A wealth of Riches
By TMX Archives on 30th Jul 14
Local ace, Jonathan Richardson, was a convincing winner of the Richmond clubs Reeth Three-Day Trial without doubt the second biggest trial in Great Britain, topped only by the Scottish Six Days.
The 2014 edition started in the village of Grinton, just a mile from Reeth.
More than 230 riders tackled the trial, which began in blazing sunshine and sweltering heat on Friday, the sections split into Expert and Clubman versions.
There was plenty of quality as well as quantity with many one-day national trial regulars challenging in both classes.
In addition, three women took on the Hard route: Emma Bristow, Becky Talbot (nee Cook) and local star, Katy Sunter.
The plot was 35 sections per day with each day providing a different single lap course in a different area and all from the Grinton hub.
The opening day featured a figure of eight loop out to the hamlet of Hurst and on to Kexwith Moor.
Day two involved the circumnavigation of Arkengarthdale following and criss-crossing well-known areas of the Scott Trial, while Sunday's run went in the opposite direction, concentrating on Swaledale, the fantastically picturesque countryside as featured worldwide on TV during the opening day of the recent Tour de France cycle race.
So, revelling in the sunshine and heat and ignoring the flies and midges, Jonny Richardson – who is moving towards hard enduro rather than pure trials – took the lead on the first day and never relinquished it, pulling further ahead each day.
Beta-mounted Richardson began with a six-mark ride through Friday's 35 hazards, which included some really slippery becks, some of which had a surprising amount of water running down. Several riders managed to find some surprisingly deep dubs which swallowed bikes whole especially out at the Ridleys group.
Only Richard Sadler joined Jonny in single figures with a seven-mark effort as Dan Thorpe, who suffered with a bad five in the third sub of the day, on ten.
Josh Brain, part of a welcome Manx contingent was on 13, Luke Walker and Richard Timperley on 14 with Chris Pearson and Phil Disney both on 15.
On day two of what turned out to be three very consistent days' sections, thanks to the likes of Nathan Stones' and Andrew Brown's unrivalled local knowledge and course plotting, ‘Richo' again top scored on six, although this time he shared top billing with Thorpe and Walker.
This included Richardson's first and only five of the event dropped in the fourth sub at Bleaberry Gill.
Surprisingly, these were the only single-figure scores as Ricky Wiggins matched Josh Brain on 11 with James Fry on 12 and Sadler lost touch with the lead on 13 after dropping eight through the first four hazards.
Richardson sealed his victory with an excellent single dab ride through Sunday's finale with nearest rival Thorpe on ten, including a late five in the penultimate section at Low Houses.
Brain finished strongly on seven but was matched by Cumbrian Richard Gaskell, who put in a storming finish to end his trial in 13th overall.
Locally-based cousins Jack and James Stones took the Inter and Novice classes respectively, the latter on his hard working 125 Sherco.
Top lady was world championship leader Emma Bristow, who finished 21st overall after three consistent day's riding. Over on the massively popular Clubman course Cumbrian Stu Gaskell, on his Scorpa, took a narrow single mark win over Roger Williams on his smart air-cooled TY250 Yam, while Masham's award winning butcher, Paul Dennis, was a close third.
Around 20 riders managed to keep their scores in single figures on the opening day with Dennis leading the way on a single, with Halifax rider Michael Benn on two, old stagers Graham Tales and Glen Scholey on three – the latter on another immaculate TY250 mono – with Phil Scott, Nigel Slater, Nigel Crowther and Andy Tales all on four.
Saturday proved tougher with only Gaskell and Williams keeping their scores in single figures as they traded places at the front as Dennis dropped off the pace with a tally of 16.
So it was all down to Sunday and in a real nail-biter Gaskell just got the nod by virtue of his seven mark effort to Williams' eight.
Paul Dennis posted best score of the day – on six – but it was not enough to nail the win, although he headed off the hard riding Tales brothers.
Larger than life character, Belgian Eric Lejeune, enjoyed two good opening days before tiring on day three in a sneaky preview of the Scott as he plans to ride – and finish – in the 100th anniversary year of the unique event, hosted of course by the Richmond club's guys and gals.
