The Great Lakes
By John Dickinson on 21st Oct 10
REIGNING British Trials champ James Dabill continued his domination of the domestic scene by following-up his unbeaten 2010 championship campaign by repeating last year's victory in the National Lakes Two Day Trial last weekend.
The Gas Gas ace set-out his winning stall with a brilliant ride on the opening day and then easily did enough on day two, when he finished second to a resurgent Michael Brown, to retain the Hands Trophy with a handsome 14 mark cushion over his nearest rival.
In the popular Clubman class, Derbyshire's Mick Boam gave local Scorpa importer Nigel Birkett (Nigel lives 100 yards from the Lakes start) a welcome win with a confident victory on one of the latest 2011 orange models.
The Lakes, organised as usual by the Lakes Motorcycle Trial Association (LMTA) was once again centred on the Cumbrian town of Broughton in Furness and the full-house of over 180 entries were treated to two 40 section, single lap courses set in the woods and on the high fells. The course was altered from previous years, partly because of local reasons and partly because the organisers try to keep the trial fresh which is what keeps the interest high. The weather remained fine all weekend which made the section plotters' job much less stressful and a good two days trial ensued.
Saturday's opening 20 sections, kicking-off with an early 9pm start, were deliberately set-out on the easy side and Dabill duly knocked them off without loss of a single mark. The only other rider to keep his feet on the pegs to this point was Herne Bay's Ben Morphett who looked totally at home on the rocky banks and slippery becks of the north west. North East rider Michael Phillipson was also running very strong at this stage with a mere two marks to show for his morning's work.
In the afternoon the remaining 20 sections were stepped-up a gear as the field headed away from the Broughton area up into Ulpha. Just four big groups were the challenge with lots of unforgiving rockery and in quick succession the hazards of Brock Barrow, Bessie Banks and Low Wood were encountered.
Dabill parted with his three marks immediately after lunch and the punch change with three separate dabs, the first two in the becks at High Kiln Wood and then one more at Brock Barrow. After that Dibs got his act back together and went clean to the end of the day.
Next best was Ben Morphett who kept his good morning form going well enough to hold-off the rest of the field on 10, followed by the always steady Sam Haslam on 13. Yeovil's Ricky Wiggins was finding the sections to his liking on 15, ever-present Dan Thorpe 16 with local ace Darren Brice and Michael Phillipson 17.
Where was Michael Brown? Unfortunately the Sherco ace was down in eighth place overnight after a day of mishaps. In the sixth section of the day at Butts Wood, Michael tried a unique wall-of-death line to scale a tricky waterfall in a slippery beck - which Dibs jumped off his bike to run-up and watch - but the gamble didn't pay off for Michael and he was punched an early five. Then in the afternoon his 13 marks included a five when he went the wrong side of a marker at Bessie Banks to totally spoil his card.
Meanwhile, the vastly experienced Mick Boam was getting his assault on the Clubman class into its stride. This is always a really tough class to crack as there are always plenty of challengers and a strong nerve helps! Just four marks was all Mick dropped on the all-new Scorpa through the 40 eased hazards. Just two other riders managed single figure scores for the day and they were Preston's all-rounder Kieran Hankin, who dropped just eight marks on his ‘old' Honda TLM air-cooled two-stroke and Kendal's Rob Shuttleworth, who hadn't ridden a trial for years, on nine.
Sunday also turned out to be a fine day, just perfect for trials and a similar type of course was set strating with a couple of fierce steep rock slabs up the Duddon valley at Church Fields before moving through Low Wood, Bessie Banks and Hall Bridge to Newfield where four subs were set in the beck that climbs its way through the wood out onto open fell.
The third is always tricky but the final sub, marked very tightly in the steep rocky beck was very tough, especially for a no-stop event. Dabill enjoyed a superb controlled ride for just a dab, the best there was along with Brown who had put his Saturday loss behind him and a determined-looking Ross Danby. Dan Thorpe rode through slowly for the most deliberate three of the day but for most it was a bit of a lottery. The Clubmen were thankful that their rioute went nowhere near that nasty little beck but took in the greasy fell alongside.
Riderrs then hopped over the tops, taking in a new group at Ball Hall, towards the usual hazards in Soutersteads wood and the petrol halt and punchcard change. It was then along the road to the bankings at Town End, then the becks at Upper Hole Beck, the woods at Lower Hole Beck and some pretty nasty rocks, slabs and mud at Bridge End before Rosthwaite which shared sections between the wood and the huge rock slabs out in the field.
Final sections of the day were the original hazards at Wallenrigg, straight up the steep boulder-strewn stream which was abgreat way to finish off what had been a cracking weekend's trial.
Dabill won at a canter but Browny came back really strong on Sunday with just two marks to his credit which earned him the runner-up berth.. He cleaned the final 20 subs but was joined by Ian Austermuhle who also found his form right at the end of the trial. Sam Haslam, always somewhere near the sharp-end, nailed third with Ross Danby leading home Ricky Wiggins, who had a great weekend, ahead of Thorpe, Phillipson and early leader Morphett.
In the Clubman, Boam did enough to hold-off Shuttleworth but Midland vet John Cowley eased into third as Hanks and his Honda stroker dropped off the pace to finish behind Pail Bennett and last year's runner-up Nick Shield whom with his late number was at the back on day one but up front on the second day as starting numbers are reversed.
All-in-all, another cracking Lakes for all concerned.
FOR FULL REPORT AND PICTURES SEE T+MX OCTOBER 22.
Lakes Two-Day Trial
Broughton-in-Furness (LMTA)
EXPERT
1 James Dabill (Gas Gas) 3 + 3 = 6
2 Michael Brown (Sherco) 18 + 2 = 20
3 Sam Haslam (Gas Gas) 14 + 9 = 23
4 Ross Danby (Gas Gas) 20 + 4 = 24
5 Ricky Wiggins (Gas Gas) 15 + 9 = 24
Dan Thorpe (Gas Gas) 27, Michael Phillipson (Beta) 29, Ben Morphett (Beta) 31, Ian Austermuhle (Beta) 31, Darren Brice (Scorpa) 39, Andy Chilton (Sherco) 42, Jonathan Richardson (Sherco) 50, Joe Baker (Scorpa) 50, Richard Sadler (Sherco) 55, Chris Pearson (Sherco) 62, James Carr (Gas Gas) 65, Sam Ludgate (Gas Gas) 68, Phil Disney (Beta) 69, Shaun Fox (Gas Gas) 70, Tony Scarlett (Beta) 71.
CLUBMAN
1 Mick Boam (Scorpa) 4 + 10 = 14
2 Rob Shuttleworth (Beta) 9 + 13 = 22
3 John Cowley (Gas Gas) 13 + 14 = 27
Nick Shield (Beta) 29, Paul Bennett (Sherco) 30, Kiaran Hankin (Honda) 31, Mark Atkinson (Gas Gas) 33, Kyle Hayes (Beta) 37, Matt Spink (Gas Gas) Michael Clarke (Beta) 39, Gavin Black (Gas Gas) 39, Neil Savage (Beta) 42, Michael James (Beta) 44, Andrew Wilkinson (Scorpa) 45, Anthony Cooper (Gas Gas) 45, Rob Wrayford (Gas Gas) 46, Lee Abbott (Beta) 47, Stuart Gaskell (Scorpa) 48, Sam Bullock (Beta) 50, Phil Scott (Beta) 53.
Newcomer: Ricky Wiggins.
Under 21: Ben Morphett.
Twin-shock/ Air-cooled: Kieran Hankin.
Lady: Katy Sunter (Gas Gas) 59.