Roberts takes Lakes Two Day Trial
By John Dickinson on 18th Oct 17
IWAN Roberts, recently crowned Trial2 World Champion, was in stunning form last weekend as he stormed to victory in the National Lakes Two Day Trial, the Beta rider posting easily his best performance in Britain this year.
Iwan dropped just 14 marks over the 80 sections to finish 10 ahead of runner-up, the ever dependable Gas Gas ambassador Dan Thorpe while TRS rider Ross Danby finished the second day strongly to claim the final podium place.
And Phil Houghton rode to a confident victory in the massively popular Lakes Clubman class, over eased sections, in a stunning repeat of the Welsh double win that Phil and Iwan previously managed to pull-off in 2015, an amazing feat.
Phil, mounted on a Beta four-stroke, held-off last years winner Darren Wasley and comeback King Lee Sampson, the Gas Gas duo having travelled together from their Yorkshire homes.
The Lakes, based on Broughton in Furness on the Cumbrian west coast, has seen all kinds of weather in its 40-year history including snow, ice, rain, hail and high winds with Saturdays thick low-lying cloud (fog) now added to the list causing problems.
Corney, Buchbarrow and Fell Green all disappeared in thick mist that engulfed all who rode into it and dominated the day before veering off on to Corney Fell where the fun began with four subs on the rocky slopes.
The field then began to grope its way up Buckbarrow Fell for more rockery, then back down to the river at Buckbarrow Bridge and worked its way down the hills to the Bootle clubs well-known Fell Green and four hazards before a welcome lunch.
Iwan had already set out his stall for a National win by dropping just three marks through the opening 20 sections.
Surprisingly only four other riders kept their scores in single figures and they were eventual runner-up Dan Thorpe and fellow Gas Gas rider and last years Lakes winner Michael Brown on eight, while British Experts class trials champ James Fry on the Sherco and occasional trials rider these days Montesa mounted Jack Challoner parted with nine.
It was then, via old favourites Avalanche Alley and Kaiser Bridge, back out on to the fells heading on to the slopes of the imposing Black Combe from which on a good day you can see the Isle of Man, Scotland and Wales. But on Saturday competitors were lucky if they could see their front wheel.
The afternoon hazards were perhaps slightly tougher than the morning run but the scores reflected very similar numbers and it was Whitbys Andy Chilton on the Scorpa who found the sections to his liking to post best score for the 20 subs of five marks with Thorpey right behind on six but Iwan gave little away to lead the way on Saturday on a tidy 10 from Dan with Chilli slotting into third thanks to his cracking afternoon performance.
The Clubman class interestingly finished the day with the three leaders also on 10 marks, the same as the National class, surely proving that the section plotters got it bang-on. Darren Wasley and Phillip Houghton renewed their rivalry of the last few years but were joined by the welcome appearance of Lee Sampson.
Local ace Craig Seward was next up on his well-presented Yam-engined Scorpa on 15, while 13 on time spoiled Joe Yeardsleys observation tally of just 14.
John Lamkpkins appearance on a 300 Fantic Twinshock surprised some, as Johnboy prepared for an invitation ride in the Costa Brava Two Day classic event.
And the silky smooth style was still present and a first card of just seven marks for the opening 20 sections was right up there with the leaders and 16th place at the end of the day on 23 was certainly not out of it.
Twists
Sunday dawned fine and while the day remained dull and overcast at least the route to the north and east towards Torver.
Its a familiar route to regulars but the team had rung the changes with new sections at Hawes beck, some groups rested and different twists to many sections.
The first of just two subs on the slippery slopes of Wallenrigg took marks off National and Clubman routes alike with the Clubman route seeing stirring rides by a determined Houghton, Sampson and Northampton duo Steve Swanson and Jonny Lee among others, including Jess Bown who showed excellent grip-seeking skill and confidence.
On the National route Ross Danby suffered an unlucky five when his TRS just died. Maybe I stood on the rear brake or something, said Ross later as apart from that loss he dropped just two further marks on the morning card and went clean through the final 20 subs as the trial wended its way back to the start through Broughton Moor and Broughton Mills, after reaching the furthest point away at Souterstead.
