EBORACUM MC kicked off the 2014 trials season with their Luxembourg meeting at Hovingham Quarry, North Yorkshire, on New Year’s Day, with an entry of 80 riders.

Appalling wet weather made it difficult for observers, but, hardy breed that they are, they stuck to their guns for the three lap, ten section course.

The experts were led home by Jack Howell and Ian Austermuhle, plus Youth A winner Dan Peace, all unpenalised.

Ben Myer’s Christmas present of a new 300 Gas Gas almost grabbed the Intermediate win, but Shane Monkman’s consistency over the first five sections couldn’t be matched, only one mark dropped on the third.

DAN THORPE won the Ilkley DMC New Year Trial from Richard Sadler by one point at Dob Park, Otley, on Sunday, but it was a cliffhanger finale to the opening round of the West Yorkshire Championship series.

The entry level was impressive with 100 competitors riding a Nick Pullan devised two lap course split between Dob Park and the extensive Brown’s Wood.

With a blank weekend in the East Yorks Centre, some competitors arrived from across the A1 trunk road. Chris Pearson arrived from Dronfield as did Dan Thorpe and Katy Sunter while the opposition – MRS Sherco teamsters Richard Sadler and James Stones travelled from Arkengdale and West Witton.

Phil Alderson short cutted via Aysgarth to add some weight to the Richmond club’s front runners.

Thirty two rode the hard course – and it was hard – while about the same took to the green variations. Thirty eight clubmen took the numbers to well over the 100 mark. Weatherwise, the forecasted rain and high winds remained to the west but some snow flurries blew across the Pennine hills during the afternoon, and the temperature certainly plummeted as the riders entered the second lap. Robin Luscombe posted 14th on his new Beta, just clear of Mick Grant on his BSA stroker.

CONSETT Motor Club held their final trial of 2013 last weekend when more than 100 riders turned out at their Butsfield Quarry venue for three laps of ten sections, with a stiff Expert route testing five contenders.

Michael Phillipson, John Crinson and Michael Lee fought for the overall win and all three had bogey sections that they will want to forget, but it was the former who hung on the longest to take the win, with five and nine marks to spare on his rivals.

Carl Shaw came back stronger to take the Green course win on ten, ahead of Eddie Aitkin (Gas Gas) and James Back (Sherco). It was tight on the Clubman course, where Dale Watkin took his Montesa round for just one mark, beating off the Beta’s of Travis and Colin Ward.

The Easy course turned out just that with four riders, Phil Parks, Steven Thompson, Andy Black (all Montesa) and Gary Daykin (Ossa), all without penalty.

THE weather was glorious for Scarborough DMC’s Yuletide Trial at Low North Park on Sunday and the up-andcoming youth riders of the East York Centre – Pocklington’s Ollie Kendra, Shane Monkman, Wombleton and Nikita Smith from Fryup – grabbed the first three places on the hard route, pressing the experienced Andy Lockwood, from Scarborough, into fourth place. With sections flagged hard, easy, very easy, an impressive entry of 97 riders turned out for the day’s sport.