ROSEDALE'S Ian Austermuhle won the opening round of the Yorkshire Centre ACU trials championship at snow-blitzed Keighley Gate last Sunday.

The 123 competitors battled to stay on their machines at the Yeadon-Guiseley MC event, but the course planners had considered the changing weather and all 20 sections were possible.

Austermuhle, a 22-year-old geography student at the University of Central Lancashire's Preston campus said: "I seemed to drop some silly marks. At one time I had a section marker flag in my front wheel, on section 12. That cost a third of my total loss.

"This victory has put me right on track for a Colonial Trial win. I have tried for a few years but just missed the top spot."

His GP Beta team colleague Michael Phillipson, from Crook, was the runner-up on a tie-break from Liam Walker of Pontefract.

Helmsley inter grade rider Jonathon Frost won his class on the hard course, with Great Ayton teenager Richard Suffell third.

Harrogate precision engineer Patrick Darbyshire took the clubman victory from Patrick Rawnsley and Darley motor body repairer Ian Myers, with Healaugh farmer Richie Sunter losing third place after a tie-break test. Katy Sunter finished in 16th place.

Results. - Experts: 1 Ian Austermuhle (GP Beta) 15; 2 Michael Phillipson (GP Beta) 36mc; 3 Liam Walker (Gas Gas) 36. Inters: 1 Jonathon Frost (Gas Gas) 132; 2 Brendan Suffell (Gas Gas) 147; 3 Richard Suffell (Gas Gas) 148. Novices: 1 James Dabill (Scorpa) 60; 2 David Wilson (Montesa) 107; 3 Paul Wardle (Sherco) 117. Youth A: 1 Lee Sampson (GP Beta) 84; 2 Ashley Smith (Gas Gas) 98; 3 Gavin Lowther (Gas Gas) 133. Youth B: 1 Scott Fenton (G.P. Beta) 29; 2 Adam Jones (Gas Gas) 60; 3 Zac Sherwin (Beta) 65. Youth C: 1 Jack Challoner (Beta) 52; 2 Jonathon Richardson (Beta) 79. Youth A easy: 1 Joe Dabill (Scorpa) 36; 2 Ben Robinson (Sherco) 52; 3 Tom Green (Montesa) 69. Clubmen: 1 Patrick Darbyshire (Montesa) 15; 2 Patrick Rawnsley (Sherco) 20; 3 Ian Myers (Sherco) 21. Youths small wheels: 1 Bevan Blacker (Yamaha) 8; 2 Edward Haley (Beta) 17; 3 Christopher Hunt (Beta) 23.

* The rise in trials entries in the last six months has rolled right across the county, so it was no great shock that the Colonial Trial at Rosedale on Sunday morning was oversubscribed at the end of November.

An entry of 135 riders will take part, including Martin Crosswaite (Bingley), Dan Thorpe (Sheffield), Mika Vesterinen (Burnley), Kinlochleven teenager Gary Macdonald and Sam Ludgate (Pontefract).

Ian Austermuhle has been trying hard to win his own local trial for several years, while other local riders entered include Kirkbymoorside heating engineer Mark Harrison, Jonathon Frost, David Pye (Great Ayton), Dave Wardell (Rosedale), Tim Peace (Kirkbymoorside), Vicky Ellis (Norton) and Lucy Gregg (Richmond)