North East Centre A.C.U. Ladies & Girls British Trials Championship, Long Framlington

THE two national trials for ladies and Girls ran smoothly at Long Framlington on Saturday and Sunday featuring several local girls. The adult class was won by Emma Bristow who rides the final event in October one point ahead of Jess Bown. South Shields Ladies Inter contender Victoria Holmes scored twenty six points and is ranked seventh in class. Consett’s Jo Pope rode and won the Ladies Newcomer class on Saturday then switched to the harder Inter class on Sunday and scored nine points. Durham sisters Molly and Amelia Mayhew contested youth class B and scored twenty and nineteen points respectively.

Yeadon-Guiseley Motor Club. National Superstar Trial, Addingham Moorside, Monday

FORMER World Motor Cycle Trials Champion Adam Raga took on and beat the best of the British riders on Monday at Addingham Moorside. British Champion James Dabill led the Brits backed by Scarborough’s Michael Brown and Kirkbymoorside brother Dan and Jack Peace. Denby Dale’s Jack Price was consistent as ever to take second place the penalties ahead of Brown. Dabill incurred a failure in section six and that gave popular Raga the break he required. Adam signed autographs, posed for pictures with the spectators, and in general did an excellent public relations job for Spain.

Ripon Motor Club. Artie Ratcliffe Vase Novice trial, Winksley, Sunday

GUISELEY international musician Sam Jennings certainly hit the right notes at Winksley on Sunday where he won the coveted Artie Ratcliffe Vase Trophy that bears the name of the Bradford fifties trials expert.

Artie Ratcliffe was a member of the Triumph factory motorcycle trials team. For some obscure the annual event was not supported well at all with only thirty two contenders and one youth age group competitors. Nancy Laws somehow managed to climbed over the remains of a fallen wall to observe the first section in the dense plantation. Sara Laws was on the craggy second section where front wheels followed cambers regardless of what the jockey was aiming to do. Michael Benson, Rob Hardisty, Ian Myers and Trevor Howling all struggled.

Only John Lydamore and Sam Jennings mastered the sixth where Mick Shorrock became Shakespeare observing the watery section. All the stream and the river sections were on the green side of slippery. The final two sections were above the water and very steep but grippy. Maybe a floodlight next time would aid navigation. Over to you Peter Fleetham.

Seaton Delaval & D.M.C. Harry Norman Memorial Trial, Alwinton, Sunday

THE Harry Norman Trophy Trial went ahead on Sunday at Alwinton in Northumberland, but despite being held in some of the best trials terrain in the North East there was a poor turnout for the Seaton Delaval Club, but those that did make the trip were full of praise for the event which was held in excellent weather. John Crinson took the Expert win on three but was made to work hard by an in form Phil Baxter, who but for a couple of slack ones could have been even closer to the winner who lost two of his marks in the first section after the steep climb caught him out. Andy Nicholson was another looking good, and the Morpeth pharmacist must have been taking the tablets as he ran out a clear winner on the Clubman Route, ahead of Peter Robertson and Craig Scott who were both making rare outings. Nicholson pulled out most of his advantage up the dry gulley, parting with two marks all day over the three sections, a lot less than his competition. Easy Course went to Rob Lowery who piloted his ageing TR34 Beta round for twenty nine, ten penalties clear of Stuart Hedley.

Stanley T.C. Trial, Pea Farm, Durham, Wednesday

THE final round of this year’s Stanley Club Wednesday evening series went off last week at Pea Farm in County Durham, where Scott Cousins took the Clubman win two marks less than regular winner Alex Bell, who missed out on a hat-trick of wins after losing three in the last section, where Cousins remained clean..It was also very close on the Easy Course where Mike Minns finished top on twelve, one less than Matty Cockburn, with John Sowerby just a further mark behind.

Weardale M.C.C. Trial, East Gate, Saturday

LOCAL lad William Dalton took the Clubman class win in the latest Weardale Club’s Saturday afternoon series last weekend. The event which was held at Eastgate in the Wear Valley attracted 27 riders over three courses, each with ten sections and four laps. Dalton dropped one mark, just enough to get the better of brother Stephen Dalton who dropped two on the Novice course for seven, which also gave him a one mark win, this time over Gary Daykin, who edged out Alan Winter for second place. A very easy course was put on for beginners and that was taken by J Carrick on 19, well clear of D Baker and Aaron Oliver.

FIXTURES

Saturday

Richmond M.C. Richardson Trophy Trial, Underbanks, 12.30pm.

Wetherby D.M.C. Crooks Trophy trial, Grimwith Reservoir, Greenhow, 4.30pm.

Sunday

Spen Valley M.C.C. Yorkshire Centre A.C.U. Team Trial, Parkwood Offroad Centre, Tong, 11.00am.