Austermuhle at home for Colonial challenge
By TMX Archives on 6th Feb 08
THERE'S stomping National trials action this Sunday when Eboracum Motor Club stage their traditional Colonial trial and as you will see they have virtually ALL the top British riders in the 137 strong entry.
The organisers have been battling behind the scenes though to salvage the course after recent land ownership changes to the familiar Rosedale course in north east Yorkshire led to some doubts. It has been an eleventh hour cliffhanger for Clerk of Course Keith Ellis and his organising team who went through the mill last year when ice blanked out the entire south of Rosedale, taking out half the sections and turning the traditional one lap event into a shorter two lap national.
Up until Tuesday, Mr Ellis did not have the final word that the six section group at Bottoms was a lost cause but the punch card change will still operate near what was the fourth group of sections. Many areas of the trial are no-go to spectators and the opening groups, Hartoft and Rock House Farm are strictly out of bounds but both groups have an increase in sections. In the first half, only Haygate is open to the public but the group has been face-lifted to provide eight sections so there is a great deal to watch on the disused quarry face and the adjoining stream sections.
From the punch change, the last 13 sections are on the south valley slopes with the finale under the giant oak trees at Thorgill, where the timekeeper will clock competitors off. Access to the sections is by walking up Chimney Bank, then right onto Thorgill Road, probably a half mile to get to the Thorgill hazards, and onto the penultimate groups. NO vehicles are permitted up Thorgill Road as it is the main, and only, access road for the milk tankers.
The entry was full a week after the regulations were posted – weeks ago now – and it is going to be the first proper all-star national of 2008 with only Dougie Lampkin and James Dabill missing off the entry list. Dabill, the 2007 winner first time out on the TRW Montesa, will be with Dougie in Granada riding the World Indoor Trial this year.
The big names in the mighty 137 starters include past winners Ian Austermuhle, Dan and Ben Hemingway and Graham Jarvis, but Michael Brown is currently the man of the moment while Alexz Wigg would like to emulate Dabill's feat of last year as Wiggy rolls out the TRW Mont. But you certainly can't discount the likes of Dan Thorpe, Ross Danby, Sam Haslam, Sam and Ben Ludgate, Gary MacDonald, Chris Pearson, Mika Vesterinen, John Crinson, Lee Sampson, Liam Walker, and new local East Yorks Centre trials champion Simon Kershaw.
The Clubmen number 67 hopefuls, with Mark Barrow, Paul Sadler, Dave Wilkinson, Mick Platts, James Percival, Ian Myers and Neil Hutchinson.
A healthy 38 Inters will compete, including Russ Rooksby, Roger Williams, Jon Frost, Gary Pears, Martin Bayles, Colin Bailey, Adam Milner and Mark Harrison. National Ladies champion Becky Cook will be looking to make an impression and Scott hero and National trial regular Katy Sunter will be right up there along with National Class A champion Emma Bristow.
The action starts at a fresh-sounding 9am in Rosedale Abbey village centre. Everyone please park carefully as the area is a major tourist centre, even in the winter months.