2018 Bainbridge Motorcycle Hillclimb report
By John Dickinson on 2nd Aug 18
The now annual Bainbridge Motorcycle Hillclimb took place on Wednesday evening, July 25 and the event was even more epic, if thats possible, than last year!
Staged at West Burton, near Aysgarth, deep in the Yorlshire dales, the crowd turnout of several thousand was nothing short of phenomenal. The six weeks of hot, sunny, dry weather was still holding and the crowd basked in the evening sun sitting on the slopes eating, drinking and taking in the action.
Dust proved a bit of a problem early on but this eventually appeared to blow away.
Harry Lampkin crash Bainbridge hillclimb 2018
The hill is short and steep and the format is simple. Two bikes line-up at the elastic start gate and after its released the first rider and machine to the top of the hill is the winner and progresses to the next round.
Its important to point out that both rider and machine make it to the top and not just the bike. As happened several times! The vast majority of the three-figure entry were modern machinery with only a smattering of Pre-65s and Twinshocks plus a dozen or so intrepid trials bike pilots.
This didnt stop the smaller classes from providing some of the best entertainment of the night.
Harry Lampkin, mounted on a very original BSA Victor spannered by his brother, 12 times Trials World Champion Dougie Lampkin MBE was all-action all evening and eventually only lost to Ben Butterworth riding his Grandads immaculate Cheney BSA.
The Twinshock class saw Maico mounted Michael Smith claim the win from the 1970s CZ, ridden with spirit by Reeths Mark Sunter, the Czech machine making a fair old period-sounding crackle through its expansion box.
Bainbridge hillclimb 2018
The trials class, which included visitors Jonny Lee and Dean Devereux from Northamptonshire, actually proved to be the most competitive finale with Will Brockbank and Aran Drachenberg having to face-up in several excitingly close run-offs before Will managed to just edge the win.
This progressed Will to the overall finals where he was up against far more powerful (and suitable) machines. But Will nailed the 300 Sherco in fourth gear right up by the ropes where the line was a bit smoother and third place overall was a great result on a feet-up machine.
The overall final eventually thinned down to the winners of the two modern MX classes with John Hodgson crowned King of the Hill after defeating last years winner Ryan Staveley.
None of which comes close to describing what an entertaining evening it really was with the action coming thick and fast and no-one actually really knowing who was who or what was going-on!
Bainbridge hillclimb 2018
And it didnt matter in the slightest as what we enjoyed was just pure entertainment.
A massive thanks to the friendly Bainbridge club - which isnt primarily an off-road club - for tapping into what is these days almost a forgotten formula. In years past, Bainbridge Sports Day traditionally included motorcycle scrambles, grass tracks and hillclimbs, which passed into local legend.
The hillclimb both reflects and revives this history - and what else could attract several thousand people to a remote hill in the dales to watch motorbikes! Even Isle of Man TT legend John McGuinness turned out to watch...
2018 Bainbridge Motorcycle Hillclimb Results
Overall King of the Hill: John Hodgson.
Runner-up: Ryan Staveley.
Class 2 (Trials): 1 Will Brockbank, 2 Aran Drachenberg, 3 Dean Devereux.
Class 3 (Pre-65): 1 Ben Butterworth, 2 Harry Lampkin, 2 Sam Lampkin, 3 Phil Whitham.
Class 4 (Twinshock): 1 Michael Smith, 2 Mark Sunter, 3 Paul Armer.
Class 5 (Modern up to 350cc): 1 Ryan Staveley, 2 Ben Pattinson, 3 Joe Taylforth.
Class 6 (Modern Unlimited): 1 John Robson, 2 Ben Stanley, 3 Michael Smith.
Class 7 (Specials): 1 Martin Howarth, 2 Max Webster.
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