mick Watson (Triumph) 21, Andrew Scott (Tiger Cub) 23.
Expert Twinshock: Richard Allen (Honda) 1, Will Jones (Fantic) 1, Roy Palmer (Kawasaki) 3.
