Saunders on the double
By John Dickinson on 6th May 11
Steve Saunders rode his rasping 350 Triumph twin to a popular victory in the Scottish Pre-65 Two Day Trial last Friday/ Saturday in and around Kinlochleven.
But while there was joy for Saunders there was heartache for the Scots who so very nearly had a first time Pre-65 winner in Les Winthrop. Les dropped just one mark in Friday's opener and then went clean through 21 sections before disaster struck. The chain-adjuster cam retaining peg broke on his Triumph Cub, chain tension then pulled the wheel spindle forward and the chain de-railed. Les went on to clean the remainder of the sections but the damage was done and I'm afraid that third place was no consolation. "It just isn't to be!” was a remarkably calm summing-up from Les immediately after signing-off.
Collecting his fourth runner-up berth, splitting Steve and Les, following a remarkably undramatic ride, was twice winner of the event Neil Gaunt who was right in the hunt with a one dab ride on the opening day and another three on Saturday. Neil pilots his 300 Beta four-stroke in modern trials more than his sweet-running Ariel these days but he is still a master of riding the big British single, cleaning old favourite Pipeline on Saturday like it wasn't there.
Former World Championship contender in the 1990s, Frenchman Jean Luc Nictou rode the event for the very first time and he won the award for best foreign entrant. Jean Luc, who's father has ridden the event several times, rode a big Ariel just like his dad's and was fourth overall, dropping six marks, just like Winthrop.
Unseasonal but welcome warm, sunny weather brought out the crowds to line the hillsides up which most of the sections ascend and, while everyone is keen to know who is doing what up at the sharp end of the field, all rides are appreciated and all efforts rightly applauded. Friday's run comprised 28 sections which included a leg up and down the road to the south of Loch Leven, taking in sections like the loose rocks at Pollock Hill, the solid rock at Coalasnacoan and the tricky stream on the low side of the road called Camas na Muic. A new loop centred on Mamore Lodge was the off-road fun for the day which took in Jackson's, at the top of Grey Mare's Ridge, and Loch Eilde Burn.
The dry conditions actually made the sections harder to ride as the rocks were loose with no wet earth to bind them while the streams remained slippery throughout. Several highly rated runners were struggling including Lacashire's Paul Heys and Yorkshireman Tony Calvert, who between them have won the trial for the last four years on their Cubs. Calvert was handicapped by an injured arm, hurt previously in the Angela Redford National trial a few weeks back. The injury was aggravated when he fell heavily down Loch Eil Path - one of several riders to suffer a similar fate - on Friday when the Cub's handlebar end landed right on the injury. Tony continued and despite finishing well down the order was full of praise for an excellent event.
A total of 13 riders kept their scores in single figures on the opening day including Davy Morewood, riding with son Reece, on just four while first timer James Noble, also on a big Ariel, was right in there on three. "I'm over 40 now,” said Bobble, "so I'm allowed to ride in this!” Roger Williams, who won this trial mounted on his Dad's very standard James when he was "just a lad” was also back, also admitting to have passed the 40 year mark.
Other single figure men were Richmond club stalwart David Watson, former Pre-65 winners Scott Dommett and the remarkable Dave Thorpe (now 65 and sporting his bus pass) Russ Rooksby, who impressed with his forceful style, Irishman Mark Harries, Mick Grant having his best Pre-65 ride for a number of years and Jersey-man Graham Du Feu who always means business on his Ariel.
Day two was effectively more of the same - why spoil a winning formula - with the road leg down the side of the Loch and a loop on the moors plus an excellent run way down the Mamore road to take in the Sleubhaich group.
For Saunders it was an early start, straight up to Pipeline and straight into trouble as he got off line just after the step at the beginning of the second sub. It took two big prods to get out of a sticky situation. Amazingly it didn't affect Steve at all after that and despite feeling that he had blown his chance, kept his feet on the pegs of the Triumph for the rest of the day.
