Macclesfield trials club report

Kelcoat Round 1 06-09-09

            The setting out team of Phil Dale, Andy Hallam and Paul Scottney did a brilliant job producing 10 interesting and testing sections for all three routes at Rough Heys Quarry. Drier conditions allowed the lads to include some steep climbs to complement the more technical sections, a really good mix.

            Section 1 was a slippery climb followed by a drop and descent on loose stone. This section took 1’s off both Carl Machin and Phil Turner, who both went on to end the day on a score 10 - Carl just coming out the winner on the most cleans rule. Close by was section 2, climbs and turns on rocks with a tricky begins and ends. Matt Thorpe, Best Novice lost just a single dab to add to his day’s total of 32.

            A short trip into the old quarry and section 3 - a series of turns and climbs on loose rock and soil banks with a tricky ending. Mike Leddy lost 2 marks to contribute to a final total of 10 - beating all of the other competitors on the 50/50 hard/middle route. Section 4 was a twisting climb up rocks and a difficult drop onto a loose cambered slope. This section, for the easy route, didn’t involve too many big rocks but did include a sharp turn leading to a step climb on loose rocks and best on the easy route Andy Grimes put in one of the days best score losing just 2. Andy was just beaten by youth rider J Bowon who lost only 1.

            Section 5 left the rocks behind but had a cracking climb for the middle and hard route riders. Rob Bowyer posted 1 of only 4 clean sheets here on the middle route. Rob (10) on his 400 Triumph had the ride of the trial in many peoples opinion - coming out top rider on the most cleans rule on the middle route. Section 6 another section set in the wooded area had some stiff climbs and tight turns but failed to take marks off Ben Miles on his way to top Inter.

            Sections 7 and 8 both contained climbs. 7 on a slippery bank and 8 on loose gravel with a few turns thrown in. Best 0/50 Andy Foot cleaned both of these sections and ended the day on 20.Section 9 was another climb, this time with a nasty cambered turn for the hard and 50/50 route. Section 10 was probably one of the longest and hardest for the expert route riders. It still failed to take marks off the trial winner Craig Robinson as did all the other sections with Craig returning the perfect score of zero. Mike Roberts had a solitary dab on this section on the first lap as his only score to make the eventual outcome a close call.