BTC kicks-off at the double
By TMX Archives on 18th Mar 15
THE 2015 RT Keedwell ACU British Trials Championship kicks-off this weekend with a double-header courtesy of Hookwood Trials Club and Witley & DMC with their Weston Trophy Trial.
And both events are boasting a total entry over the three classes (Championship, Expert plus Youth A) of over 80 riders.
You will find a combined 2014 BTC review and 2015 preview on page 40 in this issue but here's the last minute weekend info.
Jim Connor, driving force behind Hookwood TC is Clerk of the Course for both days with Saturday taking place in his own, unique, Hookwood venue, West Horsley, Sussex, while Sunday sees a welcome return to Butser Limeworks, Buriton, near Petersfield, Hants.
The Hookwood course will be three laps of 12 sections, a variety of clay banks, tree roots and rocks.
Section 5, Jimmy”s Hill, laced with rocks on a steep gradient will be a spectators' focal point.
Last used in the Southern Experts of 2012 there were no cleans and only two riders made the end cards. The last BTC in Hookwood was 2008 when Graham Jarvis won on 80 marks. At this time of year parking will always be a problem.
The Club has gone to major expense to improve winter parking but asks riders and spectators to share transport where possible.
Spectator admission fee is just £10 adult, under 16s go free and there's no charge for those travelling in a competitor's vehicle. The Club hope this will compensate towards costs involved with car park improvements and help keep up future improvements to the Trials Centre.
Meanwhile, Steve Saunders will be in charge of the sections at The Weston Trophy Trial in Butser Limeworks. As the winner of the British World Trial staged at the venue, who better than Steve to set the hazards? Riders will face plenty of good old fashioned climbs and drops as the club celebrates its 90th anniversary.
The trial this year is dedicated to one of the Witley club's dearest members Len Hutty who sadly passed away last October. Len was a six-times winner of The Weston Trophy.
There are seven previous Weston winners entered – Sam Connor, Dave Clinkard, Kevin Morphett, Ashley Newbury, Simon Bird, Andy Blackman and Thomas Moss,
Riders sign on at 8am and the trials start at 9.30am with riders off at one-minute intervals. Overall time allowed has now increased to six hours allowing for the increase of riders including the Youth A championship riders.
James Dabill gets his Championship defence underway with his first outdoor event on the all-new Vertigo Combat – read all about how it worked out next week in TMX.
FOR MORE TRIALS TORQUE STORIES SEE TMX NEWS, March 19, 2015 (ISSUE 1963)