Pipeline, as ever, entertained spectators all day. It was in difficult mood with lots of loose stones and slippery base rock yet it remained exactly the same all day, favouring neither early or late arrivals. It still gave-up plenty of cleans right through the entry in a variety of styles. Dave Watson, Malcolm Cocking and Russ Rooksby thrilled the crowds as they powered up in style. Les Winthrop somewhow extricated himself from a hell of knot while 74 year-old Peter Gaunt so very nearly cleaned on his Bantam, just taking a safety prod high up the second sub. Incredible.
FOR FULL REPORT AND PICTURES SEE T+MX NEWS MAY 6
2010 SCOTTISH PRE-65 TWO-DAY TRIAL AWARDS
Best Performance – The Challenge Trophy: Steve Saunders (350 Triumph) 2 marks lost
Second Best Performance – Duncan Smith Trophy: Neil Gaunt (500 Ariel) 4
Third Best Performance – Ralph Venables Trophy: Leslie Winthrop (209 Triumph) 6
Best Foreign Rider – T Arnott Moffat Trophy: Jean-Luc Nictou (500 Ariel) 6
Best Newcomer – Willie Pitblado Trophy: James Noble (500 Ariel) 7
Best Scottish Rider – Aileen Randall Trophy: Murray Whittaker (249 Triumph) 18
Best Over 60 – Nick Nichols Trophy: David Thorpe (200 Triumph) 18
Best Rigid Up to 250cc – Willie Dalling Trophy: Keith Wells (197 DMW) 152
Best Rigid over 250 – Mick Andrews Trophy: Mark Watmore (410 AJS) 125
Best Lady – Joan Westbrook Trophy: Sandra Gomez (250 Sprite) 83
Best Over 350cc – Bob Patterson Trophy: Russell Rooksby (500 Ariel) 8
Best 251 to 350cc – John Draper Trophy: Joan Rovira (350 BSA) 18
Best 201 to 250cc – The Lampkin Trophy: Scott Dommett (246 Dot) 10
Best up to 200cc – Allie Cameron Trophy: Mark Quinn (199 Triumph) 18
Best Performance on Day One – Bob Adamson Trophy: Steve Saunders (350 Triumph) 0
Best Performance on Day Two – Kinlochleven Trophy: Jean-Luc Nictou (500 Ariel) 1
Oldest Finisher – Special Award: George Greenland (248 Dot) 133
OVERALL: 1 Steve Saunders (350 Triumph) 0+2=2, 2 Neil Gaunt (500 Ariel) 1+3=4, 3 Jean-Luc Nictou (500 Ariel) 5+1=6.
SPECIAL FIRST CLASS AWARDS: 4 Leslie Winthrop (209 Triumph) 1+5=6, 5 James Noble (500 Ariel) 3+4=7, 6 Russell Rooksby (500 Ariel) 7+1=8, 7 Scott Dommett (246 Dot) 6+4=10, 8 Davy Morewood (350 Triumph) 4+6=10, 9 James Harland (500 AJS) 10+2=12, 10 Mark Harris (500 Ariel) 8+5=13, 11 Roger Williams (246 James) 10+7=17, 12 Paul Heys (225 Triumph) 14+4=18, 13 Murray Whittaker (249 Triumph) 13+5=18, 14 Mark Quinn (199 Triumph) 13+5=18, 15 Christopher Myers (248 Triumph) 12+6=18, 16 Chris Milner (218 Triumph) 10+8=18, 17 Joan Rovira (350 BSA) 10+8=18, 18 David Thorpe (200 Triumph) 6+12=18, 19 David Watson (360 Royal Enfield) 5+13=18, 20 Eric McMeekin (350 BSA) 11+8=19, 21 Len Hutty (410 Matchless) 12+9=21, 22 Chris Haigh (350 Velocette) 12+10=22, 23 Christopher Gascoigne (370 Ariel) 11+12=23.
