West Leeds Motor Club. National White Rose Trial, Cam Head, Hawes. Sunday.

WHITBY steel fabricator and former stunt team rider Andy Chilton won the national White Rose Trial at Hawes on Sunday after a cliff-hanger result from Leyburn joiner Richard Sadler and Sheffield motorcycle instructor Dan Thorpe.

In the 59-year history of the West Leeds clubs of the trial, the single penalty victory over Sadler was a close call.

The trial originally started as a club event in the Dales and progressed to national status in 1976. The course skirts the rugged Cam Fell in its single lap 20-mile route overlooking the legendary single lap all moorland route.

The organisers spent days re-routing areas to deter spectators. The intention was to work to the letter with regard to current Covid-19 safeguard instructions. Peter Walton and his results team collected all observer cards and processed them on Monday rather than on Sunday afternoon in Parc Ferme.

Some of the 40 sections were blanketed in hill mist and the temperature was certainly autumnal. The entry list included 15 competitors contesting the White Rose expert route plus 45 who contested a varied White Rose and Clubman route.

Gas Gas team manager and clothing importer John Shirt gave his rivals a lesson in trials riding to emerge as runaway victor from Sheffield’s Gavin Black and Harrogate contender Danny Cockshott.

The Clubman class was extreme with 84 starters, Contestants travelled from Aberdeen, Fife, Braintree, Bognor Regis, London and Oxford to sample the Yorkshire Dales.

The Clubman class winner, chimney sweep Phillip Hammond journeyed from Nidderdale to beat Kettlesing former heating engineer Paul Jackson and Glasgow’s Allan MacDonald. Former sidecar trials champion Robin Luscombe got his BSA Bantam home in fourth place

Results.

White Rose course: 1 Andrew Chilton (Scorpa) 15, 2 Richard Sadler (Beta) 16, 3 Dan Thorpe (JST Gas Gas) 26, 4 Danny Gamble (Sherco) 39, 5 Sam Beecroft-Penny (TRS) 40, 6 Thomas Middleton (Beta) 57.

Green course: 1 John Shirt (JST Gas Gas) 3, 2 Gavin Black (Sherco) 12, 3 Danny Cockshott (Vertigo) 18, 4 Patrick Dukes (Beta) 21, 5 Richard Fraser (Sherco) 22, 6 Alistair Dalton (Beta) 23.

Clubman course: 1 Phillip Hammond (Sherco) 18, 2 Paul Jackson (Montesa) 19, 3 Alan MacDonald (Montesa) 21, 4 Robin Luscombe (BSA) 27 most ones, 5 John Holdsworth (Beta) 27 most cleans. 6 Neil Sharp (Vertigo) 27.

Awards: The White Rose Trophy – Andrew Chilton. The Dancaster Rose Bowl – Richard Sadler. The Stevens Trophy – Dan Thorpe. Chris Ludgate Trophy – JohnShirt. Russ Line Trophy – Phillip Hammond. Best performance by a female rider – Katy Sunter-Thorpe.

Weekend Fixture List

Saturday: Eboracum M.C. Trial, Hill House, Farndale, 11am. Wetherby & D.M.C. Trial, North Close Farm, Kirkby Malzeard, 3.30pm.

Sunday: Yeadon-Guiseley M.C. Trial, Emmott’s, Holden Lane, Silsden. 12pm