Macclesfield Trials Club - dead easy trial. Report 18-01-09

            The Macclesfield club’s first trial of the year was an extra event to the published calendar - a dead easy trial. Given that permission to run this trial was only received a few weeks before it was held, the club had a fantastic entry of 87 riders no doubt attracted by this popular format and the venue - the ever popular Rough Heys Quarry.

            Two routes were laid out on a shorter than normal lap - as this was an easy trial the lower part of this venue was left out, as it can be a bit on the muddy side.

The majority of riders rode the harder of the two routes and although none of the sections were hard, they were all tricky and all capable of taking a mark or two.

            Only one rider was able to stay feet up all day and resist the challenge of that stray dab on the last section and that was local rider, Toby Eyre on his twinshock Honda. Toby led a pack of riders who lost just the one, another twinshock rider Dave Watson lost his single dab on section 10 on the first lap. This section was a tricky cambered climb on a shale bank followed by a tight turn and drop before the final climb out up a steep slippery bank. 0/40 rider Paul Mountford was another rider on 1. Paul’s dab was lost on section 4 - a series of turns on a tree-covered bank with the final turn the most difficult due to an awkward approach. Novice riders, Ian Markman and Rick Marr also lost 1 each, Ian’s on section 7 and Rick’s on section 6 which was probably the hardest section in the trial. This section observed by Harvey Lloyd was extremely slippery and worsened as the trial proceeded. It consisted of a tight turn and drop between trees followed by a climb over an exposed root followed by a long slippery ride with yet another turn on tree roots to the ends cards. Good throttle control was called for on this section, only 5 riders managed to record a full house of 4 cleans here.

On the dead easy route the sections were perhaps a little on the slippery side due to the heavy rainfall the night before. Although a few found the going a little slippery everyone enjoyed themselves and no doubt picked up a few riding tips and encouragement from the more experienced riders and spectators. Three riders kept their scores in single figures with joint winners 0/50 Nigel Rigg and Les Pearce both on 5.

Easy route

Toby Eyre                    Twinshock        0

Dave Watson               Twinshock        1

Paul Mountford            0/40                 1

Ian Markman                Nov                 1

Rick Marr                    Nov                 1

Peter Hallam                 0/40                 2

Andy Foot                    0/40                 3

Mike Finch                   0/40                 6

Dead Easy route

Nigel Rigg                    0/50                 5

Les Pearce                   Nov                 5

G Rogers                      Nov                 8

Ant Harris                    0/50                 10

W Fowler                     Nov                 10