With one round remaining, Jack Peace (Sherco) clinched his first Trial GB title at the Ripon organised event at Rock & Hop on Sunday. Peace came into the event needing to ensure his closest rival in this year's title chase, Billy Green (Scorpa) finished behind him and this rolled out when Green hit technical issues early on in the event.
Eventually, after three laps of a titanic battle where the initiative swung three ways, Toby Martyn (Montesa Honda) grabbed the win on the very last section of the Trial. Just one mark separated the old and new champion after the thirty six sections were complete and local hero Harry Hemingway (Beta) was just one mark further adrift in third.
Still trying to claim his first podium finish, Jack Dance (GasGas) was the best of the rest in fourth and actually posted the best score on lap two when slight rain made the rocks void of grip. This included no less that seven cleans on the technical hillside sections.
Both Harry Turner (Scorpa) and Green were forced to take fives to see out the Trial, Green from midway around lap two and Turner for the final tour of twelve sections.
With some very technical, but sensible sections both in length and severity the lead was constantly changing between the top three. Martyn and Peace shared the lead at the end of lap one on seven marks. At this point Hemingway recorded fifteen when his wristband was downloaded, but he immediately bounced back, shedding just six on lap two which also gave him the best lap bonus point, now just one mark behind Peace as the trio set off on the final tour of the race.
Peace suffered double maximums on zones four and five which temporarily gave Hemingway the lead, but Martyn was not conceding, losing just two marks on the second half of the final lap whilst we have recorded Peace's final section failure, Hemingway lost a soft - by his standards - five on the penultimate section which handed the win back to a surprised Martyn.
The scores were 37, 38 and 39 which does not reflect the standard of the thirty six sections set out by the Ripon Club.
Whilst Peace has amassed enough points to be crowned Champion and be drenched in champagne after the Podium Ceremony, the battle for vice Champion will go to the last round as Hemingway and Green are separated by two points.
This will take place at Geddington on the 24th September.