Manx still has pulling power
By TMX Archives on 27th Aug 10
Entries for this weekend's Manx National Two Day Trial were slower than usual arriving this year, but despite the recession more than 270 solos and 31 sidecars will be doing battle over a testing route, starting as usual from the TT Grandstand at 8am on Saturday.
The solo entry is led by world championship contender Michael Brown, while the sidecars will have multiple British champions Robin and Gill Morewood leading the way and providing the target for all their competitors.
The solos will cover a 53-mile tour of the southern half of the Island involving 46 sections on Saturday, followed by another superb 51 miles and 36 observed sections in the north on Sunday.
The solo route has a slightly different look to it this year and will start off in the middle of Douglas with a lone section at the Arches, a venue used during the Trial Des Nations.
This will be followed by sections on Douglas Head and a new venue at Kewaigue, near to Douglas Golf Club. The day will finish with two sections at Knock Froy, where refreshments will be available.
Leading riders in the National class include debutant Michael Brown (MRS Sherco), who was last in competitive action on the Island as a member of the Great Britain team during the 2007 Trial des Nations.
He will be challenged all the way by last year's Manx Two-Day winner Sam Haslam (DJM JST Gas Gas) who, after such a successful debut last year, won't want to give away his crown easily.
Hot on their heels will be Dan Thorpe (JST Gas Gas), a true National trial legend after recently achieving the unique feat of recording 100 National trial wins. Thorpey is well overdue a second success on Manx soil.
The Clubman class is the usual lottery with any number of former national riders having dropped down, making this class even more competitive.
Darren Wasley will probably start as favourite after registering victories for the past two years, but although they will be mounted on bikes around 20 years old, Juan Knight and Andy Cripps won't be far away.
Add to that many other leading Clubman riders and it is sure to be a close contest.
The sidecar class will start out as a battle between the two Robins, Morewood and Luscombe with Lusky now passengered by his son Sam.
Having been victorious 21 times between them over the years the two Robins bring so much experience it would take something special to beat them.
That said, the Inter Centre Team Trial-winning Manx team of Jamie Teare/Jane Birchall, father and son pairing of Adrian/Aaron Smith and Gary Flowers/Antony Smith should be in the mood to push them very hard.
A mammoth sidecar route containing 99 sections over the weekend should provide a real test for the crews, in what many consider to be the best three-wheel event of the year.
Riders and observers signing on takes place on Friday evening at the Villa Marina entertainment complex, located centrally on Douglas promenade.
The weekend is completed by the presentation of awards on Sunday evening, also at the Villa Marina, with doors opening from 8.30pm for this legendary soirree.