The 76th Sunbeam MCC Southern Experts Trial was run on Sunday by the Hookwood Trials Club at the Hookwood Trials Centre (Surrey)
The event catered for solos and sidecars with separate courses for each. The ground was frozen previously that week, and on the night of the event, thawed and rained, this made conditions extremely muddy and grip less for the many riders.
Sam Haslam took the Expert Solo Win riding his JST Gas Gas making this a hattrick of wins in the Souths biggest National Trial. Sams first lap of 17 was eleven fewer than Beta UK local rider Sam Connor, he was followed by: Tom Minta Joe Baker and Ben Morphett. Haslams next laps were 25 apiece and this was enough to keep him in front. Tom Minta also JST Gas Gas put in the best lap of the Trial on his second lap with a score of 17, enough to clinch second place from: Connor, Baker, Morphett, and Alexz Wigg making a welcome return to Trials after a year absence.
Joshua and Luke Golding riding TRS also clinched a hattrick of wins in the Experts Sidecars. The brothers are very young now, so could go on too many more wins and perhaps break the record held by: 1960s all-rounder Ron Langston from the Midland Centre with six wins. The Goldings laps were: 6,10 and 10 marks lost. Consistent enough to beat Rupert Kimber and Bethany Thomas with laps of: 12,12 and 5.
Clubman Solo win went to the west country’s Tyler Rendell riding Beta on 61 mark lost followed by Ben Skinner and George Gosdon.
Bret Harbud took the youth win from Joshua Wright with the first six finishers on Betas. Also on Beta: Best Girl went to Alice Minta on 135 marks with Alicia Robinson just four adrift.
Results
Expert solo: Sam Haslam 69, Tom Minta 82, Sam Connor 91, Joe Baker 96, Ben Morphett 98, Alexz Wigg 108, Jonny Starmer 114, Oliver Smith 118, Chris Stay 118
Youth 125: Billy Green 114
Clubman solo: Tyler Rendell 61, Ben Skinner 73, George Gosden 80, Tom McCabe 92, Toby Smith 93, Tom Plant 101, Brian Francis 117, Rob Smith 121, Tom Sawyer 123, Ronnie Day 129, Hugh Barker 131, Thomas Manley 135, Gary Brown 136, Thomas Hinckley 136, Victoria Payne 136
Over 40: Solo Clubman James Connor 112
Over 50: David Sherlock 138
Youth: Bret Harbud 104, Joshua Wright 110, Adam Juffs 125, William Clark 140
Expert sidecar: Joshua/Luke Golding 26, Rupert Kimber/Bethany Thomas 31, Daryl Dale/Hannah Hetherington 51, Peter Dale/Harriet Shore 71
Clubman sidecar: Bernie/Charlie Chambers 28, Adam/Harvey Allaway 43
Photos by Andy Withers - AW Sports Photo