Barry Robinson

MALTON’S Ian Austermuhle fought off a strong challenge from young West Witton rider Richard Sadler on Sunday to win Northallerton DMC’s Chequers Trial at Osmotherley.

A biting cold day when every observer deserved a medal for manning the sections over the two-lap, 18 section course set by the experienced Nigel Rooksby, from Yarm.

Austermuhle was assured of victory with superb non-stop rides on the long, rocky gullies of eight and 13 to stay unpenalised. Sadler fought hard, but failures on the rocky outcrop of six and another five on section eight ended the youngsters challenge. John Crinson finished third expert, with current East York champion Simon Kershaw, seventh. Paul Sadler – Richard’s dad – won the Clubman B class from Castleton’s Terry Raw and York’s Mark Summer.

WITH the last two North-East trials called off due to the wintry weather, more than 80 riders riders were eager to get back on their bikes and headed for the Castleside Club’s event at Parsons Byers above Frosterley, in the Wear Valley, last Sunday.

On the expert route, the first two sections were undoubtedly the toughest, and on the first only Michael Phillipson went clear on the first lap as the tight turns on the greasy bank sides took single marks off John Crinson and Michael Lee.

The second proved even tougher, and although Billy Bolt managed a first lap clean, only Phillipson and Lee equalled this on their third and last laps respectively, while Crinson was consistent with a one, a two and two threes on the rock outcrop.

The rest of the course was certainly tricky but it only took a couple more marks off Crinson, who claimed the win on 14, seven ahead of Phillipson who had cast a further eight, and Bolt who finished his day on twenty six.

Carl Shaw headed the green course runners on 32, ten ahead of Stephen Bennett, who was a further six ahead of James Black. Section two was the same as the experts and took 16 of the winner’s marks while runnerup Bennett succumbed to four fives.

Section eight was the other big mark taker, the best scores here being a total of ten by both Shaw and Black.

On the clubman course, Stuart Anderson had a narrow win over Martin Phillipson. Again the second section was the main problem, almost half of these two riders’ totals going here. At the finish Anderson finished on 35 to steal the win by three marks.

Ossy Byers and James Cook went head-to-head on their Fantics on the easy course and finished just one mark apart, with a slack dab on the second section costing Cook the chance to take it to a tie decider. Byers’ only mark went on the sixth where the mud got deeper as the day went on.

Amy Turpin continues to dominate the TY80 course, and her six marks left her four clear of Bobby Young, who finished second ahead of Elliott Laws.

SCARBOROUGH and DMC held a youth trial at their Harwood Dale practice ground, Low North Park, on Sunday, on a very cold, wet day.

Pat Galway put the work in for a four-lap, ten-section course to test the best and the Peace brothers, Dan and Jack, continued their winning ways to take A and B class. Scarborough duo Zac Collinson and Callum Williamson battled gamely on, but could not match the younger Peace in the B class.

More young Scarborough talent on the way up in this often demanding sport are Elliot Woodall and Claire Collinson who won the C and D class respectively.