Brown Bags It

The St David's Trial was back at Llety Farm, Aberdulais and – as with all rounds – there were three laps of 12 sections to tackle with a two-and-a-half-hour time limit for the opening circuit. 

And Championship competitors needed every one of those 150 minutes, with eight riders picking up unwelcome additions to their scores.

With the series being run over just four rounds, Gas Gas charger Brown needed a win if he was going to challenge Dabill for the title.

And it was evident from an early stage that this was definitely on the cards. 

Dabill had a moment as early as the opening section, when he got out of shape in the gully but recovered superbly to stay clean. Surprisingly the hazard took three from Sam Connor and a max from both Alexz Wigg and Dan Thorpe. 

Most spectators headed for sections three and four, the rocky outcrops high on the hill. 

The latter was pretty tricky with a double step out looking nasty. 

Of the early runners, Andy Chilton was superb here, as was local ace Jake Evans-Luter. 

The real heroes though were the observers as temperatures dropped and the rain set in. It must have seemed like a very long five hours! Jotagas ace Ross Danby was also putting in some strong rides and he completed the entire day without a single five on his punch card. 

Dibs could not match that and the rocky stream at number eight caught him for a maximum, on an otherwise superb lap. 

As riders hurried back in after the first lap Browny handed in his card, which showed he was absolutely clean! 

James was on six, Ross 13 and Wiggy 14.

By lap two the sections had settled in, making it possible for most riders to put in some improvement on their opening scores. 

Brown and Dabill both dropped three single dabs but all on different sections to each other. 

Ross was not far behind the top two, again only dropping single dabs, with Sam Connor coming good despite problems on the fourth hazard.

Brown, The Mighty Atom, was looking superb and he and machine were the complete package.

But could he finish the job? The answer was very definitely ‘yes'.James Dabill, at the second round of the series in south Wales near Neath. 

The St David's Trial was back at Llety Farm, Aberdulais and – as with all rounds – there were three laps of 12 sections to tackle with a two-and-a-half-hour time limit for the opening circuit. 

And Championship competitors needed every one of those 150 minutes, with eight riders picking up unwelcome additions to their scores.

With the series being run over just four rounds, Gas Gas charger Brown needed a win if he was going to challenge Dabill for the title.

And it was evident from an early stage that this was definitely on the cards. 

Dabill had a moment as early as the opening section, when he got out of shape in the gully but recovered superbly to stay clean. Surprisingly the hazard took three from Sam Connor and a max from both Alexz Wigg and Dan Thorpe. 

Most spectators headed for sections three and four, the rocky outcrops high on the hill. 

The latter was pretty tricky with a double step out looking nasty. 

Of the early runners, Andy Chilton was superb here, as was local ace Jake Evans-Luter. 

The real heroes though were the observers as temperatures dropped and the rain set in. It must have seemed like a very long five hours! Jotagas ace Ross Danby was also putting in some strong rides and he completed the entire day without a single five on his punch card. 

Dibs could not match that and the rocky stream at number eight caught him for a maximum, on an otherwise superb lap. 

As riders hurried back in after the first lap Browny handed in his card, which showed he was absolutely clean! 

James was on six, Ross 13 and Wiggy 14.

By lap two the sections had settled in, making it possible for most riders to put in some improvement on their opening scores. 

Brown and Dabill both dropped three single dabs but all on different sections to each other. 

Ross was not far behind the top two, again only dropping single dabs, with Sam Connor coming good despite problems on the fourth hazard.

Brown, The Mighty Atom, was looking superb and he and machine were the complete package.

But could he finish the job? The answer was very definitely ‘yes'.