Report: Sidcup Sixty Trial
By Team TMX on 20th Jan 16
For the 12th time in his trials riding carrier Ashley Newbery (300 Freestyle Beta) won the Freestyle Sidcup Sixty trial last weekend by narrowest of margins, two marks, from Thomas Moss (300 Gas Gas) as the pair finished the event on 17 and 19 respectively.
Over 130 riders braved the cold of a mid January event, organised by the Sidcup club and were asked to complete two laps of 18 lightly snow covered sections.
But as the snow melted some of the sections turned deep boggy mud and tested the riders to the fullest.
Newbery, riding the Expert Elite route, started the event at section ten and dropped a three at sections 12, 15 and three and with another two and a couple of single dabs ended lap one with the loss of just 14 points.
THe second was magnificent as he completed the whole lap with three single one pointers, making a total of 17 for the event.
Moss, who started his lap at the first section cleaned the first two sections but had a disastrous five on the third, and a two on the very next section.
Regaining his composure, he finished off the lap with a couple of ones for a total of nine and the lead of the event.
His second lap started off very well as he had a couple of dabs on the sections that had claimed six points on his opening lap but an unexpected and unwanted five at section ten cost him the trial win as he ended the laps with the loss of ten, and a grand total of 19 marks lost.
Third place in class was a battle between David Gilbert and Simon Bird as the two talented riders went head-to-head finishing the first lap separated by a single point in Birds favour, but the advantage swung the other way on the second lap with Gilbert beating Bird by three point securing him third place in the final results.
James Burroughs took the Expert class by seven points from Mark Baker. Four five markers on lap one sealing Bakers chances of the class win and nearly dropping in to the grip of third place man Matthew Strank, as just a single mark separated them.
Aaron Wakefield won the intermediates by six points from Marcus Jaggard as both riders finished the event without a five on there score cards.
Mark Baldock was in a lonely third place, some nine points behind Jaggard, with Jim Howell fourth.
The Intermediate Over 40s saw a clear win for Ashley Hall on eight, while the next three riders in - Gavin Cooper, Mark Reason and Mark Smith were separated by just four points in a very close finish.
Only a single mark separated Garry Wells and Steve Clements at the top on the Novice class, with other notable rides coming from Katie Nash beating a lot of the male competitors in fifth and TV comedian Ross Noble not having one of his better days finishing in 15th place.
The Novice Over 50s was won by Steve Moore by four points from Kevin Miller with Roy Beatty third by a single mark from John Bird.
Out of the Youth classes, Kieran Tovey was the only Youth rider to try his hand at the Expert route and finished on a very respectful 74 marks lost, while George Hurley won the Intermediate route.
Mason Meadows won the Youth Novice route from Hannah Moore and Casey Moore.
