Trials Torque: It’s Devon sent for title chase
By John Dickinson on 29th Jun 16
THIS Saturday, July 2, sees the fifth round of the RT Keedwell ACU British Trials Championship being run at Kelly Farm, Lustleigh, in South Devon.
Kelly Farm has excellent parking and plenty of accessible sections – after a short climb from the paddock.
The large rocky boulders usually provide some spectacular action at this West of England Club event and a tough trial is in prospect.
Reigning British Champ James Dabill has won all four rounds to date on the factory Vertigo and Dibs has already built a 26-point lead over his nearest rival.
And that rider is Jack Price, the JST Gas Gas rider who has been in fantastic form this year in all competitions and currently leads the Trial2 class in the World Championship.
After an inauspicious start on the opening day of the series – run by the Lakes MTA on Bootle fell, on Cumbria's west coast – Jack has been on the podium in the following three trials.
Also challenging is Jack Sheppard, the Eastern centre ace on the Beta UK machine who has made a very consistent start to his 2016 campaign, having dropped out of the World series to concentrate on British events.
And there's plenty of other lads capable of a podium challenge including 2013 British Champ Michael Brown, Welsh champ Iwan Roberts, young Dan Peace and the experienced Gas Gas UK duo of Alexz Wigg and Sam Haslam.
In the Expert class Dan Thorpe, recently married to Katy Sunter (see below), has won three rounds and came second at the last trial at Scarborough. Tom Minta, who had changed from Montesa, to a Beta last time out was top man in Yorkshire and he remains just eight points behind his more experienced rival.
Joel Edwards currently sits in third place.
The Youth A class has been dominated by Jack Peace, the JST Cloburn Gas Gas east Yorks ace running away with the Trial125 World Championship, who has won all four rounds to date very comfortably.
Jack continues to impress and anyone who saw him tackle the Scarborough Supertrial the day after the BTC would have seen someone who looks a genuine TWC prospect for the future.
Behind him in the class comes the consistent Kieran Child with Ulster's Josh Hanlon in third just ahead of Scot Joe Dawson.
Saturday's event at Kelly Farm can be found at TQ13 9SW with the usual early start time of 9.30am.
If you are in the area there is also the added bonus of another top class event on Sunday at a nearby and well known venue.
The West of England club is running a revived British Experts Trial at Ruby Rocks, postcode.TQ13 9RT.
This is the first time the event has been run since 2008 and the Skefco Gold Cup has been loaned out from the Birmingham Club for this trial.
The Experts should start at 9.30am with a two-hour observed practice lap the results of which will be used to allocate start positions.
Keep a check on the club website for last-minute info on the Experts, as the club has contingency plans in place should there be any severe weather on Sunday.
