It's Rich' pickings for Ben
By TMX Archives on 30th Jul 09
BETA UK rider, Ben Hemingway, won the Richmond club's Reeth Three-Day Trial, based in the Yorkshire Dales village of Grinton, for the second year in succession on Sunday after a nerve-jangling battle with JST Gas Gas rider Dan Thorpe and 2007 winner and fellow Beta rider James Lampkin.
Initially, Thorpe held the ace card with a penalty-free ride through 35 sections on Friday but, on Saturday, he lost three marks in the first group of sections and that was just the opening that Hemingway was waiting for.
Ben started Sunday morning with just a single mark advantage over Thorpe but lost two marks in the Whittaside Moor sections. That loss' coupled to a mark lost by Thorpe' put the two leaders level. Then, with just five sections left to ride, Thorpe failed the first section at the Low Houses group and the battle was lost, and won. Meanwhile, James Lampkin climbed up the standings to third after riding all the Saturday course clean.
The weather on Friday and Saturday was just brilliant but Sunday brought a dramatic change with low cloud, low temperatures and torrential rain hitting upper Swaledale. David Allinson observed the best action at remote Upper Summerlodge where only Dan Thorpe, Ben H , Darren Brice and Simon Kershaw bossed the jagged rocks. Ben and Dan dropped early marks at Underbridge then James Lampkin footed the opener on Lower Summerlodge – but that was just a starter as he then fived the 12th section, Upper Summerlodge. To make inroads into Hemingway's precarious lead, Thorpe had to run clean and the plan was working – until that stop at Low Houses. End of! Brice and fellow Scorpa rider John Crinson were in their own private battle, Brice taking time to re-adapt to two-stroke power after a season on a four-stroke.
Friday saw the Grinton Park Field packed to the boundaries as 200 competitors assembled for the 11am start. There was also a little matter of a 100- foot long marquee, a headquarters and logistics tent, the essential toilet block, and most importantly, Dorothy Wardle's catering unit. The weather was upbeat, bright, sunny and warm, despite a forecast of some showers around noon. Those showers did arrive but a stiff westerly breeze took them onto Richmond.
The opening group, Haggs Ghyll, started the marks moving with only Dan Thorpe and Zac Sherwin cleaning all six subs. Most notable maximum, in the fourth section, was Dan Hemingway and even brother Ben dropped two dabs in the fifth sub and the local brothers Sunter, John and Mark, dropped slack marks. As they moved on to Cogden Ghyll, the first sub, with its fallen tree fork, caught James Lampkin, Mark Sunter and Gavin Black. The final section wound up a steep dry gully which turned wet as back wheels carried water from the beck. Total cleans up the five sections were Thorpe, Ben Hemmo, Danny Gamble, John Sunter, Darren Brice and Roger Williams. Those early marks from Ben Hemingway prevailed to the end of the day while John Sunter hung on until Clapgate where he dropped his other mark.
REETH THREE-DAY TRIAL
Grinton (Richmond & DMC)
HARD ROUTE
Expert: Ben Hemingway (Beta UK) 2+1+4=7 marks lost, Dan Thorpe (Gas Gas) 0+4+7=11, James Lampkin (Beta UK) 6+0+8=14, Darren Brice (Birkett Scorpa) 7+12+2=21, John Crinson (Birkett Scorpa) 8+5+13=26, Dan Hemingway (Beta UK) 9+6+16=31.
Inter: Mark Sunter (Beta) 5+7+27=39, Gavin Black (Montesa) 9+17+20=46, Steven Suddes (Scorpa) 15+21+35=71, Adam Milner (Beta) 22+20+36=78, Dale Robson (Birkett Scorpa) 32+13+34=79, Russell Rooksby (Gas Gas) 30+26+28=84.
Novice: William Reynolds (Gas Gas) 36+9+29=74, Jack Thompson (Kelcoat Gas Gas) 22+17+41=80, Jonny White (Gas Gas) 41+22+44=107, 52 William Brockbank (Sherco) 48+19+49=116, 97 Adam Hague (Montesa) 45+28+53=126.
Best Local: Andrew Brown (???) 34+32+46=112 (Red Lion Trophy).
Best Lady: Emma Bristow (JST Gas Gas) 53+19+47=119.
Best on Friday: Dan Thorpe clean.
Best on Saturday: James Lampkin clean.
Best on Sunday: Darren Brice 2.
EASY ROUTE
Over 40: Scott Dommett (Beta) 5+5+11=21, Paul R Sadler (Sherco) 5+7+15=28, Nick Shield (Birkett Beta) 7+10+15=33, James Percival (Montesa) 9+10+24=43, 114 Kevin Chapman (Gas Gas) 11+21+15=47, 85 David Braithwaite (Beta) 8+20+22=50.
Clubman: Stuart Gaskell (Scorpa) 9+3+11=23, Liam Robinson (JST Gas Gas) 10+12+12=34, Michael Benn (Gas Gas) 20+12+15=47, Stuart Woodfield (Beta) 12+17+26=55, Stephen Tattersfield (???) 20+15+24=59, Stuart Hall (Sherco) 15+11+34=60.
Best Over 50: Antony Brockbank (Sherco) 12+15+29=56.
Best Local: Katy Sunter (JST Gas Gas) 11+23+37=71 (Harkers Coaches Shield).
Best on Friday: Scott Dommett 5.
Best on Saturday: Stuart Gaskell 3.
Best on Sunday: Scott Dommett 11.
FOR FULL, REPORT SEE T+MX NEWS, FRIDAY, JULY 31, 2009
Dan Thorpe started the trial in great form, but a mistake on Saturday let Hemingway through for the win.