THIRSK and District Motor Club produced a fantastic open trial at Low Kilburn Grange, Kilburn, last Sunday.

Beta rider Jonathan Frost rode to a convincing win, his many years of experience earning him victory over the younger pair of Steve Taylor and Daniel Gamble.

Dave Almack, observing section three, said: “It was a pleasure staging this trial."

Sandra Anderson stepped in at the last minute, allowing Thirsk man Rob Hunter the chance of a ride.

The club had certainly worked hard and the greasy conditions made all sections spot on for each class.

Frost remained clean on the first two before the Beta cut out on the slippery leaf mould climb out of the third for a five. Six lost on the fifth, where Dave Willoughby and Mel Taylor observed, meant just one more added to his total for the day. Taylor, an occasional rider now, produced solid rides on the fourth and eighth.

Both winners and runners-up in classes A and B had many years of riding under their belt. In clubman A, Alan Carr continued his good season, beating TRS rider Darren Johnson by two marks. Johnson allowed the win to slip away after fiving the slippery second section. Carr and Mark Butler were steadiest here, easing through for one mark lost, while Mark Smith dropped off the pace with marks dropped on the fourth and fifth hazards.

Clubman B winners Paul Nelson and Dave Wardell cut their teeth in conditions like this, Nelson taking the class on furthest clean.

HARROGATE Beta dealer Joel Sadler cruised through 10 Wetherby and District MC's President's Trophy trial sections without incurring a single penalty in a low-scoring centre-restricted annual event.

Despite heavy rain followed by snow and ice in scenic Nidderdale, judicious section-marking at Kingston Farm yielded low scores on the hard and easy courses.

Falcon’s Andrew Jackson and Fewston electrician James Noble applied the pressure on Sadler, while Summerbridge electrician Danny Gamble rattled his TY 250 Yamaha round for a seven score, but non-competitive.

Chris Beecroft was circulating on his new 125 Sherco, but the carburettor settings were off key and the engine was running on at the wrong moment.

Thirty-six adults contended on the hard route, plus Colne’s class A youth Joel Holdsworth, who won the McRae Tray for his persistence.

Thomas Simpson topped the 11 easy course runners by a dab from Michael Benson, who was four up on third-placed Michael Joyce.

WEARDALE and District Motor Club held their annual charity trial last Sunday at a new venue, the former Eastgate Quarry which served the Blue Circle Cement Works until its closure a number of years ago.

Apart from the quarry rocks, the excellent venue featured some streams, with endless possibilities for the future.

Ninety-five riders turned out to sample the new course, boosting the amount raised for Macmillan Cancer Support to £762.

On the expert route, Michael Phillipson was originally awarded the win, but he contacted the secretary after a clear five had been omitted from his score, which handed victory to John Crinson.

Crinson's score of 12 included eight in section seven, where the climb out of the water took fives off everyone on lap one. Phillipson was best here with a five and two ones, while third-placed Rob Waite lost nine.

The last section featured two fearsome rock steps which totally defeated the entire entry, apart from the top three plus Ryan Dalton, who managed a three on his first lap. Crinson, Phillipson and Waite all managed two cleans after one, one and five respectively on their first visits.

Carl Shaw and Eddie Aitkin usually have their own individual duel and Shaw triumphed this time as they took on the green course.

Aitkin was pushed hard by John Bennett for second place, with only the tie decider splitting them after they had both dropped 32, with Shaw a clear seven marks ahead.

Results

Thirsk & District MC open trial, Kilburn. – Intermediate: 1 Jonathan Frost (Beta) 16; 2 Steve Taylor (Gas Gas) 42; 3 Daniel Gamble (Beta) 71.

Clubman A: 1 Alan Carr (Scorpa) 10; 2 Darren Johnson (TRS) 12; 3 Mark Smith (TRS) 15.

Clubman B: 1 Paul Nelson (Beta) 1; 2 Dave Wardell (Beta) 1; 3 Ben Hollingworth (Gas Gas) 13.

Youth C-B course: 1 Jack Darrell (Beta) 24; 2 Richard Pulman (Scorpa) 28.

Wetherby & District MC annual President's Trial, Fellbeck. – Hard course, Novices: 1 Joel Sadler (Beta) 0; 2 Sam Jennings (Montesa) 3; 3 John Lydamore (Beta) 3; 4 Rob Bratley (Sherco) 5; 5 Paul Jackson (Montesa) 11.

Over-40s: 1 Andrew Jackson (Scorpa) 1; 2 James Noble (Gas Gas) 2; 3 Martin Wilson (Sherco) 6; 4 Paul Gravestock (Scorpa) 11; 5 Robert Hardisty (Sherco) 14.

Non-competitive: Danny Gamble (TY Yamaha) 7.

Youth class A: Joel Holdsworth (Beta) 87.

Easy course, Novice: Michael Joyce (Beta) 13.

Weardale & District MC annual charity trial, Eastgate Quarry. – Expert course: 1 John Crinson 12; 2 Michael Phillipson 15; 3 Rob Waite 17.

Green course: 1 Carl Shaw 25; 2 Eddie Aitkin 32; 3 John Bennett 32.

Clubman course: 1 Chris Laws 36; 2 Darren Johnson 39; 3 S Cornforth 46.

Easy course: 1 Chris Banks 19; 2 C Barnett 24; 3 R Pulman 26.

Conducted easy: Ryan Hodgson.

Conducted hard: C Brunskill.

Fixtures

Sunday: Bedlington & District MC trial (no advance details); Bradford & District MC West Yorkshire Championship trial, Skyrakes Farm, Skipton, 10.30am; Richmond & District MC Eric Ridley Trial, Hurst, 10.30am; Scarborough & District MC Jacky Baxter Trial, Low North Park, Harwood Dale, 10.30am; Bradford & District MC E S Myers Trophy Trial/West Yorkshire Championship, Skyrakes Farm, Skipton, 11am.