All set for title decider
By TMX Archives on 30th Sep 11
This weekend sees the final round of the 2011 ACU Events British Trials Championship.The event returns to Back Cowm Quarry, Tong Lane, Whitworth, near Rochdale (postcode OL12 8BJ) an iconic venue, which has seen many spectacular events down the years.
There is no reason to suppose this time will be any different, as the awesome Back Cowm has a fantastic array of rocky hazards to throw at the riders.
It can be as hard or as easy as you like so all three classes should be testers!
As is usual with the series, a practice
session will be held on Saturday from 3-5pm and the trial will begin at 10am on Sunday when the Expert B class will be first away.
In the main British Championship class James Dabill should clinch his third consecutive British title.
Factory Beta rider Dibs has won no fewer than five of the seven events in the series to date.
But his friend and arch-rival Michael Brown has been in fine form recently, winning two of the last three events,
including the Mitchell British Championship round last Sunday.
It is great to see Browny on the Gas Gas really on his game and
although the charge looks like it has come just too late it has
certainly added interest to the blue riband class.
Michael is still nine points behind Dibs though, so in reality it would almost take a DNF to scupper the Beta rider's chances. But it ain't over til it's over!
Behind the top two there is a great battle for the final podium place involving Gas Gas duo Ross Danby and Sam Haslam .
And with just two points between them it is simply not possible to predict who will gain the coveted number three bib for 2012.
In the Expert A group it has been a three-way battle for the series crown but Ricky Wiggins is now sitting pretty at the top of the leader board with an 11-point cushion over his nearest rival Jack Spencer.
Jack was right in there with Wiggins until he suffered a poor day by his standards down in Wales last Sunday.
With a resurgent James Fry pushing hard, the top three are clear of the rest of their rivals.
Anywhere in the top six should win the title for Ricky but it is going to be a real nail-biter behind him and South Eastern centre rider Fry has been riding well of late so the podium placings will be hard-fought.
Looking at the overall series, Expert B is the least easy to predict.
Richard Timperley and Guy Kendrew have been the two contenders vying for the number one position all season and that reaches a climax on Sunday with just a single point separating the two of them.
After last Sunday's trial MRS Sherco man Timperley just holds the advantage from Ossa's Kendrew and they are well clear of the field.
It really is down to who finishes ahead on the day and it will be a battle of nerves as much as skill.
Two other riders have taken top spot during the season – Adam Milner at the MacKenzie and Buster Regan at the Mitchell.
Both have shown they can mix it with the top two and with third overall in the series up for grabs they will both be trying to nail the bronze medal.
The non-championship Youth group are the stars of tomorrow and are always worth watching as they battle against the tough Expert A hazards on their 125cc machines which sometimes (like last Sunday at the Mitchell) can be quite a challenge.
This is your last chance to see British Trials Champs action in 2011 so if you are within range get yourself out to Back Cowm on Sunday to find out how it all pans out. Don't forget your jacket though – it can be windy on that hillside!
