Report: National Cleveland Trial
By John Watson on 23rd Mar 16
All the hard work, sweat and uncertainty of 2015 was swept away on Sunday for JST Gas Gas rider, Michael Brown, as he won his fourth and third in a row National Cleveland Trial, based at Castleton in the North Yorkshire moors.
Michael joined the elite band to accomplish this feat – Sammy Miller, Steve Saunders, John Lampkin and Graham Jarvis.
Spring sunshine greeted the 140-strong entry at the start as, riding gear bulging with energy drinks, they faced the traditional lap of 36-sections inspired by the relatively young (by East Yorks standards) clerk of the course, Paul Wright, and his helpers.
The early group on Commondale Moor proved good for starters, easing the Clubmen in.
But it bothered a nervy Jack Stones, who fived the opener here.
James Stones followed suit on the second as Andy and Luke Walker shed threes.
Only Brown came through unscathed, while Tom Hick, Mark Sunter and Mathew Alpe stayed feet-up in the Inter class.
The rocky outcrop of sections five, six and seven took marks.
Kev Chapman and Rob Metcalfe made a mess of it but Neil Gaunt and Trevor Willans escaped for two, and Paul Dennis one.
Only Roger Williams was equal to the challenge to stay unpenalised.
On arrival at ‘Clitherbecks', only Brown remained clean – looking as smooth and confident as ever – but the ninth caught him for two dabs.
Chilton was all over the place but hung on to clean the last – a wicked climb out of the beck – as did Dec Bullock.
Sheppard hit it wrong and fived while James Carr hauled his Scorpa up for two and Adam Milner, riding at the rear of the pack hit it perfectly to clean.
Chilton was on song again at ‘Poverty', the only rider to clean here, .
Two tough rock climbs awaited at ‘Crossleyside'.
Tom Hick was unlucky to stall out on the second here, leaving Maynard to lead the Intermediate class at the punch-card change on a superb ride of five, from Alford and Hick (7) and John Shirt (9).
Brown was the the only rider to clean the last, as Chilton, Dan Thorpe and James Stones all fived. Bullock and Sheppard pushed out for threes.
At the halfway stage Brown led on a remarkable ride of just two lost, with Bullock next on eight and Chilton on 11, while Sheppard appeared to be out of it on 15.
But an extremely tough second half awaited.
In the Clubman ranks Roger Williams and Dennis were locked on one apiece ahead of Colin Chapman (2) and Richard Simpson (4).
Brown started with a five straight after the break but regained his composure well, losing just another two dabs in the gullies at the top of the dale before heading to the sting in the tail at Stormy Hall and Blackmires.
There were no late nerves from Brown, though, his lead rock solid, with just two more lost under the craggy old cliffs of ‘Stormy Hall' and a steadying prod in the Blackmires group.
Sheppard put in a fantastic effort of four lost on the latter half to grab runner-up from the battling Chilton and Bullock.
All the Experts lost time penalties apart from Brown, who kept his eye on the clock.
As sections toughened on the second card, Roger Williams just got better, proving too strong for Dennis, Chapman and Steve Williams, who took the next three places with just one mark between them.
Alford hung on for the Intermediate win from John Shirt and Tom Hick, as Maynard lost three fives in the latter stages to out of the awards.
Results
Expert: Michael Brown (JST GasGas) 12, Jack Sheppard (Beta) 30.
Intermediate: Chris Alford (Gas Gas) 22, John Shirt (Gas Gas) 28, Thomas Hick (Beta) 31.
Clubman: Roger Williams (Montesa) 5, Paul Dennis (Beta) 15, Colin Chapman (Montesa) 16, Steve Williams (Montesa) 17, Richard Simpson (Beta) 21, Dale Whittaker (Gas Gas) 23, Glen Scholey (Honda) 24, Steve Taylor (Gas Gas) 26, Kevin Tate (Beta) 30, Karl Dodderidge (Gas Gas) 30, Kevin
