There may be three national trials and a world trial running next Sunday but that has hardly made any difference at all to the Mintex Trophy Trial at Hurst, North Yorkshire, on Sunday morning when fifty four Class A and B boys and girls hit the unforgiving Swaledale moors west of Richmond.
It is going to be a mighty battle with Wallsend 2012 winner Billy Bolt aiming to get his Birkett Ossa home faster than his rivals on the two lap thirty section course. Instigator and organizer Nathan Stones started planning Sunday’s trial just after Billy bolted to victory last year.
The distance will be two laps of approximately twenty two miles. Thirty sections have been selected and in that number will be Thringill, Sleigill, Booze Moor and Roan Hush. Those four sections are nationally known to anyone who has ridden the Scott Trial. The trial is a youth Scott Trial in every way and all those eager sixteen year olds have one ambition, to ride the Scott Trial.
Planning is so far advanced that Barry Watson and Dave Nesham know which section they will be observing so no testing antics at Roan Hush or Watty will have you, boys and girls. As this is being written Julia Robinson is still coming down from the Low Row British Championship trial, as are the rest of the Richmond members, but the show goes on regardless. Julia has accepted twenty nine Class B and twenty five Class A. The youngest class features great talent.
MRS Sherco runner Tom Hooper, all the way from Porlock, must start favourite but Stafford’s Tom Minta and Skelding rocket Sam Johnson will test Hooper. Fife’s Joe Dawson and local starlet Thomas Coates will not hang about. John Shirt has taken on the Class B sponsorship from Robin Luscombe so there a carrot to aim for.
Man/Youth of the moment Iwan Roberts faces a mighty task in Class A where Billy Bolt poses the major threat along with James Stones and British Class A Youth Champion Jack Price. Welsh front runner Hugo Jervis will also be flying the Welsh Dragon colours on the day.
The travelling marshals total more than twenty and they will patrol the entire course. No other person is permitted on a motorcycle on the course apart from course officials.
John Hulme has added spice to the awards via Michelin and Trial Mag with a Michelin Xlite rear tyre to the class winners.
The three girls competing, Hannah Richardson, Victoria Peel and Beth Watling have the J.S Johnson Trophy as a target. The final carrot, for the observers draw, is a year’s supply of Trial Mag. The start time is 10.30 am and then at 30 second intervals.