DAN Thorpe made it 101 national trial victories on Sunday in the sunshine in North Yorkshire at the hamlet of Marsett where he turned in another classy ride over Yorkshire Centre trials champion Phil Disney and builder Nathan Wrigglesworth.

The JST teamster stopped once on the two-lap, 24-section Patrick Darbyshire-planned course. Bearing in mind the torrential rain that closed down one trial and the searing heat of 2007 when heatstroke clogged the wheels Patrick played the safety card.

In the strong clubman class Phillipson was being worried be the extrovert Roger Williams and his mint twin shock Yamaha. Sunderland's Gary Pears threw his keys in the hat as well.

THE annual Mintex Trophy at Hurst on Sunday turned out to be a battle royal against the clocks and the terrain. Again, as last year at Arkengarthdale, Richard Sadler won the Mintex Trophy, the pair of Michelin XLite tyres, which he will need immediately. But not with a broken collar bone, as last year, but with a full complement of three punctures which effectively killed the fastest time effort.

Sheffield's Corey Dubik set the fastest Class A time from Sadler and an inspired Joe Jennings, but it was Hurworth Class B contender Rob Waite who hurtled round Nathan Stone's revamped and resited Mintex to check out the class and cover two laps and 30 sections therein in 02.16.35 that shaded Dubik's time by one minute and 14 sections. Runner-up Jack Stones also beat Dubik's time by one second.

Of course this was more or less the big Scott Trial course adventure with a touch of three day sections in Braithwaite's Gill where Ellie Braithwaite struggled through on lap one and into retirement, while Sadler was the class act with two penalties in Class A.

Sadly, the Mintex was again a bad day at the office for many competitors. Caz Alford dislodged a split link and did not have a pair of pliers with her to remove the broken bits, so the Lincoln 16-year-old was loading up. Danielle Whitham will now know the Scott Trial when she rides in it, because the national Class B champion inadvertently explored a few miles of remote moorland near Roan Hush. The lost time axed her hopes.

JST Gas Gas employee and Class A leader in the national women's championship Hannah Styles took a tyre off the rim and that ended her first Mintex hopes, but she did finish.

Local girl Ellie Braithwaite went out after the first lap, Jack Stones smashed his back brake lever, Will Peacock struck chain problems, and Josh Atkinson and Daniel Tuley also retired, while York's Joe Clements flew off and went to hospital with a suspected broken wrist.

Lucky, though, was talented Corey Dubik who flew into the scenery sustaining chest bruising and skin lacerations.

Wallsend pocket rocket Billy Bolt kept it all together as did Hannah and Chloe Richardson along with Hull girl Simone Wallis. The latter impressed all the way, even if she did finish 27th, but she did complete the course.

THIRSK DMC were in action again for their Saturday night BBQ trial at Long Plain Farm, Hambleton and laid a four-lap, eight-section course out around the steep sided valley.

Middlesbrough's David Pye enjoyed his night of competition and remained unpenalised.

SCARBOROUGH'S Josh Sprintall captured Eboracum MC's premier award on Sunday with a spirited ride over the four-lap, ten-section course at Thorgill, near Rosedale, but it was Colin Cunningham who took the Les Satchwell silverware home for best performance in A class by an Eboracum club member.

OTLEY trials rider Joe Bradley won the novice class at the Ripon MC Acklams trial at Hutton Conyers on Saturday afternoon from Ripon's James Simpson.

Again, the club experienced another record with an entry of 137 riders. Bradford youngster Joe Faunthorpe won the small wheels class in a tie with Keiran Child. Both lads rode the entire course without penalty.

Home Farm was at its best on Saturday afternoon when 31 small wheelers started a five-section four-lap trial. One name stood out - William Blythe, a four-year-old third generation of the famous Melmerby family who one day may be the clerk of course for the Jack Leslie Ellis Memorial trial.

William, Stuart's son, was one of three youngsters riding Oset machines and it was his first competition ride.

The next Acklams event is on July 10 at White Wood Farm, Bewerley, Pateley Bridge and the start times are Small Wheels firing up at 3.30pm and the big boys at 5pm.