Seconds out for no-stop champs

The new format is no-stop observing and just two Championship classes. And the excellent news is that there are 70 entries for the 2012 opener including a mighty 30 in the Championship which is more than double the 2011 entries!

 

James Dabill is going for his fourth consecutive British title on the factory Beta but Gas Gas team leader Michael Brown was in great form at the tail end of the 2011 series and he will undoubtedly be looking for his first title  in 2012.. 

 

It will be interesting to see how Ross Danby goes now he is mounted on the Jotagas. Importer Steve Saunders was the winner of 10 British titles and he has the knowledge and experience to help Ross. Jonathan Richardson will also be out on the four-stroke Montesa. Stir in the likes of Alexz Wigg, Sam Connor, Dan Clark, Ian Austermuhle, Michael Phillipson, 

Richard Sadler, James Fry and local ace Gary Macdonald and who knows what could happen under no-stop rules.

 

Among those stepping up to the 30 strong Premier class are 2011 Expert A Champion Ricky Wiggins and reigning Expert winner Guy Kendrew so there will be wide interest in this season opener. 

 

In the Expert group there will be no Guy Kendrew of course, he is having a crack at the Premier class but the 2011 Expert B runner-up Richard Timperley will there having got so close to the title last season. 

 

North East ace John Crinson returns to the fray and Buster Regan, who was very consistent last year, will be 

another contender.

 

Nevis Range is well established for the Scottish Six Days Trial and has been used twice for the British World round. The organisers have also promised a whole new group of six sections. They are about a mile from the opening subs and the club are putting on transport to get spectators from one part of the course to another. The course is being laid out with 12 subs which will be  lapped three times.

 

Nevis Range features excellent infrastructure, the car parking is vast and there are also café and toilet facilities. 

 

If you have never been before it is some three miles to the north of Fort William and situated off the main A82 road.

 

Practice sessions have been increased in length from two to three hours and will run on Saturday from 2.30 to 5.30pm. 

 

The trial will start on Sunday at 9.30 am which is 30 minutes earlier than last season. The time differences have been made to take into account the expected larger entries for the series.

 

So, it is a brave new era of no-stop for the British Championship and the riders have backed it with a cracking entry.

 

We'll carry a full report with pics from this exciting season opener.