THE NORTH-EAST escaped most of the bad weather last week but the stream was still in full flow at Butsfield Quarry in County Durham on Sunday, when the Consett Club put on a trial for a massive 125 starters, with just enough time to fit three laps in before the light faded.

After the marking out team had done their job on Saturday, many of the sections were eased off on Sunday morning to the extent that a few of the experts, with nothing left to test them, decided to have their own practice session instead.

Colin Ward breezed round the expert course for just nine marks with seven of these on the last section where a steep climb was followed by a drop into the stream before a couple of tight turns to the ends. Only runnerup Paul Nicholson managed a clean here, on his last lap, after a three and a five earlier, with Stockton’s Roger Williams managing a single mark on his second visit.

The only other mark taker was section seven where Billy Bolt (Wallsend), Eddie Aitkin (Sedgefield) and in-form Hurworth youngster Robert Waite managed a clean each on each lap.

It was very tight on the clubman course with all leading riders dropping clangers at some time. Eventual winner, Ian Stephen tried his best to lose it on section nine where the tight turns and climb out took him for two fives, making up most of his 14 marks. Runner-up John Bennett had already done his bit by failing the first section on his first lap, the only five of the day by the entire clubman entry.

The easy course runners didn’t have a great lot of trouble until they reached section eight, where only Colin Lee remained clean on the steep hill. Winner Gordon Imrie lost a mark on his first lap.

REIGNING East Yorks champion Simon Kershaw dominated the Middlesbrough DMC’s Vic Boyes Trial on Sunday to win by a massive 21 marks from Andy Chilton of Whitby.

The Vic Boyes, usually held near Danby,was run for the first time high on the Eston Hills and was deserving of a better entry as Paul Wright and his hardworking crew produced a superb three-lap, 12-section course around the wooded hillside.

Conditions proved spot on for Kershaw, and he produced a scintillating first lap of four penalties. Guy Kendrew, still adapting to the new Gas Gas, said he should have stayed in bed after failing the step of Cec Tate’s section – twice.But he still did enough to grab third to make sure of the East Yorks Championship this year.

Guisborough’s Phil Perry was in his element in these conditions and snatched the A class win from the strong riding of Mike Watson of Marske, with Andy Keel third. John Pattinson from Marske was in fine form to take the B class win from a young slip of a lad called Pete Frankish. Pattinson excelled on two and 12, losing only one mark to Frankish’s six. Thirdplaced finisher Roy Jarvis would have been a lot closer, but stalling out in the easier sections didn’t help his cause.

FORTY-NINE adults and nine youngsters rode the annual Presidents Shield Trophy trial at Kingstone Farm, Fellbeck. Norman Shepherd had been out with his excavator and resited some of the large boulders.

Kirkby Malzeard rider David Mawer and Darley motor engineer Ian Myers were in contention.

Mawer lost marks on the legendary Holly Tree rocks as did Wetherby’s Glen Scholey and Harrogate sawmill owner Rob Hardisty. North Cowton joiner Brendan Suffell lost heavy marks in the second and fourth sections and that opened up an irretrievable penalty gap.

PAT Galway kept the youth wheels turning on Sunday at Low North where 20 youngsters rode a four-lap trial in cold but dry conditions. Gary Collinson, Alan Daws and Phil Kershaw set up ten sections, along with Mr Galway. All the youth classes were included as well as a conducted event for a quartet of contenders.

RIPON Motor Club have finalised the 2009 Acklams Motorcycles Summer Series of seven trials. The series takes in nine classes from novices down to small wheels.

Otley’s Joe Bradley has emerged as novice winner from Bevan Blacker and Kevin Fleetham. Rob Hardisty and Patrick Darbyshire took the over- 40s from grass mower engineer Mick Platts.

Peter Jarman sorted Killer Kendrew and Steve Bradley for the older brigade. The scoring took the best six rides out of seven events.

PICKERING moved a few hundred yards from their regular Haygate Lane motocross track on Sunday to stage a November meeting on what is usually the Pickering agricultural show car park.

Despite the foul weather conditions in East Yorkshire on Sunday, more than 40 adults and children braved a slippery track in which three classes competed, and 19 races were staged.

Great Ayton Honda exponent Richard Collins was the main winner tucking the TT Leathers Trophy under his belt after three qualifying heats and a grand final.