Monday June 21, 2010 at 4:32pm
Words and pictures by Colin Bullock
ROUND five of the ACU Events sponsored British Trials Championship saw riders back in South Wales for the second time and on this occasion for the St David’s.
After many years at Aberdulias the trial was moved to just out-side Ammanford and to a very different venue consisting mainly of a rocky valley with some very steep banks thrown in for good measure.
The Neath Club was the organisers and it looked as if they had done plenty of work to open up the area. After Saturday practice some of the Expert routes were slightly changed but the Championship subs stayed virtually identical for trial day. Trial day turned out to be warm and dry as the Youth and then Experts B got the event underway.
Section one was just below the car park and consisted of fallen tree steps with some rocks on the exit banking. It caused few problems but enabled virtually every one to get into the riding with a clean on the punch card. It became evident early on that this was going to be a low scoring event for this class. Pre event favourite Darren Brice did not lose any marks until section eight where he dropped a dab along with Dan Farrer and Nick Baker. It did cost Guy Kendrew a three and these were the only losses he had on lap one.
As the riders handed in their cards at the end of the first circuit it was Josh Woods who was leading the way with just one against his name, Farrer was on two as was Nick Baker and Robert Harries. Laps two and three were more of the same and no one could afford any sort of lapse. Josh Woods would score one on lap two and then a clean lap three. He was a well deserved winner and after missing out on podiums spots a few times by tiny margins top place in the B’s was just reward. Just
behind Woods three riders came home on three marks lost all posting 33 clean rides. Farrer got the second placing on the closest of tie breaks from Brice and then Baker.
Experts A started out next and once again there were no problems to be had at section one. For the riders a loop round to the second hazard found the steep climb was going to take marks from the whole class on pretty well each lap. It turned out to be Jack Sheppard’s bogey section as his 125 was just not ideal. Gary Macdonald on another of his 10 hour road trips was in no mood to waste the opportunity to post another series win and after dabbing at the second he remained feet up for the
next 16 hazards. Andy Chilton finished lap one just behind Gary and he would remain a constant threat all day if the Kinlochleven rider made any mistakes.
It was good to see James Fry well up on the day, he looked well at home on the banks and climbs that strongly featured at this venue. Macdonald however stayed rock solid for three laps, three marks lost and with it another step to the ‘A’ title. Chilton remained just one mark adrift with James Fry third the last of the group keeping their losses in single figures.
Most of the spectators remained at section one to see the Championship class through and with two big tree steps there was plenty of action to be had. George Morton posted the first clean followed quickly by Shaun Morris. Surprisingly it caught Alexz Wigg for a dab but the rest of this venue was going to be much more to his liking.
Current British Champion James Dabill kept his feet firmly on the pegs through the first four subs as did Michael Brown and the first real test was a big loose climb at the fifth with an equally big step before you could even attack it. Jonathan Richardson got up for two, Shaun Morris a dab but there were maximums for Ross Danby, Morton and Ben Morphett. Sam Haslam had a neat effort for a dab as did Wiggy but Dabill and Brown found power and grip for superb cleans.
Section six was right next door with drops, turns and tree stumps to contend with. Tricky and a mark stealer but the spectator draw was next door at number seven with some huge big gear climbs. Ross Danby was superb as his Gas Gas never lost grip or momentum. Shaun Morris got the final climb wrong and one of the rocks stopped his machine stone dead. James Dabill needed a single prod near the exit as did Alexz Wigg but Brownie got it just right and flew out to much applause and he was
still clean at this point. The Sherco rider did lose a couple of dabs at nine and 10 but he would find himself still behind Dibs when he changed his punchcard at the end of the lap.
Lap two saw the British Champion drop a couple early on and then a two at section 11 where there was an awkward climb out of the stream over a nasty tree stump step. Brown came around on two and like James dropped a mark on four an old fashioned type of sub with a mud slot and uphill
earth banks. Michael would lead after the second circuit but it all went wrong on the last lap when too many fives dropped him out of contention. By comparison Sam Haslam went around for just seven and that would get him his best result of the season. Another man on the move was Alexz Wigg who lost just a dab on the 11th hazard right at the top of the valley. Second overall to Alexz behind Dabill and a nice confidence booster ahead of this coming weekends British World Round.
It was a day to forget however for Shaun Morris who had gearbox problems which dropped him down the order and allowed Alexz back in front of him in the overall standings.
There is now a six week Championship break before we re-convene for the Mackenzie at the beginning of August.