Welsh wizard just two good
By Team TMX on 14th Oct 15
RAPIDLY rising Welsh ace Iwan Roberts added the prestigious Lakes Two-Day Trial to his impressive 2015 CV as the talented and focussed 19 year-old from Gwynedd took a confident win in the Broughton in Furness- based event in his debut ride in this popular national.
Iwan trailed previous Lakes winner Alexz Wigg by just a single mark after the opening day's run on Saturday night, the scores being five and six respectively and Wiggy was in a relaxed and confident mood.
But the defining moment came in the fourth group of sections on Sunday morning, the second sub on the slippery rocks under trees at Wallenrigg to be exact, just off the Broughton to Torver road, when loyal Gas Gas UK rider Alexz turned for the exit early and missed a flag.
This five marks proved crucial and Iwan took full advantage to take a lead that he wouldn't relinquish.
Luke Walker completed the National podium with a superb ride on the second day when he posted the lowest score of just two marks through the 40 sections and the Sherco rider jumped from overnight seventh to a well earned third.
The Lakes was staged in amazingly good weather for October, possibly the best weather the Lakes has enjoyed in its 40 year history (although it was originally staged in January) and the mighty 184 entries enjoyed a dry, sunny weekend which enhanced the fabulous views to be enjoyed in west Cumbria.
Saturday's 40 sections were enjoyed during a 30 mile loop over Corney and Bootle fells taking in Fell Green, scene of several British Championship rounds but needless to say the sections were vastly different for the Lakes.
The hazards were marked out a whole lot easier!
There was also a good variety of sections, it wasn't all beck and river bottoms as you might have thought, there were all kinds of variations on rock outcrops, some smaller stuff, some big boulders, then there were climbs through trees in woods
and a variety of cambers. Alexz looked a likely winner from the off dropping just a single mark through his first punchcard of 20 sections over the rocks and in the river as the field made its was from Broughton to Fell Green.
He was shadowed by Gas Gas UK team mate, the ever steady Sam Haslam, just a mark behind and under pressure from Iwan and James Fry on four and then a trio comprising Richard Sadler, Luke Walker and last year's third place man Ross Danby on five.
The afternoon run took in plenty of fell going including a slippery set of sections up Grasams and it was as the day progressed that Iwan closed the gap on Wiggy as Sam kept them close and Richard Sadler was also looking good for a challenge on the Premier.
Ross was riding steady but not spectacular as he ended his day on 10 alongside James Fry.
There was a good turnout of Ulster riders enjoying a weekend away including former World Championship ace Rob Crawford who has made a bit of a comeback this year riding with longtime pals Andy Perry and Gareth ‘Bull' Andrews and
while Robert struggled a bit in the morning he came back strong to
card just seven in the afternoon for
a total of 24 to finish a fine tenth behind Dan Thorpe and Jonathan Richardson.
Best local rider was Richard Gaskell on the Ossa, fresh from a local Centre trial win last week and Darren Brice, both ahead of Billy Bolt who had a nightmare, missing flags on two sections for 10 soft marks that he would never get back.
Sunday dawned to another fine, sunny day with the riding order reversed for the second day to even things up although with the National runnders in the middle of the field it didn't make too much difference to them.
Instead of heading off to the coast it was inland on the Coniston road towards Torver and plenty of climbs and cambers in the woods along the road.
As already stated, the fourth group at Wallenrigg cost Wiggy the Premier although that five was all he lost in the morning.
Iwan was giving nothing on just a dab but the star of the morning was Luke Walker who alone remained clean through the 20 subs.
There was only one clean card in the afternoon's final 20 sections as the route went over the tops taking in Stevenson Ground as it wound its way through the narrow, drystone wall lined lanes back to Broughton.
And it was James Stones who was getting the hang of his 2016 Sherco who made the fault-free ride which ensured a top 10 berth for Jimbo.
Other single card scores were posted by Emma Bristow, Phil Disney, local lad Michael Clarke and a superb three mark finish from Isle of Man ace Barry Kinley.
But up at the sharp end Iwan Roberts put in a solid ride of just three marks, ensuring he had no disasters, to hold of Alexz by two marks with Luke Walker making that late charge for third.
The Clubman class at the Lakes is always hard fought and just as in the National class the winner was making his debut.
More amazingly the winner, veteran Phil Houghton, was travelling with Iwan and ‘looking after' the lad in his dad's absence. Surprisingly for Phil, who is massively experienced, this was the first time he had ridden in the
Fell Green area but he looked a natural on his Montesa four stroke.It was Ulsterman Jonathan Hagon
who was closest on Saturday evening but only just from fellow Gas Gas pilot Mark Reynolds with centre regulars Nick Shield and Stu Gaskell also in the hunt.
With the pressure on, Houghton struggled a bit in the morning dropping nine marks where plenty of handy lads lost less, headed by local lad Craig Seward who parted with a mere three on his old but superbly maintained Yamaha engined Scorpa.
Young Sewey was on a mission and in fact repeated his three mark loss in the afternoon to leapfrog up to fifth overall.
Houghton steadied the ship in the afternoon and his final card of just a single looked good for a total of 16 but Mark Reynolds finished on an equal number – only to lose out on the tie-break after a fantastic weekend.
Stu Gaskell was also strong on day two to nail the final podium place pushing Jonny Hagan down to fourth.
The weather was a huge part of the feel good factor but the sections had been absolutely spot-on throughout the weekend in both classes and there were lots of happy faces on Sunday evening after two superb days of National trials riding.
And smiling longest was Iwan Roberts showing once again that he not only has the skill he has the temperament to go with it and is now a serious challenger for whatever event he chooses to enter.
