Trials Torque: Brit hopefuls ready to roll
By John Dickinson on 1st Mar 17
THE 2017 RT Keedwell British Trials Championship gets underway this SATURDAY with the Surrey Cup Trial which will take place at Hookwood Trials Centre, West Horsley, Surrey, KT24 6EA.
An impressive entry of 65 riders have signed-up for the opening round split into 18 Championship class, 36 Experts and 13 Youth A as the top Youth class continues to run alongside the adults, competing over the Experts course.
You can read the full BTC Preview elsewhere in this issue.
And of course the big news is that reigning champ James Dabill is not defending his title as he is contesting the Spanish Champs this year for the Gas Gas factory.
So the battle begins for the 2017 British Championship – and the Championship is anyone's...
It's youth v experience with the likes of Michael Brown – Champ in 2013 and the only former title holder in the entry – Ross Danby, Alexz Wigg and Sam Haslam really up against it with a gang of hungry young guns led by Jack Price, Jack Sheppard, Iwan Roberts, Toby Martyn and the Peace brothers Dan and Jack as well as
2016 Experts champ Tom Minta.
And one other vet in the mix has to be Sam Connor who will really be riding on home ground having put in the hard graft at Hoowood which is operated by dad Jim to brilliant effect.
The large Experts class is also wide open with James Fry, Luke Walker, Dan Thorpe, Richard Sadler, Kieran Child, Tom Affleck and co all set to duke it out for an early victory at a unique venue.
Then in Youth A there's Devon's Billy Green, reigning B class champ, who will have the attentions of Josh Hanlon and Joe Faunthorpe.
But there's sure to be a youngster making a huge stride forward.
The day will comprise 12 sections and three laps with two routes, Championship plus Experts and Youths.
There's a nice early 9.30am start with machine examination from 7.30am onwards.
Overall time limit is six hours with a first lap allowance of three hours. Jim Connor tells us that there will be two new muddy bank sections with tree roots, with other sections a mixture of rocks, slippery banks and large fallen trees.
The famous Sand Mountain has a massive jump across rocks. It is a great venue for spectators, being very compact and the Admission charge is same as last year: £10 per adult and no charge for youths.
Please note that there is no access to the venue on Friday and no camping on Friday evening. There will be catering on the day.
Hookwood will be signed off the A246 at West Horsley.