Rosss clean card was matched by just two riders, one being to no ones surprise eventual winner Roberts, while the other was a fantastic ride by 2017 Womens World Champion Emma Bristow.
Emma got a ride in the Lakes National class after the final round of the British Ladies series was cancelled and finished an excellent 13th with that brilliant Sunday effort.
But Iwans four for the day saw him in a class of his own to end the weekend on 14 total, which proved to be a whole 10 marks up on Dan Mr Consistent Thorpe.
Ross Danby eased on to the third step of the podium at the expense of Andy Chilton but Chilli did have the satisfaction of pipping James Fry on a most cleans tie break after both dropped 34 marks.
Last years winner Michael Brown was next, followed by Luke Walker while 2017 British Trials Champ Jack Price was down in eighth place, a massive 34-marks astern of Roberts, including fiving the very last section of the day which spoiled his clean afternoon card.
The top three Clubmen from Saturday were early starters on Sunday but they didnt let that bother them and got stuck in straight away. In the morning Wasley edged ahead dropping eight from Sampsons nine and 10 for Houghton.
But surprisingly, as the afternoon was basically the less difficult half of the day, the final 20 scores settled the issue, as Houghton really hit his stride on the Beta to drop just a single mark which gave him a two mark cushion over Sampson as Waz dropped a shock 15 and dropped to third although well clear of the mighty Clubman field.
The Lakes had a difficult Saturday with the fog, nothing the organisers could do about that, but overall the routes and the sections showed exactly why it is one of the must-ride events in the calendar for Britains top riders and Clubmen alike.
National LaKes Two-Day Trial
The Cattle Mart, Market Street, Broughton-in-Furness (Lakes MTA)
National Route: Iwan Roberts (250 Beta UK) 10 + 4 = 14, Dan Thorpe (300 JST Gas Gas UK) 14 + 10 = 24, Ross Danby (280 TRS UK) 25 + 7 = 32, Andy Chilton (300 Birkett Scorpa) 20 + 14 = 34 (64x0), James Fry (300 MRS Sherco) 24 + 10 = 34 (61x0), Michael Brown (300 JST Gas Gas) 25 + 12 = 37, Luke Walker (300 MRS Sherco) 32 + 15 = 47, Jack Price (300 JST Cloburn Gas Gas) 31 + 17 = 48, Chris Pearson (300 MRS Splat Sherco) 34 + 19 = 53, Jack Challoner (260 Montesa) 28 + 29 = 57, Chris Alford (300 JST Cloburn Gas Gas) 29 + 28 = 57, Tom Minta (300 JST Gas Gas) 42 + 16 = 58, Emma Bristow (300 MRS Sherco) 54 + 12 = 66, James Stones (300 Beta UK) 34 + 35 = 69, Jack Stones (Acklams Beta UK) 43 + 45 = 88, Richard Gaskell (300 Beta) 44 + 45 = 89, Andrew Anderson (300 Scorpa) 73 + 47 = 120, Craig Houston (300 Scorpa) 72 + 50 = 122, Thomas Swindlehurst (300 GSBP Beta) 81 + 45 = 126, Nigel Sharp (300 Beta) 54 + 74 = 128, Tom Alderson (300 Cloburn Vertigo) 80 + 50 = 130, John Battensby (300 MRS Sherco) 79 + 56 = 135, Tim Pearson (MRS Splat Sherco 300) 83 + 58 = 141, William Brockbank (300 AB Sherco) 83 + 59 = 142, Patrick Wardle (300Gas Gas) 77 + 71 = 148, James Johnson (300 Beta) 92 + 65 = 157, James Hayhurst (300 D3 Scorpa) 99 + 61 = 160, James Postlethwaite (Birkett Scorpa) 98 + 62 = 160, Harry Houghton (300 Beta) 96 + 72 = 168, Nigel Birkett (300 Birkett Scorpa) 93 + 97 = 190, Owen Gilchrist (300 Gas Gas) 109 + 127 = 236.
