S3 Parts Clubman Trials Championship, Final Round – Travers Trophy
By TMX Archives on 28th Sep 16
THE 86th Travers Trophy Trial took place on Sunday, starting from Allenheads in Northumberland, the final S3 Parts Clubman Trials Championship round of the year.
The trial took in 40 sections set in groups in both the Wear and Tees Valleys in County Durham.
A total of 90 entries were taken but one notable non starter was James Fry, who has completely dominated this year's series, having taken maximum points in every round to ensure himself of the title last month.
Favourites for the win looked to be past winners and regular contenders Richard Sadler, Guy Kendrew and Dan Thorpe, with Jonathon Richardson and James Stones sure to be in the mix, while there was a similar number of likely candidates for the popular alternative Clubman route.
In the end it was the clock that decided the Championship course winner, after Sadler and Kendrew both signed off with exactly 12 marks to their names.
After being held up in the last section, as a rider struggled to get his bike out of the rocky climb, Kendrew had two marks added as time faults and with it went his chance of a second win at this event, as he handed the glory to Sadler.
After an easy opener in Bells Quarry, a tricky, rocky, section two took marks off most riders but it was section three in Burtree Fell which gave Kendrew the initiative after claiming the only clean of the day at the steep, muddy rock strewn climb.
Sadler dropped an early maximum here but kept his cool and reined-in his rival in at Valance Lodge and Trough Shop, where he left with a total of three, while Kendrew parted with eight.
The finale at Valence Lodge, the big rock step, was cleaned by Sadler alone while Richardson and James Stones – the latter pioneering the Expert sections – managed it with singles.
The previous narrow gully was only mastered by Kendrew and John Crinson.
Kendrew's three in the second rocky stream sub at Trough Shop was expensive, with four cleans here.
And he lost further ground when parting with a three at Smallburns ‘A' where Sadler was best on one.
However, Guy did pull back the deficit in the last three sections, going clean, compared to Sadler's last two prods of the day, before his dreaded time penalties were added. Thorpe, getting used to a 2017 Gas Gas, was steady as usual in finishing third on 16, but fourth-placed Stones wrecked his chances with two quick maximums in Smallburns ‘A'.
Local rider Stephen Bennett put a couple of maximums at Smallburns and Sunnyside behind him to take the popular Clubman Route win on a total of 18.
That was six less than Joe Hutchinson, who was another to five the final sub when looking good for a clean until hitting the final step, a few yards from the ends cards.
James Harland took third place on 25, his biggest problems being the last section in Lower Harthope – where he came to a stop – and the two marks on time at the finish.
Back-marker Michael Irving, riding his 4RT Montesa on a no-award basis, finished on just 14.
