Ber illiant Bonanza!
By Colin Bullock on 19th Aug 11
The concept was simple, get the country's leading trials riders down to Seymour's Arena, near Didcot, bring in Loris Gubian from across the channel and put on an outdoor arena event - with a big cash prize!
These things are never that easy and the amount of work put into the Supertrial by Stuart Robinson and the North Berks MCC was immense.
Did it pay off? Most certainly, in a competition that provided the many hundreds of eager spectators with a fantastic five-hours of tremendous riding.
The Qualifying laps one and two had to be completed within a two hour time frame with seven subs on each circuit. After that the top four riders would go through to a nine sub final shootout. Jonathan Richardson, making his debut at the Supertrial, had the dubious honour of being first out and he started with a good ride on the very long steps and banks at section one.
Michael Brown was out next and he was on it immediately getting a big hand from the crowd as he conquered the opening sub. French rider Loris Gubian needed some footwork to see him up the final staircase ascent on the opener but he was looking very determined.
The 'Woodyard' looked as imposing as ever and for spectators it was a case of do you watch Browny through there or Jack Challoner and James Dabill on section one? Most stayed on and then rushed across to see some tremendous action on the logs which seem to get tougher and bigger each year.
With Loris riding at the front, news was coming through over the PA that he was setting a cracking pace, which was being matched by Michael with Alexz Wigg (returning after a few weeks absence) just a few marks off the pace but well within striking distance.
Frenchman Gubian was proving to be likely to be challenging for a place in the final.
However well the front men were going, British Champion James Dabill set out to blitz his way through to the final.
On lap one, six marks went, lap two was totally clean. 'Dibs' obviously fancied the big money first prize! Gubian came home in second, Browny third and Challoner fourth.
Two extra subs were introduced for the single lap final while others hazards were toughened-up with the rider starting positions being determined by the qualifying round.
This meant Jack leading the way and both competitors and crowd were well up for the battle. Jack got through the steps of section one for two dabs which Loris matched while Michael and James both cleaned impressively.
The Woodyard took marks from everyone except Dibs who made the final log step look easy although it was anything but.
There were a couple of subs in the perimeter ditches which rode OK but the rockery of the fifth saw maximums from all except Dabill who at this point was still clean. The long sixth changed that as everyone was defeated by a huge step at the section's half way point. Even Dibs was stopped when he seemed short on revs as he made his attack.
Lining the bike up again he made no mistake second time when he put on a show just for the spectators.
The Staircase stopped everyone on the final step out while Mighty Atom Brown was magnificent on the long eighth. His was the only clean but Dibs went to the impressive man made waterfall with the event already won.
The crowd had waited all day for this spectacular section. Challoner went first and could not quite manage to match his ride of 2010 but a single dab was superb as was Brown's ride also for a one.
The crowd were generous in their applause. Gubian took a disappointing max as did Dabill but for James the job had been done earlier in the lap and a superb day's show of trials was once more complete.
Berks Bonanza Super Trial
Seymours Arena
FINAL: James Dabill (Beta) 20 marks lost, Michael Brown (Gas Gas) 21, Jack Chaloner (Beta) 33, Loris Gubian (F - Gas Gas) 35.
QUALIFYING: James Dabill (Beta) 6, Loris Gubian (F - Gas Gas) 14, Michael Brown (Gas Gas) 15, Jack Challoner (Beta) 16, Alexz Wigg (Sherco) 31, Sam Haslam (Gas Gas) 40, Ben Morphett (Sherco) 42, Jonathan Richardson (Sherco) 55, Ross Danby (Gas Gas) 56, Ricky Wiggins 64.
