Eric S Myers Trophy Trial
By TMX Archives on 5th Dec 07
HARD to believe but Bradford ran its weekend event in Wharfedale in the worst possible conditions,overcoming heavy rain, dense hill mists, and sodden land conditions at remote Halton Gill. The rain hammered down on the Bradford and District MC's Eric S Myers Trophy Group Championship event from start to finish.
It was a tough task for Richard Taylor and his assistants, struggling to lay out a 14-section course on land that was so soggy that even four-wheel drive vehicles struggled to get into the field.
Despite the conditions, competitors travelled from Richmond and Chesterfield to ‘enjoy' the trials action. Dan Thorpe ran away with the Expert class ahead of Liam Walker, after Ben Hemingway lost 28 of his 40-mark deficit on two sections. The Repsol Beta rider, Hemingway, seemed to miss a section marker on the seventh hazard. Walker also failed to score on two attempts at the fearsome hill-climb.
Ross Crosby again gave the top riders a hard challenge on his Montesa 4RT and ended the day just five-marks behind top Richmond Expert, Phil Alderson.
Beta rider Phil Disney finished seventh, and second Inter, while Luke Kay topped the Novice class.
Former Sidecar trials star, Phil Scott, ran off with the top Clubman award. The Barrowford rider was too sharp for the rest of the field.
Guiseley youngster, Sam Yeadon, was convinced that he had a bad day but the results showed he had won the Youth B category on the Clubman course ahead of Robyn Alderson - by just five marks.
Despite the deluge only two riders departed before the finish and despite the rain, the beck levels remained constant and rideable, which could not be said of the grassy climbs which were like ice.
Dan Thorpe sailed up the first four section on all three laps with his boots firmly pegged, but Liam Walker, Ben Hemingway and Phil Alderson strayed with single fleeting dabs when they hit rolling stones, and there was a million such small rocks ready to tip out from under a wheel.
Wendy Sherwin was poised on the bank high above section five, missing nothing at all as rider after rider hit the angled rocks on the exit line out of the stream bed or when the pivot turn on the far bank took out a wheel. The little hairpin kink up a sheep track caught a lot of the Hard course riders. Richard Taylor had thought deeply about that little diversion.
West Yorkshire Group Champs Eric S Myers Trophy Trial
Halton Gill, Wharfedale (Bradford & DMC)
Expert: Dan Thorpe (JST Gas Gas) 13 marks lost (ES Myers Trophy), Liam Walker (JST Gas Gas) 24, Ben Hemingway (Repsol Beta) 40.
Inter: Ross Crosby (Montesa) 4RT) Geoff Broadbent Cup 47, Phil Disney (Repsol Beta) 58, Gavin Black (Beta) 80. Novice: Luke Kay (Beta) Chew Cup 48, Zac Sherwin (Repsol Beta) 74, Katy Sunter (JST Gas Gas) 75.
Youth A: Sam Jennings (Gas Gas) 77, Jon Chambers (RAS Gas Gas) 81.
Youth B: Josh Maude (RAS Gas Gas) 95.
Clubman: Phil Scott (Montesa 4RT) 17, Andy Judson (Beta) 41, Darren Holmes (Beta) 43.
Youth A: Tom Middleton (Beta) 60.
Youth B: Sam Yeadon (Acklams Beta) 79, Robyn Alderson (MRS Sherco) 84.
For full report and pictures see T+MX News, Friday, December 7, 2007