Trials series opens
By TMX Archives on 30th Jan 08
THE ACU National Youth Trials Championship series fires up at chilly Low North Park this weekend, where Scarborough MC welcome all four championship classes for first round action at the former army camp, writes Barry Robinson.
In the opinion of many pundits, the first week in February is too soon to run Youth trials, especially classes C and D, and the pressure on Scarborough's top officials Pat Galway and Dave Wilkinson will be enormous if there is any threat of snow, or worse still, ice.
The plan of campaign on Saturday is three shortish laps through a dozen sections and Dave has decided, as C of C for Saturday, to allow a 10-minute warm-up session on the first section to get the class C and D riders up to speed.
On Sunday, Pat Galway dons his clerk's hat and fires classes A and B on to a 20-section, two-lap opener. That course will range from the Bailey Bridge right out west to the moors.
Needless to report, there will be a lot of new faces in each class as the competitors pile on the years.
Looking at Saturday's classes, there are seven newcomers in C class Small and Medium-wheels and only Dunfermline regular Joe Dawson and Small-wheel champion Jack Peace ring any bells. C class features 24 riders including D class champion Dan Peace who rises up a class. Add in known front runners Michael Todd, Wallsend's Billy Bolt, Commondale's Nikita Smith, Chester's former TY80 champion Thomas Minta and Oliver Kendra. The unknown ranks, as far as results go, are Isle of Man rider Joe Yeardsley, and the triple Welsh threat from Iwan Roberts, Dewi Jones, and Daniel Pollard. Young Iwan demonstrated a very cool temperment last year and delivered some good results. Head on the block prediction is a fight between Ian and Dan, but I could be totally wrong.
On Sunday, 30 riders hit the A class trail, a fifth of whom are pencilled in for serious consideration.
Top of the list are Herne Bay rider Ben Morphett, now in A class proper, Jonathan Richardson, and Josh Maude. Add in Joanne Coles, experienced and very capable Lakelander Jonny Walker and Isle of Man contenders Josh Brain and Thomas Maddrell, National Class B champion Jack Sheppard, Jack Thompson, Will Brockbank and local stars Andy Chilton, Chris Hunt, Josh Sprintall.
In B class, Richard Sadler, on current form, should be the lad to beat.
He will have MRS Sherco girl Hannah Styles right on his case though and a dozen youngsters will feature in the action. Lochaber's Duncan MacDonald, Scarborough hopefuls Joe Clements and Daniel Knaggs, Richmond's hot duo of Jack Stones and Rob Waite as well as Mat Maynard, Aberdonian Jordy Hayes and Welsh trio Ali Bedford, Jake Evans-Luter and Joel Edwards.
This year, B class will throw up some shock results and Scarborough could be just the venue to start the ball rolling.
Action fires up on both days at 10.00am with a time allowance of five and half hours.