Brilliant Kendrew cleans up at Travers Trial
By TMX Contributor on 27th Sep 17
The 87th Travers Trophy Trial was held on Sunday, starting at the Allenheads Inn in Northumberland, with the course running into the Wear Valley and surrounding areas of County Durham.
Incorporating the final round of this years S3-Parts National Trials Championship, the event started with local Alistair Dalton leading the 90 riders off to Bells Quarry for the first of 40 sections.
Richard Sadler had won this trial five times out of the last six runnings of one of the longest-standing road-based nationals in Britain.
But nobody could keep pace with 2014 winner Guy Kendrew this time, as he put in an incredible ride to go completely clean for the entire day.
No doubt the sections were slightly eased off from previous years, but this was certainly not an easy trial, and Guy finished his ride off in style when he cleaned the final section of the day at Sunnyside, his achievement up the long rocky climb only matched by James Stones.
The Clubman Route was well supported with over 80 per cent of the entry riding this class, and local rider Joe Hutchinson was another in excellent form as he took a well-deserved win, losing just eight, five of which went in the penultimate group at Smallburns.
Blaydons Philip Baxter pushed him all day but he missed out after pushing out of both the second sub in Smallburns and the final Sunnyside hazard. After an easy pair of openers at Bells Quarry, Burtree Fell took the first prods off many of the top runners, including Stones, John Crinson and Luke Walker, the latter just making sure he did enough to take the S3 Championship after a steady ride throughout the series. Hutchinson and Baxter both dropped two here, despite half-a-dozen riders going clean on the Clubman Route.
Stones and Sam Yeadon each took a dab in Rabbie Pattersons stream below the bridge at East Harthope, before Sadler had a five further up the group, which put paid to his chances of another win.
The big double step at the top of Valance Lodge rode reasonably well, with only Stones, Crinson and Chris Pearson of the top eight parting with marks.
Pearson had a bit of catching up to do after a front-wheel puncture before the first section took some sorting.
The first sub at Smallburns was a steady climb after crossing the river, but caught out Stones for three and Richardson for a dab, and also took Hutchinson for a couple while Baxter went clean.
So at the finish just two marks covered Stones, Richardson and Crinson in the S3 class, on six, seven and eight respectively, with non-scoring Sadler also finishing on six.
They all had to admit defeat, though, to a class ride by Kendrew.
Simon Hartley was holding on to second place in the Clubman class behind winner Hutchinson before his five in the last sub pushed him into third, allowing Baxter to take the runners-up spot.
