Report: British Solo Trials Championship - Rd 5
By Colin Bullock on 6th Jul 16
Round five of the RT Keedwell sponsored British Trials Championships took place on Saturday last weekend.
It was a single day event held as the organising West of England Club had the resurrected British Experts to run on Sunday.
The Championship round was at Kelly Farm, Lustleigh with its usual mix of big boulders and rocky climbs.
In all three classes the leaders were going well. James Dabill in the Championship had won all four rounds, Dan Thorpe in the Experts had won three with one second place and Jack Peace was 100 percent in the Youth A class.
James Dabill is well on his way to this year's title but early on things were not going so well.
A five on section seven and then a three and a two on the last two hazards of lap one put him in third place behind two of the young riders Tom Hooper and Dan Peace.
Hooper had a great opening circuit only spoiled by a maximum on section 11.
Tom however not alone in falling foul of this long uphill with lots of different aspects that could catch you out.
Dibs, Jack Sheppard and Toby Martyn were the only riders to escape with threes.
Toby ran into trouble at the third sub on lap two as did Iwan Roberts.
Both needed three to get out, as did early leader Tom Hooper.
Hooper had already taken a maximum at section one which he had flown over on lap one and he was beginning to drop off the pace a little bit.
By comparison Sheppard and Jack Price were on the move with some text book cleans.
Price was clean all the way through until the last two subs stopped him in his tracks.
Sheppard had taken just two dabs and his three at section 11 was more a case of two marks saved.
Good as their efforts were they were still two marks adrift of Toby Martyn who, after that early falter, was showing his potential holding second overall at this stage.
Dabill went into lap three, five marks clear of his rivals and he then did what we have seen many times by going into overdrive.
Eleven sections all clean before parting with just one prod to see him out of the final hazard of the day. No one else could live with that!
Jack Price lost eight to get another fine third place behind Dib's and Sheppard.
Price really has come through this season and he has achieved a consistency that has seen him climb to the top end of the championship.
With Martyn fourth and Iwan Roberts fifth the younger set are making their presence felt.
This round has seen a few upsets recently in the Experts class and this event was no different.
Local ace Joe Baker had entered and he really is a class act at this level so it was no real surprise to see him clean lap one with apparent ease.
Tom Minta had won at Scarborough but he had now changed machine and was now Gas Gas mounted.
It made not a jot of difference and he was lying second after lap one from Dan Thorpe who had started slowly but was soon back in the swing and his clean on 11 was superb as he found grip right at the top exit which is always tricky.
Tom Affleck was in a tie with Thorpe but Chris Alford was a mark ahead having pioneered a new line at sub 11.
Joe Baker had a maximum on the exit of section six on lap two but his rivals were not able to make up any ground on the Devon man who had gone so consistently at the recent SSDT.
Dan Thorpe got a mark back on Tom Minta but it would not be enough as Tom kept steady through to the end.
Affleck was fourth from G Jones but they had to be split on the most cleans.
It is now getting tight at the top of the class with Thorpey just holding on from his young rival Minta.
The Youth A Class has been dominated by Jack Peace this season and today was no different as he finished well clear of his nearest rivals once again.
With three laps of four marks on each lap it was a great effort and with no disrespect left the others fighting for second and third.
It was Josh Hanlon who would get the runner up placing from Keiran Child. Josh had the slightly better lap 1 and two whilst Keiran saved his best for the last circuit. This was not enough however to Challenge Hanlon who was to finish a comfortable second.
It was once again not easy for the 125 brigade but as always they stuck to their task well.
