Dabill takes 'stock
By TMX Archives on 17th Jul 09
JAMES Dabill regained control of the 2009 ACU British Solo Trials Championship with victory in a tough Rene Pearce Trial, the sixth round of the eight round series. It was the first time that the Torridge and District MCC had staged a British Championship trial but their Brousentor Farm venue at Peter Tavy, near Tavistock in Devon more than proved up to the challenge. Heavy rain on Saturday caused the organisers to make some changes to the first five sections, in or on the banks of the river Tavy, for Sunday's trial when thankfully the event was blessed with perfect weather. Sections six and seven featured large, flat rocks that were very slippery while eight to 11 were up on the Tor with big climbs and big rocks.
As expected, the battle was between the three leading Championship contenders, Gas Gas factory man Dabill, Sherco factory rider Michael Brown and Beta UK's Alexz Wigg and all three contenders have won rounds this year – so who would it be?
On the opening lap of three it was all Dabill, the sections were all tough and required lots of concentration and in most cases inch-perfect positioning on the slippery, rocky sections. Dibs only dropped a single five on his opening lap and that was when he broke the section tape.
Cleans really were few and far between in the Championship class except in the first and last sections, the only two that offered some respite. The third section, actually in the river Tavy, saw only Dabill and Brown claim a single clean each while four and five, in the wood alongside the river saw most just battling to save threes.
Section six required accuracy above all else on the slippery rocks and Sam Haslam posted the lowest score over the three laps with a 1-0-2 score. Again, only Dabill and Brown matched Haslam's clean.
The first sub out on the Tor saw the two leading contenders match one another for overall scores, James and Michael enjoying two cleans and a one. But there was only one other clean ride and that came from eventual fifth finisher George Morton, enjoying a solid ride on the Beta.
The eighth, which featured a seven-foot sheer step, proved all but impossible with only Dabill making it to the Ends cards, just once, on his first lap for a three. After that it was fives all the way.
Meanwhile, doing a good job of damage limitation and trying not to lose too many fives, Alexz Wigg saved his best for the ninth, set in a steep V-shaped ravine. Wiggy bagged the only clean here, achieved on his second lap and he was simply in a class of his own in the following hazard. Alexz went 1-1-1 for a total of three which contrasted with 10 for the next best which were Dabill and Brown!
But, at the end of a hard day in the sections, Dabill had done enough to restore a nine-point Championship lead as he led home a close finish between Brown and Wigg. Alexz looks too far off the pace now to mount a Championship challenge this year but, with two rounds left, a win for Browny in the next one could set-up a cracking finale!
ACU EVENTS BRITISH SOLO TRIALS CHAMPIONSHIP
Rd 6 – Rene Pearce Memorial Trophy Trial (Torridge & DMCC)
CHAMPIONSHIP CLASS
1 James Dabill (Gas Gas) 24+23+20+ 3=70
2 Michael Brown (MRS Sherco) 35+21+22+3=81
3 Alexz Wigg (Beta UK) 34+25+24+2=85
4 Sam Haslam (JST Gas Gas) 43+31+37+ -=111
5 George Morton (Beta UK) 46+36+34+-=116
6 Ross Danby (JST Gas Gas) 40+40+38+-=118
7 Craig Robinson (Gas Gas) 42+46+39+ -=127
8 Jack Challoner (Beta UK) 50+60+60+1=182
SERIES STANDINGS after 6 (of 8) rounds: 1 Dabill 110 points, 2 Brown 101, 3 Wigg 87, 4 Challoner 61, 5 Haslam 61, 6 Danby 55, 7 Morton 54, 8 Shaun Morris 52, 9 Robinson 43, 10 Dougie Lampkin 34.
EXPERT A CLASS
1 Sam Connor (290 Beta UK)7+4+10+ -=21
2 Jonny Walker (Ace Gas Gas) 21+19+14+3=57
3 Ben Morphett (125 Beta UK) 25+19+18+ - =62
4 Jonathan Richardson (Sherco) 22+ 15+25+4=66
5 James Fry (MRS Sherco) 20+ 26+21+1=68
6 Gary MacDonald (MRS Sherco) 25+ 21+ 23+6=75
7 Lee Sampson (TRC Gas Gas) 31+21+30+ -=82
8 Ben Wibberley (280 Gas Gas) 30+33+27+3=93
EXPERT A SERIES STANDINGS after 6 (of 8) rounds: 1 Connor 117 points, 2 MacDonald 79, 3 Morphett 69, 4 Richardson 63, 5 Sampson 61, 6 Fry 54, 7 Jonny Walker 54, 8 Austermuhle 52, 9 Thorpe 43, 9 Thorpe 43, 10 Wibberley 27, 11 Liam Walker 24, 12 Hemingway 22, 13 Pearson 21, 14 Jones 15, 15 Jenkins 6, 16 Spencer 4, 17 Farrer 2, 18 Chilton 1.
EXPERT A 125cc SERIES STANDINGS after 6 (of 8) rounds: 1 Morphett 89 points, 2 Richardson 87, 3 Jonny Walker 84.
EXPERT B CLASS
1 John Crinson (Scorpa) 20+24+25+ - =69
2 Sam Ludgate (NBK Scorpa) 21+29+19+7=76
3 Ricky Wiggins (Gas Gas) 29+20+25+6=80
4 Nick Baker (Gas Gas) 29+28+26+ - =83
5 Andrew Blackman (Gas Gas) 29+ 26+31+ - =86
6 Chris Curtis (Gas Gas) 29+32+32+ - =93
7 Danny Gamble (Acklams Beta) 33+32+32+ - =97
8 Ross Hancock (Gas Gas) 35+30+39+-=104
9 Daniel Greatorex (Gas Gas) 32+38+34+2=106
10 Zac Sherwin (250 Beta) 38+31+41+ =110
11 Rob Pollard (Beta) 38+35+41+ -=114
12 Ben Bramwell (Gas Gas) 33+36+33+15=117
13 Grant Laming (Gas Gas) 40+42+36+ - =118
14 Vince Branch (Gas Gas) 42+38+40+ - =120
15 Gary Chandler (Sherco) 35+44+42+ - =121
SERIES STANDINGS after 6 (of 8) rounds: 1 Ludgate 106 points, 2 Crinson 98, 3 Wiggins 86, 4 Gamble 51, 5 Woods 47, 6 Blackman 43, 7 Carr 36, 8 Greatorex 34, 10 Sherwin 24, 11 Brice 20, 12 Kettlewell 19, 13 Fox 18, 14 Law 18, 15 Kendrew 15.
YOUTH SUPPORT CLASS (Non-champs)
1 Chris Short (Gas Gas) 40+42+40+7=129
NEXT ROUND: August 2 – MacKenzie Trial at Brimham Rocks, nr Harrogate (Yeadon Guiseley & DMC Ltd).
FOR FULL REPORT SEE T+MX NEWS, FRIDAY, JULY 17, 2009
Michael Brown looks confident here but lost Championship points to leader James Dabill.