A pair of Jacks...
By Barry Robinson on 2nd Nov 07
BRITISH Youth A class champion Jack Challoner went down fighting at Bracken Rocks on Sunday in the final round of the ACU Class A and B Youth series. The Shibden youngster lost his final battle with season-long adversary Ben Morphett but the championship was already settled in favour of Jumpin' Jack and his Repsol Beta.
Morphett, the 14-year-old from Herne Bay, Kent, arrived at the Holloway venue on a mission. Despite only three podiums, the last on Sunday, the Kent rider has never missed a top six finish while Challoner, two years older, rattled off five wins in six events with only MRS Sherco teamster Adam Jones and Ricky Wiggins spoiling the victory run in the Chalk Pits on the Isle of Wight.
Jonathan Richardson made the podium but Mirfield international Jon Chambers was the only other West Yorkshire rider to make any impression, finishing seventh. Yeadon-Guiseley club rider Sam Jennings made the top 15 but judging by the expression on his face at the end it had been a long, long day.
Jack Sheppard put Ipswich firmly on the map with an inspired ride to level on penalties with Richard Sadler that provided a cliffhanger finale to an excellent trial. Richmond youngster Sadler was hopping about as Mansfield Maun's ladies counted the cleans: 26 for Shep and 23 for Richard.
A top seven finish was good enough for Sheppard -even if Richard produced the winning ride - but complete with home fabricated support for his injured hand, Jack won the finale in style and went home as champion. Josh Maude, cousin of Chambers finished third place, a great result but he could not match winner Sheppard or Sadler.
BRITISH YOUTH A&B TRIALS CHAMPS
Rd 7 (FINAL) - Bracken Rocks, Holloway, Derbys (Mansfield Maun MCC)
YOUTH A: Ben Morphett (JST Gas Gas) 39 marks lost, Jack Challoner (Repsol Beta) 42, Jonathan Richardson (JST Gas Gas) 50, Jonny Walker (MRS Sherco) 70, Andrew Chilton (Feet Up Sherco) 85, Adam Jones (MRS Haven Sherco) 87, Jonathan Chambers (Gas Gas) 88, Jack Thompson (Kelcoat Gas Gas) 90, Ricky Wiggins (RCM Gas Gas) 98, Ross Hancock (RCM Gas Gas) 116, Daniel Greatorex (Gas Gas) 131, Adam Milner (Beta) 142, Josh Stephens (MRS Sherco) 150, Richard Pettler (TW Sherco) 161, Sam Jennings (Gas Gas) 189.
FINAL SERIES STANDINGS after 7 rounds: 1 Jack Challoner 117 points (CHAMPION), 2 Ben Morphett 99, 3 Adam Jones 91, 4 Richardson 88, 5 Wiggins 84, 6 Walker 69, 7 Chambers 58, 8 Woods 48, 9 Chilton 47, 10 Thompson 44,...
YOUTH B: Jack Sheppard (Repsol Beta) 47 (26x0) marks lost, Richard Sadler (MRS Sherco) 47 (23x0), Josh Maude (Gas Gas) 67, Josh Brain (Azzy Sherco) 86, Keelan Hancock (RCM Gas Gas) 92, Joanne Coles (MRS Sherco) 94, Thomas Maddrell (R&T Sherco) 96, Allan-Lain MacMaster (HLS Sherco) 99, Chris Hunt (Gas Gas) 113, Tom Howe (Gas Gas) 115, Jake Evans-Luter (Repsol Beta) 115, Thomas Stewart (Gas Gas) 120, Tom Dexter (B&B Gas Gas) 124, Alistair Bedford (BES Beta) 126, George Gosden (JST Gas Gas) 127.
FINAL SERIES STANDINGS after 7 rounds: 1 Jack Sheppard 120 points (CHAMPION), 2 Richard Sadler 105, 3 Josh Maude 94, 4 Brain 60, 5 Maddrell 57, 6 Hancock 56, 7 MacMaster 47, 8 Hunt 37, 9 Evans-Luter 36, 10 Coles 32,...
See T+MX News, Friday, November 2, 2007 for full report and pictures.