FIRST CLASS AWARDS: 24 Alan Crayk (246 Cotton) 16+10=26, 25 George Emmott (500 Triumph) 15+12=27, 26 John Maxfield (246 Triumph) 12+16=28, 27 David Postlethwaite (360 Tri-field) 13+16=29, 28 Graham Du Feu (250 BSA) 9+20=29, 29 David Emmott (250 BSA) 21+9=30, 30 Matthew Neale (500 Ariel) 18+12=30, 31 Roger Callaghan (250 James) 17+17=34, 32 Tony Calvert (246 Triumph) 18+18=36, 33 Mike Watson (350 BSA) 16+20=36, 34 Mick Grant (500 Ariel) 9+27=36, 35 Kevin Chapman (350 Tri-field) 33+9=42, 36 Alan Brown (249 James) 17+25=42, 37 Peter Gaunt (185 BSA) 26+17=43, 38 Martyn Stanistreet (197 James) 22+21=43, 39 Mika Jansson (550 Nor-field) 26+18=44, 40 Steven Maxwell (250 Triumph) 20+24=44, 41 David Coughlan (500 Ariel) 12+32=44, 42 Paul Jackson (197 James) 30+15=45, 43 Barry Burton (249 James) 17+29=46.
OTHER FINISHERS: 44 Michael Whitlow (350 Triumph) 26+23=49, 45 John Collinson (175 BSA) 23+26=49, 46 Andy Hipwell (220 Triumph 20+30=50, 47 Sam Hampshire (175 BSA) 27+24=51, 48 Peter Salt (246 Francis Barnett) 16+35=51, 49 Alan Whitton (250 James) 25+27=52, 50 Mark Coughlan (250 Triumph) 32+21=53, 51 Jim Pickering (175 BSA) 23+30=53, 52 Stuart Rockett (198 Triumph) 27+27=54, 53 Andrew Richardson (346 Royal Enfield) 27+28=55, 54 Jim Ashford (350 BSA) 29+29=58, 55 John Palmer (250 Dot) 36+23=59, 56 Robert Bremner (500 Ariel) 33+30=63, 57 Neil Buckley (250 Triumph) 29+35=64, 58 David Moffat (199 Triumph) 30+35=65, 59 Richard Thorpe (200 Triumph) 41+27=68, 60 Kirby Bennett (199 Triumph) 42+27=69, 61 John Dismore (199 Triumph) 34+35=69, 62 Guy Favre (350 BSA) 33+37=70, 63 Patrick Pissis (250 Triumph) 36+37=73, 64 Francois Guyard (350 BSA) 33+40=73, 65 Malcolm Cocking (500 Triumph) 38+36=74, 66 Peter Archer (350 BSA) 37+37=74, 67 John Heenan (250 Sprite) 45+31=76, 68 Jonathan Souch (225 Triumph) 32+45=77, 69 Sandy Mack (350 BSA) 45+33=78, 70 David MacLean (197 Triumph) 38+40=78, 71 Paul Edwards (250 James) 37+41=78, 72 Nick Smith (200 Triumph) 37+44=81, 73 Colin Dommett (350 BSA) 39+44=83, 74 Sandra Gomez (250 Sprite) 36+47=83, 75 Rafael Caballe (246 Dot) 48+36=84, 76 Samuel Cook (175 BSA) 44+40=84, 77 Jan-Erik Mellberg (350 BSA) 43+41=84, 78 Harvey Nixon (199 Triumph) 41+48=89, 79 Keith Gardner (230 Triumph) 45+45=90, 80 Ian Guy (285 BSA) 43+47=90, 81 Javier Cruz (250 James) 44+50=94, 82 Russell Jones (250 Greves) 44+51=95, 83 David Plumb (250 Greves) 53+43=96, 84 Gerry Minshall (250 BSA) 30+66=96, 85 Pascal Houdard (350 BSA) 45+53=98, 86 Carlos Bosch (246 James) 49+50=99, 87 Michael Clarke (350 Ariel) 52+49=101, 88 Arthur Browning (500 Jawa) 50+53=103, 89 Ross Thomson (500 Ariel) 52+52=104, 90 Dave Burroughs (200 Triumph) 63+43=106, 91 Alex Carmichael (249 James) 58+48=106, 92 Ignacio Carro (250 James) 51+57=108, 93 Juan Miguel (350 BSA) 57+52=109, 