The national Inter Centre Team Trials take place on Sunday at Tong where the Yorkshire Centre ACU are the hosts for the only national team events of the year at the Parkwood Offroad Centre. On Saturday seventeen youth teams battle for points.
Fifteen are comprised from all parts of the British Isles, and Southern Ireland. Only two female teams have been entered so it will be a straight fight between the East Yorks trio of Nikita Smith, Beth Waite and Louise Alford. By recent results the Yorkshire Centre girls will have a tough task. Gabby Whitham, Beth Watling and Hannah Richardson will put up a strong attack but Nikita has world level experience.
The fifteen boys teams contain the cream of national talent but it could be the host Centre that wins the day. Jack Price, James Stones, Sam Johnson, Keiran Child and Charlie Smith are a strong across the board team. As no Inter Centre event took place last year the ages have taken precendent so the form book has gone out of the window. Obviously Yorkshire have great strength but the East Yorks Centre have Dan and Jack Peace, Michael Todd and Zac Collinson. The big question for the South Western Centre will be whether Thomas Hooper will be fit enough to ride after his monumental crash in the Mintex Trial last Sunday. Joe Glover, Billy Green, George Marshman and Jack Church could make an impact. Billy Bolt fronts the North East Centre with Jack and Adam Biggins and Bobby Clark. Maybe the Midland Centre could have the key with Tom Minta, Sam Yeomans, Joe Tett and Alice Minta keeping them concentrated. Two teams cross the Irish Sea from the Southern and Ulster Centre are are an unknown quantity. The same cannot be said of Andy Mack’s Tartan Army of Joe Dawson. Lewis Byron, Robert Lafferty, Robert Weir and Stuart Mack. Joe, Stuart and Lewis made the news at the Mintex Trial and do not surrender easily.
The start time will be 10.00 am and each team will start en bloc at 3.00 minute intervals.