ALL the hard work, sweat and uncertainty of 2015 were swept away last Sunday for JST Gas Gas rider Michael Brown as he won his fourth – and third in a row – Cleveland National Trial at Castleton on the North York Moors.

Spring sunshine greeted the 140-strong entry at the start as they faced the traditional lap of 36 sections inspired by clerk of course Paul Wright and his assistant.

The sections on Commondale Moor proved good starters, easing clubmen in.

On arrival at Clitherbecks, only Brown remained clean, looking as smooth and confident as ever, but the ninth stung him for two penalties. At the halfway stage, Brown led on a remarkable ride of just two lost.

Dec Bullock was next on eight, with Andy Chilton on 11, and Jack Sheppard appeared out of it on 15.

In the clubman category, Roger Williams and Paul Dennis were locked on one each.

But there were no late nerves from Brown, his lead rock solid, with just two more lost under the craggy old cliffs of Stormy Hall.

As sections toughened on the second card, Williams and Sheppard just improved.

Richmond Motor Club's Andrew Allison Memorial Trial ran in wall-to-wall sunshine at Holgate a week last Sunday with a mammoth all-star entry of 130 competitors who enjoyed sampling some Scott Trial sections and the associated moors.

Faceby's Guy Kendrew recorded his second Richmond victory in 20 days after navigating Cogden Hall and its

swirling stream.

Kendrew lost his single mark in the 10th section at Cold Bank, where observer Neil Hutchinson marked only veteran expert Philip Alderson with unpenalised rides on both laps. James Stones and cousin Jack Stones did ride the section without penalty on one of their visits.

Montesa-mounted Mark Willis and novice winner Tom Wood cleaned the fourth, where Dave Nesham marked down the penalties. Only Will Reynolds dropped a boot in the ninth, where Ken Wallis was stationed.

The single on the hard course was about it for the experts, but Willis and novice winner Tom Wood both footed on each lap. Gas rig engineer Roger Williams cruised the green sections riding a new Repsol Montesa, leaving Peter Brown to tie-break for second place with Adrian Harrison.

Greg Porter and Chris Dale took the last two sections on the lap and they were the sting in the tail for the 16 hard course contenders.

In the youth classes, Sam Adamson and Harry Dent delivered the right results, while class C non-competitive boy Elliott Laws got his 80cc Beta home in fourth place in the overall class B ranks.

Seven youngsters sampled Scott Trial country for the first time. Martyn Pratt held sway over Leyburn's Callum Fowler, while eight-year-old Ravensworth boy Conrad Andrew dispensed with both mudguards on his new Beta. He is still in the class D age group.

Nick Hunt and Stuart Lowther set out the clubman and youth sections, while Andrew Brown flagged the hard and green course routes.

The club are indebted to John and George Allison at Telfit, Jack Lynas at Kersey Green, David Brown at Lumas House, Barry Braithwaite at Prys House and Barningham Estates.

Richmond are preparing for the Easter weekend, with the Sid Morton Memorial Trial running at Fremington Edge today and the easy trial at Hindlethwaite, Coverdale, on Monday.

Emma Bristow won the opening event in the British Ladies Championship at Didcot from Donna Fox and Becky Cook. Hurworth teenager Beth Waite was placed seventh, Richmond's Hannah Richardson was third in class A and Consett's Amy Turpin was fourth in class B. Amelia Mayhew, another North-East Centre contender, was fourth in class C. The course was hard for some classes, reflected in the high scores.

Results

Middlesbrough DMC National Cleveland Trial, Castleton, March 20. – Experts: 1 Michael Brown (JST Gas Gas) 12.

First class award: Jack Sheppard (Beta) 30.

Intermediates: 1 Chris Alford (Gas Gas) 22. First class award: John Shirt (Gas Gas) 28. Second class: Thomas Hick (Beta) 31.

Clubman: Roger Williams (Montesa) 5. First class: 1 Paul Dennis (Beta) 15; 2 Colin Chapman (Montesa) 16; 3 Steve Williams (Montesa) 17; 4 Richard Simpson (Beta) 21; 5 Dale Whittaker (Gas Gas) 23. Second class: 1 Glen Scholey (Honda) 24; 2 Steve Taylor (Gas Gas) 26; 3 Kevin Tate (Beta) 30; 4 Karl Dodderidge (Gas Gas) 30; 5 Kevin Chapman (Gas Gas) 32.

