Round 1 BTC Report by Colin Bullock
So the 2011 British Trials Championship is underway. The ACU Events Sponsored series has once again drawn additional support from TRC Trucks and Michelin and Round 1 was organised by Dirt Bike Action at Westwood near to Barnsley.
The course was sporting much in the way of man made hazards linked by some sharp, natural muddy banks and with Graham Jarvis setting out the sections they were tough, spectacular and in places very big.
This was a first for the venue and also for Dirtbike Action putting on a Championship round but this the same organisation who gave us the Nord View World Round a couple of years back. The hazards were very accessible for spectators and estimates of the total crowd were anything up to 2000 in total which gave the whole feel of a top line event.
At 10am the Experts A were the first away and they had a full line up as they set off from the imposing Renault hospitality unit parked up alongside Section 12 which would see plenty of action a few hours later.
With the top three in the Championship all having changed bikes over the winter there was plenty of speculation about the results. As it turned out current Champion James Dabill carried on where he left off last season with a victory over Michael Brown and Alexz Wigg in third. All of the Championship entry had problems at the final sub but James held an advantage here. Brownie looked well at home on the Gas Gas though and actually posted more clean rides over the course of the 3 laps. Sam Haslam also turned in a steady performance to get a very well deserved fourth.
In the A class championship Ricky Wiggins turned in an excellent performance. He looks to be the man to beat at the moment. Jack Spencer took second from James Fry who also has had some good National form in 2011. Reigning champion Gary Macdonald was a non starter thorough an injury picked up in the week prior to the trial.
Guy Kendrew is another rider to have changed machines over the winter and he now campaigns an Ossa in the B Championship Class. What a ride he put in loosing just 30 marks in total a staggering victory. Richard Timperley was second in the Class from Buster Regan, the young midland rider posting his best BTC result to date.
It was a spectacular start to the series, the TRC Putoline Westwood Trial kicked started the 2011 British Championships