Dan goes Wild up North

With all four seasons' weather in one day and a six-hour time limit, Gas Gas stalwart Dan took the honours at a cold but sunny Wildboarclough, near Macclesfield, Cheshire, where well over 100 competitors arrived to savour a ‘proper' trial, with two laps of 20 sections. 

 

Pre-event favourite and last year's runner-up to Michael Brown, MRS Sherco rider Richard Sadler took a dive into the cold river on section one at Clough House on the first lap and headed back to the start for a change of dry clothing. 

 

After just the one section at Clough House it was up the stream to Plantation and four sections, while two sections followed at Bens Ditch, before a trip across the windy field to Correction.

 

Riders then headed higher up the stream to a rocky section at Normans then one section on Cumberland Moor, and two more hazards at old-favourite Cumberland Rivers. 

 

After this it was another cold ride over the moors to Holt Gully and Cut Thorn, with two sections each, but the sting in the tail was the last group in the valley of Eardleys Burden and the last three sections. 

 

This group is where the trial was won and lost.

 

Thorpe remained feet-up through most of the opening lap, his mark tally not starting until section 18 in Eardleys, along with runner-up Chris Pearson. 

 

The only cleans recorded on this section came from Andy Chilton and Richard Sadler, both on their first lap. 

 

Section 20, the final section in this group and of the lap, also caught out most riders on the Experts route including Sadler for a five on his first lap. It was a ride up the stream, which proved very slippery, followed with a climb onto a large rock then a trip through two trees to the finish. 

 

Chris Pearson was best here with a clean and a dab, Dan Thorpe shed two dabs and Luke Walker recorded a clean and a two. 

 

Richard Timperley – in his first time out on a 250 Jotagas after picking it up on the Thursday night prior to the trial – was cleaning everything in the early groups up to section 10, where he suffered a five and a three. 

 

Just out of the Youth ranks and just passing his bike test was trials rider come rally driver Iwan Roberts, who had recorded his first win in the Welsh National a week earlier. 

 

Iwan also rode the Scott Trial on a 125 and finished sixth here in the Experts on just 25 marks. 

 

Although Iwan has taken delivery of a 300 Beta he was on the 125 on Saturday as the event includes roadwork and he is still only 17!

 

The Clubman route was very well supported and  had a surprise winner in the shape of Lancashire Lad Oliver Ingham on his Sherco. 

 

 

EXPERT ROUTE: Dan Thorpe (JST Gas Gas) 5 marks lost, Chris Pearson (MRS Sherco) 10, Richard Sadler (MRS Sherco) 15, Luke Walker (MRS Sherco) 19, Richard Timperley (Jotagas) 22, Iwan Roberts (Beta) 25, Andy Chilten (Beta) 29, Adam Milner (Acklam Beta) 34, Andy Cripps (DCR Sherco) 34, Mike Roberts (Gas Gas) 47, Harry Harvey (Beta) 51, Tim Pearson (Splat Sherco) 62, Paul Sullivan (Gas Gas) 64, Andrew Holker (Gas Gas) 69, Iain Robinson (Gas Gas) 78.

50/50 ROUTE: Kirean Hankin (Sherco) 10 (marks lost), Darren Wasley (Gas Gas) 12, Sam Gent (Beta) 16, Katy Sunter JST (Gas Gas) 22, Neil Savage (Gas Gas) 23, Miguel James (Jotagas) 27, Martin Podesta (Jotagas) 28 (27x0,7x1), Chris Alford (Gas Gas) 28 (27x0,5x1), Adam Brown (Gas Gas) 29 (28x0), Ben Oughton (Beta) 29 (27x0), Shaun Hoyle (Beta) 29 (26x0), Duncan Hague (Sherco) 30 (27x0), Rob Loney (???) 30 (24x0), Nick Bull (Gas Gas) 32, S Hazelwood (Gas Gas) 33, Billy Craig (Project 7 Montesa) 34, Luke Standring (Gas Gas) 35, Steve Bird (Gas Gas) 36 (24x0), Paddy Edwards (Gas Gas) 36 (23x0), Andrew Turner (Beta) 37.

CLUBMAN ROUTE: Oliver Ingham (Sherco) 14 marks lost, Rob Bowyer (Triumph) 16, Michael Benn (Gas Gas) 17, Mark Timperley (Sherco) 18, Scott Rowland (Basecamp Gas Gas) 19 (31x0), Andy Longdon (Gas Gas) 19 (30x0), Dave Thorpe (Gas Gas) 21, Ian Haigh (Gas Gas) 22, Stewart Oughton (Beta) 25, Ben Burgin (Gas Gas) 27, Paul Boam (Gas Gas) 28 (26x0), Williaim Wood (Beta) 28 (24x0), Ian Myers (Sherco) 30 (25x0), Richard Moakes (Gas Gas) 30 (24x0), Leigh Elliot (Gas Gas) 30 (22x0), Mike Leddy (Gas Gas) 31, Chris Pearson (Montesa) 32, Jon Probitts (Beta) 36, Chris Burgen (Gas Gas) 37 (23x0), Stephen Davies (Yamaha) 37 (18x0), Mick Thurman (Montesa) 38 (23x0,8x1), Peter McCanna (Honda) 38 (23x0,5x1), Jimmy McCanna (Honda) 39, Paul Waring (Gas Gas) 41 (22x0), Tony Jones (Ossa) 41 (19x0).