Middlesbrough clubman: Steve Taylor (Gas Gas) 26.

Richmond Motor Club Andrew Allison Memorial Trial, Holgate, March 13. – Experts: 1 Guy Kendrew (Beta) 1; 2 James Stones (Sherco) 4; 3 Adam Milner (Beta) 6.

Inters: 1 Mark Willis (Montesa) 29; 2 Russell Cannell (Beta) 34; 3 Gary Pears (Scorpa) 38.

Novices: 1 Tom Wood (Gas Gas) 24; 2 Tom Alderson (Beta) 29; 3 Aldis Blacker (Beta) 33.

Youth Class A: Jack Harker (Beta) 49.

Green course: 1 Roger Williams (Montesa) 0; 2 Peter Brown (Beta) 2; 3 Adrian Harrison (Sherco) 2.

Youths: 1 Tom Needham (Gas Gas) 9; 2 Robert Weatherill (Beta) 13; 3 Sam Charlton (Beta) 26.

Clubmen: 1 Paul Sadler (Beta) 0; 2 Paul Wearmouth (Montesa) 3; 3 Russell Hogg (Montesa) 3.

Over-40s: 1 Andrew Dennis (Beta) 0; 2 Tony Wild (Beta) 2; 3 Jim Hudson (Beta) 2.

Twin Shock: Michael Platt (Honda) 9.

Youth Class A: 1 Sam Adamson (Sherco) 31; 2 Adam Brown (Beta) 45; 3 Brandon Robson (Sherco) 48.

Youth Class B: 1 Harry Dent (Sherco) 10; 2 James Harrison (Gas Gas) 15; 3 Will Handley (Sherco) 25.

Youth Class C: 1 Martyn Pratt (Beta) 28; 2 Callum Fowler (Gas Gas) 33; 3 Monte Andrew (Beta) 36.

Youth Class C n/c: 1 Callum Russell (Sherco) 41; 2 Sam Russell (Gas Gas) 53; 3 Conrad Andrew (Beta) 61.

Tweed Valley MCC trial, Doddington, March 13. – Expert course: 1 James Black (Sherco) 35; 2 Michael McNiven (Beta) 43; 3 Joe Hutchinson (Gas Gas) 51.

Clubman course: 1 Darren Palmer (Montesa) 7; 2 Russell Hodgson (Montesa) 8; 3 Gary Younghusband (Bultaco) 10.

Easy course: 1 Adrian Gallon (Yamaha) 2; 2 Andrew Black (BSA) 2; 3 Gary Bloodworth (Beta) 5.

Conducted: 1 J Younghusband (Yamaha) 34; 2 R Hodgson (Oset) 71; 3 A Baxter (Gas Gas) 45.

Horsforth DMC Basic Memorial Trial, Blubberhouses, March 13. – Experts: 1 Jack Challoner (Montesa) 3; 2 Martin Crosswaite (Montesa) 12.

Inters: 1 Sam Johnson (Beta) 10; 2 Russell Rooksby (Montesa) 14; 3 Danny Cockshott (Sherco) 27.

Novices: 1 Jamie Stephenson (Montesa) 19; 2 Matthew Alpe (Beta) 36; 3 Richard Mellon (Montesa) 37.

Youth Class A: 1 Keiran Child (Beta) 25; 2 Joe Faunthorpe (Beta) 32; 3 Jacob Snowdon (Beta) 36.

Fixtures

Today. – Richmond MC Sid Morten Memorial Trial, Fremington Edge, 10.30am.

Tomorrow. – Scarborough DMC first club trial, Low North Park, Harwood Dale, 1pm.

Sunday. – Guisborough DMC Bob Atkinson Memorial Trial, Castleton, 10.30am.

Monday. – Richmond MC easy trial, Hindlethwaite, Coverdale, 10.30am; Northallerton DMC club trial, the Sun Inn, Bilsdale, 11am.