Tweed Valley M.C. Trial, Butsfield Quarry, Castleside, Sunday

WITH the Tweed Valley trial in Northumberland falling to the weather, it was back to Butsfield last Sunday, as the Consett Club stepped in to make sure the North East Centre had an event to attend. Colin Ward took the Expert win ahead of 13 pretenders, none of which could match his clean ride, the nearest being Jason Scott and Anthony Stephen, who finished on eight and ten respectively. Section three was the biggest problem for the also rans, although Louis Grey and Zac Hubbery did leave here with just four marks lost.Another veteran of the North East, David Braithwaite, took the Clubman win on just two penalties, both dropped in the last section, to finish ahead of Gareth Martin and Andy Dorritt. Finally on the Easy Course, Brian Johnson and Kevin Edmundson both finished on eighteen, the tie decider handing it to Johnson, with Peter McIntyre finishing third just a further three marks adrift.

Sadler hits gold standard

RICHARD SADLER really turned the screw on his rivals at the Colmore Trial two weeks ago. The Leyburn joiner recorded his third victory in the S3 Parts national championship series. The twenty four year old competed in his first trial seventeen years ago when he rode aTY80 Yamaha in the Richmond Motor Club Mintex Youth Trial With the cancellation of the Jack Wood Trial last Sunday at Sheffield. Not only did he win the Colmore Cup event at Upper Quintin but also defeated the non-eligible experts that are allowed to ride in the series. That victory put Richard on a maximum sixty points just eleven ahead of his friend and rival Guy Kendrew. Whickham's John Crinson missed the Colmore but is still ranked fifth in the standings. Sadler has to face the Powys and Lomax trials in North Wales over the Easter weekend and produce a top result. That leaves the Chris Carter Trial and Wainwright Trial in north Yorkshire then up to the Newcastle club's Travers Trial finale near Stanhope on September 29. Acklams Motorcycles director Joel Sadler is right behind his two Acklam Beta teamsters Sadler and Kendrew who have their hands almost on the top two places. Their main threat comes from MRS Sherco teamster Luke Walker. The Ashby de la Zouch is just four championship behind Kendrew and has the skills to rock the Beta boat.

Weather Woes

THE weather wiped just about all the major motorcycle trials in the north over the weekend. The first casualty was the West Leeds club's second championship trial at Post Hill on Saturday. In a rapid succession of phone calls and emails on Saturday afternoon the Yorkshire Classic club axed their annual Presidents Trial at Halifax beating the Richmond club's news by a short heads that their Marske trial at Holgate was also history. By lunchtime the Hillsborough club's legendary Jack Wood Trophy Trial which was scheduled to be the third round on the national S3 Parts Championship series, dominated so far by Leyburn joiner Richard Sadler and his Acklam Beta, joined the ranks of the cancellations. The Northallerton club had no snow problems at their Dalton Woods venue near Croft as the land was waterlogged. A case of the 'infamous Famous Five'. Mansfield Maun M.C.

organiser Karen Crabtree was tracking the weather reports from the East Midland Airport on Saturday afternoon with intentions to stage the first Wessex Plant Hire British trials sidecar championship at Winster. The weather took out the opening event in Devon three weeks ago. Karen's comment on Saturday was "it will take place. It did!

Results

Expert Course: 1 Colin Ward (Beta) 0, 2 Jason Scott (Gas Gas) 8, 3 Anthony Stephen (Vertigo) 10.Clubman Course: 1 David Braithwaite (Montesa) 2, Gareth Martin (Vertigo) 4, Andrew Dorritt (Beta) 12.Easy Course: 1 Brian Johnson

(Sherco) 18, 2 Kevin Edmundson (Bultaco) 18, 3 Peter McIntyre (Montesa) 21.End.

Fixtures

Saturday.

Ilkley & D.M.C. Ilkley Grand National Trial, Middleton Moor, Beamsley, 1.00 pm.

Eboracum M.C. Trial, Hovingham Old Quarry, Hovingham 1.00 pm.

Sunday.

North Derbyshire M.C.C. National Bemrose Trophy Trial, Buxton, 9.00 am.

Middlesborough D.M.C. National Cleveland Trial, Castleton, 9.30 am.

Castleside M.C.C. Kia Championship trial, Edmundbyers, 10.30 am.

Pickering & D.M.C. Trial, Cawthorne Lane, Wrelton, 11.00 am.