Returning to mainstream competition after a three year absence, 2019 Trial GB Champion Jack Price (Vertigo) took a ten mark victory from Oliver Smith (TRRS) in the Trial 2 class yesterday. Local favourite and series leader, George Hemingway (Beta) had to settle for third, but actually extended his championship lead to thirty four points with two rounds remaining.
Many of the sections on the unforgiving Brimham Rocks hillside were sensibly eased by Clerk of the Course, Danny Cockshott in the two days leading up to the event and as the course dried the large crowd of spectators witnessed some tremendous action.
The sections towards the end of the lap were the most difficult and the marks lost show this with cleans from section seven onwards being particularly rare.
Following up on his good form from the previous round fifth in Devon, Hugo Jervis (Beta) went one better this time round and secured his fourth place with a particularly strong final lap when some of his closest rivals faultered.
Having missed some previous rounds, George Morton (TRRS) returned with a strong fifth place finish - aided by an eight mark loss on the second tour - to score good series points.
With an opening lap of seven marks, Andy Chilton (TRRS) was right at the sharp end of the first lap, heading the eventual winner by four marks, but could not find grip as the day progressed and his 7-17-25 wristband put him into sixth place.
With just six single marks lost, it was Jack Challoner (Montesa Honda) who took the lead in front of Honda UK Off Road Sales Manager Graham Foster-Vigors on the first tour of the race, but subsequent losses of 19-24 dropped him down to seventh at the end of a tough day.
Maintaining his second place in the series, James Fry (Sherco) recorded his lowest finish in the series in eighth and will have to keep an eye on Smith who has closed the gap to six points.
Duncan MacColl (Beta) was a model of consistency with laps of 18-17-18 for ninth place with Sam Haslam (GasGas) making a return since round one to round out the top ten.
Asked at the end of the day if he would return again at subsequent rounds, winner Price would not commit, but many fans would like to see him back again at Rock & Hop on the 20th August.
Our thanks to Neil Sturgeon for the image of the winner.