Trials Torque: BTC set for grand finale
By John Dickinson on 28th Sep 16
THE 2016 RT Keedwell British Trials Championship comes to a close this weekend, October 1/ 2 with rounds 10 and 11 as a double header at the Bob Macgregor Trials Academy in east Ayrshire, Scotland.
James Dabill, of course, tied-up the 2016 Championship taking his seventh British trials title and the second for the Vertigo factory at the previous round, staged by the Tyneside club in the north east centre – at a brand new venue for the series which proved very popular with riders and spectators alike.
But it is all to play for in the battle for vice-champion with just two points separating Beta mounted Jack Sheppard and Jack Price on the Gas Gas.
The two Jacks have adopted different strategies this year with Shep having quit the Continent to concentrate on riding at home, while Pricey has had an amazing year winning the Trial2 World series as well as his domestic outings.
But while the battle for second is effectively between these two there are others who are sure to stick a spanner in the works, headed by fourth-placed Iwan Roberts.
Iwan, on the TTT Beta, had a terrible start to the series but has come back strongly with a fine second place last time out and he will be keen to keep this re-found momentum.
Gas Gas duo Michael Brown and Dan Peace are sure to be in the mix, especially Dan, and if Toby Martyn makes the long trip north from his Cornish base who knows what might happen.
Toby missed the first three rounds but currently sits in ninth overall and could still shoot up the order, as some heavy scoring is on the cards for the tall, talented teenager.
In the Experts class, Tom Minta needs just one point on Saturday to nail the Championship.
At the start of the campaign it looked odds-on that Dan Thorpe would retain his hard-earned Experts title as he took the opening three wins.
But since joining Dan in the Gas GasUK camp, south Shropshire resident Tom has never looked back, winning four of the last six rounds and finishing second in the other two, while Dan's form has strangely deserted him.
Tom Affleck sits third on the Sherco but Welsh ace Joel Edwards could still get on the final podium with a couple of good rides in Scotland.
And can Chris Pearson get the electric powered EM machine on the podium again after his historic ride at the last round?
Jack Peace, who has enjoyed an amazing year taking the World Trial125 title, is hot favourite to lift the British Youth A Championship on Saturday.
Kieran Child looks safe in second with Ulster's Josh Hanlon third but maybe Scots challenger Joe Dawson will have a say in his home round.
So the series, which started with a two-day event in Cumbria back in April and has worked its way round the UK into Wales, the west country, the south up to north Yorkshire and the north east comes to a close in Scotland.
The Bob Macgregor Trials Academy is to be found at Totherick Quarry, Dunlop, East Ayrshire, KA3 4EH.
It is a favourite with riders and a dream for spectators as the rocky hazards are just yards apart surrounding the parc ferme.
