YEADON-GUISELEY MC finally broke the Yorkshire trials weather hoodoo on Sunday at windswept Upwood Farm, Keighley Gate, to stage the first round of the Yorkshire Centre Championship.

It should have been the second of the series, but the Old Bazzola at Stocksbridge vanished under the snow. However, the Cobb and Jagger Trophy trial just escaped the second heavy snowfall last week.

Dane Smith was the architect of Sunday’s trial and his triple route 15 section three lap trial was just about dead on in penalties.

Four experts in the 24- strong entries got round fewer than 30 penalties. West Witton SR Parts national champion Richard Sadler got away with 17 to put Sherco at the top of the pile after Faceby’s Guy Kendrew failed the 13th section in the east stream. He was a on a new Beta so maybe it was a bit on the tight side.

Sadler was on five penalties at the end of lap one while Kendrew was comfortable on four, until that 13th section.

Current centre champion Liam Walker was lurking at the back of the field but a five and three on the rocks and stream in the south ravine took the edge off his hopes.

Martin Crosswaite posted the best score behind Sadler and Kendrew.

Hurworth teenager Rob Waite stormed the novice class from the other Arkengarthdale member of the Stones family – cousin Jack. Predictably, Denby Dale youth champion Jack Price contained Arkengartdale’s James Stones in Class A while Joe Faunthorpe whitewashed Class B.

The ride by Beth Waite was sufficient to gain a class victory for the 13-year-old Hurworth girl.

The Constantine boys, Thomas and Luke , both posted second places in Class C and Small Wheels. And the downsides – Sam Johnson not being able to find enough grip, Chris Tolson’s machine conking and requiring the big push on mud after just three sections.

SCARBOROUGH DMC heralded the start of the East Yorks Centre Trials Championship rounds at their Low North Park practice ground on Sunday with a tough, three lap, 12 section event for the 80 entrants.

A bitterly cold day to start, but with many events cancelled lately due to weather, riders were glad to be out on their bikes and soon warmed to the task.

Whitby’s Andy Chilton, on the Beta, proved in fantastic form, but had to call on all his British Championship experience to stay ahead of MRS Sherco rider Tom Affleck, from Yarm.

Chilton proved superb on the seemingly impossible first greasy drop and climb out over the massive rock slab on the first hazard, the only expert to nail the end cards first lap with a loss of two marks and outstanding rides on the numbers six and eight ensured the win from Affleck, with defending East Yorks champion, Scarborough’s Simon Kershaw, third. More Scarborough talent came to the fore in the shape of Mark Taylor, who grabbed the Intermediate win on most cleans rule from Stockton’s Rob Carter, leaving the youthful Scarborians, siblings Elliot and Lewis Woodall to win Youth C and Youth novice, and Zac and Claire Collinson to clean up in a tough Youth B and D class.

Colin Bailey, from Egton, Bridge did well to hang on for the win in Clubman A and held off a confident Matt Ackerly and Nigel Todd and Adam West just edged the win in Clubman B from Scarborough’s Brendan Todd due to his better ride on the first section.