94 Stephen Culf (250 BSA) 59+51=110, 95 Stephen Leckie (400 Triumph) 58+52=110, 96 Richard Moore (175 BSA) 58+53=111, 97 Colin Benson (350 Royal Enfield) 58+54=112, 98 Tim Britton (350 BSA) 50+62=112, 99 Graham Miller (350 BSA) 63+50=113, 100 Juan Thomas Calafat (350 BSA) 63+50=113, 101 Kevin Hood (249 Sprite) 58+55=113, 102 Carl Winstanley (500 Ariel) 50+65=115, 103 Michael Anderson (250 Villiers) 54+62=116, 104 Marc Maurer (350 BSA) 52+64=116, 105 Xavier Ribot (250 Dot) 84+34=118, 106 Neil Sinden (350 Ariel) 65+54=119, 107 Michael Mackenzie (500 Matchless) 65+54=119, 108 Brian Irwin (270 BSA) 54+70=124, 109 Martyn Goodall (500 Triumph) 71+54=125, 110 Mark Watmore (410 AJS) 69+56=125, 111 David Eeles (500 Triumph) 71+55=126, 112 Clive Dopson (490 Norton) 68+58=126, 113 Tom McBride (200 Triumph) 60+68=128, 114 Shaun Brown (197 Francis Barnett) 68+62=130, 115 Reece Morewood (199 Triumph) 68+62=130, 116 Robert Hill (500 Ariel) 59+72=131, 117 Bernd Sattler (300 BMW) 80+52=132, 118 George Greenland (350 BSA) 65+68=133, 119 Adrian Brayshaw (249 BSA) 64+70=134, 120 Jock McComisky (175 BSA) 74+61=135, 121 Roger Trott (410 AJS) 73+63=136, 122 Jose Carrion (250 Sprite) 80+57=137, 123 Luc Prunet (500 Ariel) 69+69=138, 124 Stephen Armistead (247 Dot) 77+64=141, 125 Daniel Kempf (200 Triumph) 66+76=142, 126 Paul Ray (410 Matchless) 91+52=143, 127 Ian Wixon (350 Triumph) 79+65=144, 128 Steve Rayner (197 Tandon) 72+72=144, 129 Neil Walker (246 Francis Barnett) 77+71=148, 130 Seth Enticknap (250 Dot) 77+71=148, 131 Barry Micklethwaite (246 Francis Barnett) 96+54=150, 132 James Steynor (500 Ariel) 79+72=151, 133 Keith Wells (197 DMW) 84+68=152, 134 Maxwell Heys (230 Triumph) 91+62=153, 135 John Moffat (343 BSA) 88+72=160, 136 Michael Culf (343 BSA) 80+85=165, 137 Andrew Frith (250 James) 91+76=167, 138 Robert Halliday (450 Royal Enfield) 100+68=168, 139 Nigel Street (250 Francis Barnett) 90+78=168, 140 Colin Jackson (249 BSA) 102+67=169, 141 Jean Caillou (490 Ariel) 96+73=169, 142 Mark Wills (199 Triumph) 86+83=169, 143 Richard Bainbridge (199 Triumph) 87+84=171, 144 Paul Wilkins (250 Francis Barnett) 91+85=176, 145 Ian Alderson (199 Triumph) 95+82=177, 146 Chris Cook (175 BSA) 104+82=186, 147 Gary Marshall (500 Triumph) 131+62=193, 148 Michael Sanderson (250 Triumph) 103+90=193, 149 Alfred Wagner (148 BSA) 130+65=195, 150 John Duncombe (250 BSA) 99+97=196, 151 William Andrews (175 BSA) 105+119=224, 152 Andrew Weddle (350 Panther) 106+123=229, 153 Gerhard Ehrenreich (247 BSA) 145+89=234, 154 Gary Kinsman (500 Ariel) 120+117=237, 155 John Griffiths (250 OK Supreme) 141+103=244, 156 Richard Griffiths (500 Norton) 154+98=252, 157 Thomas Kinsman (175 BSA) 130+127=257, 158 Fernand Baatz (246 Dot) 147+120=267, 159 Tim Baker (500 Ariel) 178+130=308.
